Mindfulness, new flat and Ganesha.

[snowgrouse]

Found this quote today, and it's very very true. Although it is very hard to remember this every day, or live up to it, but it's still very valuable knowledge to have within your head.

Watch your thoughts--they become words.
Watch your words--they become actions.
Watch your actions--they become habits.
Watch your habits--they become character.
Watch your character--it becomes your destiny.

It seems to have been based on this quote from the Dhammapada (sayings of the Buddha):

The thought manifests as the word;
The word manifests as the deed;
The deed develops into habit;
And habit hardens into character;
So watch the thought and its ways with care,
And let it spring from love
Born out of concern for all beings…

As the shadow follows the body,
As we think, so we become.

So, yeah, no wonder it sounded familiar. I've been going through bits and pieces of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (it's the good stuff, BTW).

I took my wee Ganesha incense burner to my new flat today. You can see him on this pic of my old altar. In India, the first thing brought into a new home is an image of Ganesha, because he is the god of obstacles and fresh new starts. Here's an interesting blog post with lots of photos on a Ganesha puja (worship) performed for a new house. Coolness!

I need to bring my Ganesha some noms. He likes marshmallows, rice pudding and Bounty.



Om Gam Ganapati Namaha!