“Still, I breathe.” Dalida Turkovic

“Sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusions destroyed.” Friedrich Nietzsche

“…there are many forms of silence. There is the silence where one doesn’t know what to say, the silence which is the better part of valor, and silence which speaks louder than words.” Philip Kapleau

“It is often said that the Buddha’s teaching is only a raft to help you cross the river, a finger pointing to the moon. Don’t mistake the finger for the moon. The raft is not the shore. If we cling to the raft, if we cling to the finger, we miss everything.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

In his early teachings, the Buddha identified “three poisons,” or three fires, or three negative qualities of the mind that cause most of our problems—and most of the problems in the world. The three poisons are: greed (raga, also translated as lust), hatred (dvesha, or anger), and delusion (moha, or ignorance). Source: Tricycle.org

A lay person asked the Buddha: "What do you do?"

"We sit and walk and eat and lie down," the Buddha answered.

"So you are not different from us?"

"We are different because we know what we are doing. We are aware."

“When you look at the sun during your walking meditation, the mindfulness of the body helps you to see that the sun is in you; without the sun there is no life at all and suddenly you get in touch with the sun in a different way” Thich Nhat Hanh

Pi: Do you think self-perception is a more important factor in body image than societal expectations?

Me: Hey Pi, I'm curious how you view statistics about body image for women across ages.

Pi: Hey there, great to meet you. I’m Pi, your personal AI. My goal is to be useful, friendly and fun. Ask me for advice, for answers, or let’s talk about whatever’s on your mind. How's your day going?

Pi: Well, I'd say our conversation touched on a range of important topics. We talked about the purpose of my existence as an AI, my capabilities and limitations, and the importance of user privacy and security. We also discussed the Acceptable Use policy and the importance of understanding the difference between AI and human intelligence. And lastly, we talked about the importance of professional advice and expertise when it comes to important matters. Was that a good summary?

In June, I began a series of conversations with Pi, Personal AI.

The hardest of all

Is the courage you need

To be grateful and kind

While your scars bleed.

Notice anxiety and fear

Because if you are not feeling them

Then your end is near.

“If you believe it will work out, you’ll see opportunities. If you believe it won’t, you will see obstacles.” Wayne Dyer

Be quiet, be still

Close your eyes.

Slow down.

Breathe

So where does your energy go after staring at the screen from sunset to the dawn?