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2013 ⇒ 2014: Happy New Year!

Wow. Another year has passed. And I am quite late with my New Year wishes. Maybe I am still tuned to the Chinese time, where they just celebrated the Lunar New Year. Maybe I am just a little bit more successful with my intention to only do things when the time feels “right” and not trying to force things too much.

Looking back on the last year fills my heart with joy and gratitude. There has been many, many positive experiences in my life. A few of them, I’ve shared with you on this blog, a lot of them I didn’t. Again, I was allowed to meet fantastic people, both old and new friends. Some of you in person, some of you only in cyberspace or vial snail-mail (yes, it still does exist!).  Thanks to everyone for enriching my life the way you do! It is deeply appreciated! And my deep apologies for not keeping in touch as much as I wanted… there are quite a few mails from very lovely people still to be answered. I promise they will!

In June I had the opportunity to attend a retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh at the EIAB in Waldbröl. Two amazing weeks with a fascinating Zen master. So I decided to share a part of Thầys New Year’s Prayer with you.

We promise to offer our true presence to our beloved ones and not to get too busy, striving for success – even in pursuit of our dreams. We know that we can realize our dreams in every moment, and we vow to live every day of 2014 as a realization of our dream.

We know that time is not money. Time is life, and time is love.

We promise to live simply, to love one another with no-discrimination, to build true brotherhood and sisterhood and respect our deepest aspiration.

[New Year’s Prayer 2014, Plum Village fourfold sangha]

May we all realize how to fill our time with life – and love!
Big hugs & love, Michael

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