This Is Water - David Foster Wallace Commencement Speech

This is, perhaps, one of the greatest, most meaningful  commencement speeches ever given to any group of graduating college students by Wallace at Kenyon College on May 21, 2005.

Coming Of Age by americ
Celebrating the life that has been given.

Floating

 The mystery and secret of life. Learning to be. Relaxing into this present moment. A metaphor for living well.  

Standing Still in Line

Standing Still In Line by americ
Meditation opportunities can happen everywhere - even while standing in line at the bank or in the deli. We give you a sense of how to go about this.

Failing and Flying ©

Everyone forgets that Icarus also flew.
It's the same when love comes to an end,
or the marriage fails and people say
they knew it was a mistake, that everybody
said it would never work. That she was
old enough to know better. But anything
worth doing is worth doing badly.
Like being there by that summer ocean
on the other side of the island while
love was fading out of her, the stars
burning so extravagantly those nights that
anyone could tell you they would never last.
Every morning she was asleep in my bed
like a visitation, the gentleness in her
like antelope standing in the dawn mist.
Each afternoon I watched her coming back
through the hot stony field after swimming,
the sea light behind her and the huge sky
on the other side of that. Listened to her
while we ate lunch. How can they say
the marriage failed? Like the people who
came back from Provence (when it was Provence)
and said it was pretty but the food was greasy.
I believe Icarus was not failing as he fell,
but just coming to the end of his triumph.


By Jack Gilbert

Waterfall

Waterfall by americ
The waterfall as a metaphor for birth, living, death, and transcendence.

Om's and Breaths

Om's And Breaths by americ
When you make a phone call, you can create an opportunity to chant together one or more "om" sounds and do several slow long deep breaths. A good way to use some of the time together on the phone. NOTE: Long recorded pause near the end for the long quiet breaths. A few words follow.