Eternal Thread When twilight whispers secrets to the stars,
And moonlight dances soft upon the sea,
I think of fate, its ever-winding scars,
That led my soul through time to find thee.
Life's winding road, so rugged and unclear,
Held shadows deep, where dreams would fade and fall,
Yet through the dark, your light drew ever near,
A voice of hope, a whisper through it all.
Two hearts once lost now beat in perfect rhyme,
As if the heavens wove our paths as one,
A thread unbroken, stretching out through time,
Bound by the stars, beneath both moon and sun.
For life’s true gift is love we cannot see,
A timeless vow: "You are my destiny." Poem by American poet Bryan Taylor ~ Happy St. Valentine's Day to all ~
Image: Eternal Love - Scupture by the Polish sculptor Igor Mitoraj (1944-2014)
By cultivating the beautiful we scatter the seeds of heavenly flowers, as by doing good we cultivate those that belong to humanity. - Robert A. Heinlein
For James
We may never know how many dreams may have been destroyed by the words of others or how many lives took a different turn because of lack of encouragement.
What if you could have been a very different person if only someone did not repeat it to you over and over again that you were useless? What if you gave up a long time ago because people who loved you told you that you would never make it in life? What if someone told you that you were too stupid, too ugly, too poor, too young, too old, to even make it in the big world? What if that person was someone you loved and trusted?
What if the chronic seed of insecurity was planted in your heart a long time ago and today you still struggle to become a respected human being?
I know people who had chosen "smaller" lives because their wings were cut off when they were young. Like many others I also gave up some dreams because I was told that people so much "better" than me could not make it in a particular field. Why would I even want to waste my time and energy when so many others have failed. This was back in high school and when I look back today, I still regret that I listened to my teacher who, instead of motivating her pupils, implanted in them the seeds of self doubt.
Don't get me wrong. One can still have a very successful and fulfilled life even if one gave up his early dreams, but this is not what I want to talk about in this article. Instead, I want to concentrate on the fact that everything we say has consequences.
Words carry enormous energy. It doesn't matter whether it is your private self talk, or whether you voice your opinions and criticize others. Every time you say something you plant a seed. Why not plant a seed of excellence? Sometimes a good word is all a person needs to see the light. A good word might be all a person needs to feel worthy again.
You may realize that sometimes your good words may be falling on a barren ground, but this should not discourage you from trying to motivate others. Some people have such strong beliefs about themselves that no amount of encouragement will help them change the direction of their lives. But there are many others who simply cannot believe that what they've got is all they deserve in life.
Imagine that you have met someone who was constantly discouraged and forgot to believe in himself. In a short time you realize that this person is a goldmine of knowledge and has some hidden talents. Imagine that your words of encouragement wake up his old desire to do exceptional things. Imagine that this encounter could change that man's life forever.
This happens over and over again when people meet up with motivational speakers or success coaches. The good word sparks a wave of enthusiasm and a will to change. If this can happen to adults, why not encourage kids when they are still full of hope. Why not teach them to dream big? Why not plant a seed of excellence?
And remember to plant a seed of excellence in your own heart because you too are good and worthy and no one can take this away from you. But if you have nothing good to say to others or to yourself, do not say anything at all because your vitriol may cause more harm than you can even imagine.
Dominique Allmon
Dominique Allmon©2026
This article was first published here
AI generated image source here
“Let us walk with open hearts, with respect for every life, every path, every faith. May every footprint we leave behind bloom into flowers of peace, so that wherever these steps have touched the earth, there remains a quiet fragrance of loving kindness.” - Tue Nhan Bhikkhu known as the Rev. Nguyen, the vice president of the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center
In a Buddhist tradition of peace activism, on October 26, 2025, a group of Buddhist monks in Fort Worth, Texas embarked on a 2,300 mile (3,700 kilometers) long journey for peace. The pilgrimage leads through ten states and Washington, DC is set to be the final destination. The monks are accompanied by a dog named Aloka. On route to the US Capitol the monks will be stopping at state capitols, historic landmarks and community centers to share their message of peace and invite people to join them for prayer and reflection.
Aloka - an Indian stray Pariah dog that marches with the monks became a social media sensation in his own right. In India the dog followed a group of Vietnamese-American wandering Buddhist monks for one hundred days. He was with them despite the hardships he experienced. He was injured when a car hit him and was very sick, but rejoined the monks over and over again. Eventually, the monks adopted him and brought him with them to the United States. Now he bravely and cheerfully follows them on their journey through the United States. The puppy has a distinctive heart shaped mark on his forehead, wise eyes and very cheerful disposition. His name Aloka is quite fitting. In Sanskrit it means light, brightness or radiance and symbolizes knowledge and enlightenment. This name is often associated with hope and guidance suggesting a bringer of clarity and joy to all around them.
Accompanied by Aloka, the monks will be following the practice of self-discipline that involves humility, endurance and spiritual focus. They will be eating one meal a day and sleeping outdoors in tents pitched on public or private grounds provided by churches, temples, private persons or local communities. Some of the monks walk barefoot. Some are over sixty years old. No community and no individual that comes in contact with the monks will remain unaffected by their motivation, wisdom, humility and serenity. Their pilgrimage will end on February 13, 2026, with a message of healing, compassion, mindfulness, renewal, and peace.
"The Walk for Peace is a simple yet meaningful reminder that unity and kindness begin within each of us and can radiate outward to families, communities, and society as a whole.” - Venerable Bhikkhu Paññākāra
The Walk for Peace is a journey that is meant to bring blessings to individuals and communities in a world that is filled with restlessness and uncertainty.
Our world was never a perfect place but there were at least some short periods of peace in some regions. The new millenium began with a beautiful vision for the planet but the New York attack on September 11, 2001, destroyed our hopes for a better, more enlightened world. Belligerent ideologies seemed to be spreading around the world and by 2025 there were more regional conflicts than ever. Many people feared the possibility of another world war. The never ending conflict in the Middle East and the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine gave us little hope for peace on Earth in 2026.
In the United States and in many European countries citizens experience extreme violence on daily bases, often perpetrated by people of different cultural backgrounds that were once invited to live in their communities. Cultural incompatibility and different moral values make harmonious coexistence impossible. Rape, murder, robberies, arson, vandalism, and violent attacks seem to dominate the daily news cycle in mamy urban centers. Many people live in fear.
At the same time, the social fabric, the respect for life or property, the respect for individual rights and the right to one's own opinion, are completely disappearing in so many places. This process began with totalitarian measures imposed on many societies during the 2020 pandemic. The decline of civility is appalling. Social media allows the spread of verbal aggression never seen before and allows that aggression to spill out to our streets. The belligerence and intolerance seem to be spreading through our societies like cancer and that "cancer" is often exploited for political reasons. Many tormented souls live their aggression out in the real world. Mental disease and drug abuse are prevalent and often remain untreated. Financial instability and lack of perspective aggravate the situation.
Can this downward spiral be stopped? Is there hope for our societies? Is there any hope for the world?
A practicing Buddhist would understand the current conditions as a reflection of inner chaos and suffering. Buddha himself believed that true peace comes from within when the mind is free from greed, anger and delusion. It can only be achieved by profound introspection and the practice of mindfulness. This however is difficult if not impossible in a world where people are slaves to their electronic devices; in the world where people have time to insult and abuse others but have no time for introspection and self-reflection; in the world where people demand respect for their opinions without acknowledging that others have the same right. People no longer agree that it is all right to disagree and demonize others for having their own mind.
Peace is not a mere idea. It is a practice. The path to peace begins with a single step within.
Mindful walking and a quality time spent in nature might be the first step to inner healing. There is a beautiful practice in Japan called Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing where a practitioner consciously relaxes and engages with nature focusing all the senses on the experience. The practice is known to improve mood and reduce stress. Quality time spent away from electronic devices and the noise of discord and argument may help calm the troubled souls, induce inner peace and a completely new outlook on things that matter.
Our societies, our world will not change overnight and suddenly become peaceful but each of us has the potential to bring peace to our immediate surroundings, to our homes and the workspace. We can refuse to get triggered, we can refuse to get angry and judgmental and instead, lead by example. Mindful detachment, mutual respect, loving-kindness (mettā), and the understanding that we all are on a journey, is a good place to start.
"What we think, we become" - Buddha
By Dominique Allmon
Post scriptum
On November 19, 2025 a car slammed into the escort vehicle that accompanied the monks. One of the monks, the Venerable Maha Dam Phommasan, abbot of the Wat Lao Buddha Khanti in Snellville, Georgia, was seriously injured and taken to hospital. The damage was very serious and the bhikkhu's left leg had to be amputated. He is no longer able to continue the Walk For Peace in person but follows the monks in spirit.
Today, on January 12, Aloka underwent surgery at the Charleston Veterinary Referral Center (CVRC) in South Carolina for a flare up of an old injury he sustained to one of his legs back in India. In order to heal the veterinarians, who performed their services free of charge, advised the monks that Aloka should stay in the clinic until he has healed completely. This sweet puppy needs some rest in order to heal. He will be taken care of for at least one week and as soon as it is safe for him, he will join the monks and walk with them again.
On January 17, 2026, after 84 days on the road, the Venerable Samma Maggo, 68 years old Vietnamese monk from France terminated his pilgrimage and will be returning to his temple in France.
"The Venerable never spoke of endurance, yet that solitary figure along the long road became a teaching in itself - quiet, unheroic, without drama - simply walking on, and enabling those who followed to stand more upright within their own lives." - Venerable Baro Beso
I wish I could be there to meet these monks on the road. Since this is not possible I follow their progress online. It is very touching to watch these men walking with such determination, dispensing blessings to all and sharing the message of peace. We can only hope that all the people who meet the monks will have the strength to hold on to the wisdom imparted on them.
"May you and all beings be well, happy and at peace."
Dominique Allmon©2026
To learn more about the Walk For Peace and to support the monks in their endeavor please click here
Follow Aloka the Peace Dog on Instagram
A "gofundme" page was set up for the Venerable Maha Dam Phommasan.
Images source X
On Christmas Eve, a peaceful light,
Shines over the world, so soft, so bright.
The stars above, the earth below,
Reflect the love that we all know.
This quiet night, we feel His grace,
As we celebrate His holy place.
A Savior born to bring us peace,
A gift of love that will never cease.
By Catherine Pulsifer
~ Merry Christmas ~
After the longest night, tomorrow we sing up the dawn. There is a rejoicing that, even in the darkest time, the sun is not vanquished. As of tomorrow, the days begin to get longer as the light of day grows. While the gentle winter sun slowly opens its eyes, let us all bring more light and compassion into the world. - Dacha Avelin
Happy Winter Solstice!
Image: Winter Solstice - Sky in the Morning. Dominique Allmon©2025
Wlastimil Hofman - Eloé over Anhell's Corpse, 1917.
"Angels are visible to those who accept the light and break the pact made with darkness." – Paulo Coelho
Today is the second anniversary of my husband's passing. We only had sixteen short years together but it was a happy time.
We met in 2007 when James was in a very dark place. We were aware of the fact that things would have been very different for James and I, if we never met. He did not want to think where he would be without me. To him I was his angel. The angel who brought light back to his life and gave him the strength to go on. He revived his passion for art and discovered new talents and became very creative.
Unfortunately, our happiness was cut short by a dreadful disease that was diagnosed when it was already too late. The cancer was stronger than my husband's love for life.
"My Angel, you are truly my angel." - These were some of the last few words James uttered while he was still able to communicate with me.
A different reality opens to the dying. James felt that his mother, who passed away when he was very young, was calling him and he had to follow that call. She seemed to be telling him that it was safe to let go of life. She might have been the new angel that waited for him on the other side.
Dominique Allmon
In memoriam
James Allmon 1953-2023
There is no better excess in the world than the excess of gratitude. - Jean de La Bruyère
~ Happy Thanksgiving ~
AI generated image. Source here
The saints were not superhuman.
They were people who loved God in their hearts
and shared this joy with others. - Pope Francis
"You have every cause for anxiety. We are on the threshold of a more searching, more honest, more open society." - László Krasznahorkai in "The Melancholy of Resistance"
László Krasznahorkai (born in 1954 in Gyula, Hungary) is the recipient of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature. He writes in the tradition of European modernism. Master of the absurd and the grotesque, Krasznahorkai is often compared to Franz Kafka and Thomas Bernhard. After having read "The Melancholy of Resistance" in 1989, American writer Susan Sonntag called Krasznahorkai the "Hungarian master of the apocalypse".
Krasznahorkai received numerous literary awards including the Man Booker International Prize in 2015. He is best known for such novels as the "Satantango" (Sátántangó), "Melancholy of Resistance", "Baron Wenckheim's Homecoming", "Seiobo There Below" and the "Herscht 07769". His works have been translated into forty languages.
The author received the good news from the Swedish Academy while in Frankfurt, Germany. He admitted that he did not expect the Nobel Prize but stated that he was very happy and very proud to be in a line that includes so many truly great writers and poets.
“How beautifully leaves grow old.
How full of light and color are their last days.”
- John Burroughs
Image by Dominique Allmon©2025
Ahamkara mudra is one of the most powerful mudras for self-assertion and confidence. It helps the practitioner to combat fear, and dispel timidity and find his or her center of being. This mudra activates the Manipura chakra (solar plexus chakra) and is used when self-doubt arises and more courage is needed.
Ahamkara is a Sanskrit term to describe egoism, self-conceit or the self-consciousness. The word literally means "I-maker."
To form ahamkara mudra, bend your index finger slightly. Place your thumb on the middle phalanx of the index finger and exert a slight pressure. Keep the middle, ring and small fingers stretched out but relaxed.
In this mudra the thumb represents Brahman or the ultimate reality of the universe; the index finger represents ego, or ahamkara. The ego bends down and submits to Brahman. But this mudra also has a second meaning that includes the elements. The index finger is associated with the air element; the thumb is the fire finger. When the fire is placed on the bent air, the hand gesture represents clarity, harmony, and the alignment of the mind with devotion.
Thus, the ahamkara mudra represents both humility as well as the self-awareness, self-confidence, and trust in one's own deep intuition.
Ahamkara mudra should be formed with both hands during meditation. You should be able to hold it for a few minutes and perform it on a regular basis, especially if fear and doubt dominate your daily affairs. This mudra will help you strengthen your will to face difficulties without fear. It will empower you and give you courage on your personal journey.
By Dominique Allmon
Dominique Allmon©2025
"Gardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoes." – Unknown
Unless you lost a loved one you will never understand the avalanche of emotions that overwhelms the minds, the hearts and the souls of those bereaved.
I lost my husband in December 2023, short before Christmas. I lost the love of my life, my best friend, my companion, my twin soul, my alter ego. I lost my home, my garden, my dogs and my cats. My husband's spiteful daughter told me that "now, that my husband was dead, I could finally go back to my life". I wish I could "go back" to my life. I wish I could return to the time long before Jim's cancer diagnosis, when life was good and dreams were still possible.
One of the most important things in life is to never define yourself or your happiness by your possessions or the people in your life. You should be able to be happy even if you lost everything. I always understood that happiness was an inside job but I never imagined how I would cope with the loss if it actually happened in my life.
When you and your spouse are so completely connected that you become one mind, one soul, a sudden loss of your "other half" leaves an incredible emptiness. Nothing in your life prepares you for such a tragedy. Your world is completely shattered in an instant. You cannot "return to your life" and you don't simply move on. You survive and if you are lucky, you will slowly learn how to live again.
My husband's 2021 stage IV renal cell carcinoma diagnosis came as a shock to both of us. We hoped that he would be able to beat the disease, but we also knew that our days together were somewhat numbered. Still, his passing in December 2023 came unexpectedly. Five months later, one of our puppies died in the custody of my husband's daughter. An unimaginable void opened after these two deaths and unbearable pain became my companion ever since.
Interaction with my late husband's daughter in the weeks that followed his passing put me into an acute PTSD setting and left me heartbroken and traumatized. Although my husband left me everything he had, in a moment of distress and confusion, I renounced my inheritance believing that his daughter and her big family would have a better use for it. Despite my generosity I was even threatened with physical violence if I were to say something bad about my husband. Suddenly, I had to face evil I was not prepared for. Moreover, because of a nasty trick I lost my husband twice. Lies, deception, fraud, more lies.
Till today I cannot understand how my sweet husband could have even been related to a person without honor, conscience or decency. If he had witnessed what transpired after his death, he would have been angry and disappointed. He would have never allowed this to happen, but that's a material for a book that probably will never be written.
Dealing with the loss of your loved one takes up all your energy, but to deal with pure, premeditated evil at the same time when you didn't even know it existed, adds another dimension to you suffering.
I do understand that she lost her beloved father and took out her anger and frustration on me without even considering that I myself was grieving and in pain. I had nobody to turn to, just myself all alone.
We all have our big and small tragedies and I am aware that nobody cares about my story. However, if you are broke, broken and depressed like me or feel stuck in your current emotional state for any reason, you may want to try something different for a change if you do not want to see a therapist.
Healing takes time and requires a lot of strength if one doesn't want to lose one's mind or drown in anger, resentment and self pity. Some things cannot ever be repaired. You will never be the same. You do not move on. You cannot really recover from your loss. The grief will never go away. All you can do is to learn to cope, accept the things the way they are and try to somehow mend the broken heart, if this is even possible.
Grief is not a linear process. It is not a problem to be solved. Everyone experiences it differently. The grief will turn your life upside down and if you truly loved someone you lost, the grief will never leave you.
The extreme emotional pain you feel after the loss of a loved one can profoundly affect your emotional and physical health. Finding something that will give you sense of purpose and accomplishment could help during the time of grief.
Gardening seems like one such thing that could help a grieving person to deal with the avalanche of emotions. It is an active exercise in mindfulness. It requires willingness to learn, concentration and many hours of work every day. Getting your fingers dirty is actually healthy and quite relaxing. Spending a lot of time outside and watching the plants you planted grow and move through their cycles of life can help you take your mind off your pain and connect with nature in a most healing way. You not only observe the cycles of life but also learn to accept the impermanence of things.
There is an amazing sense of grace to be found in gardening...
I no longer have a large garden so I started a small, bio-dynamic one on my balcony. I no longer have cats or dogs so I make friends with bumble bees and wasps. I thank the bees for pollinating my plants. I thank the wasps for keeping my plants free from aphids and other vermin. Watching things grow in my garden gives me some joy and comfort while I am trying to sort through memories from a much happier time.
Growing, harvesting and cooking your own food is probably one of the most satisfying experiences any gardener can have.
Although I completely lost my appetite I know that being able to prepare a meal from the fruits of one's diligent labor is a vital element of self care and cannot be underestimated during the time of mourning.
Most days are very difficult for me. I hardly sleep anymore and I could probably water my small garden with all the tears I am shedding. I know that my beloved husband would not want me to let myself go so I try to pull myself together. Watching things grow fills my heart with gratitude. I take my morning coffee and read books in my garden just like we both used to do on so many mornings. I harvest my vegetables and prepare my meals the way I did for both of us. I don't even need to close my eyes to see my husband's smile as he is waiting for the salad dressing I am making.
We promised each other to be together forever. He never left. He just moved to another plane of existence and is waiting there for me...
By Dominique Allmon
Post scriptum
Cancer seems to be a nightmare my husband's family has to deal with. On May 7, 2025 my husband's son James William Jr. passed away only two moths before his 50th birthday. May he too rest in peace.
Dominique Allmon©2025
"We don't need other worlds. We need mirrors." - Stanisław Lem in "Solaris"
Stanisław Lem (September 12, 1921 - March 26, 2006) was a Polish science fiction writer, futurist, philosopher, and essayist. His works have been translated into forty one languages, "Solaris" being probably his best known.
If you look the right way,
you can see that the whole world is a garden.
- Frances Hodgson Burnett in "The Secret Garden"
Happy first day of Spring!
Image: Flower Garden - Gustav Klimt, oil on canvass. The Golden Phase, 1905 - 1907
Nothing ever exists entirely alone.
Everything is in relation to everything else.
- Buddha
Image: Pecos Valley Diamonds by Dominique Allmon ©2025
Ancient teachings tell us that merely seeing the Medicine Buddha, or even seeing an image of the Medicine Buddha, or hearing the name of the Medicine Buddha, can confer inconceivable benefits. - Spiritual Bliss
Bhaisajyaguru, commonly known as the Medicine Buddha, is the Buddha of healing and medicine in Mahayana Buddhism. He is a fully enlightened being capable of healing both, the outer and the inner, suffering or dukkha by applying his teachings as medicine. He has unbiased compassion for all sentient beings. He offers protection from physical harm and mental afflictions, as well as other dangers and obstacles. He helps the faithful to eradicate the three unwholesome roots (poisons) or kleshas of attachment, hatred and ignorance that are considered to be the source of all suffering.
In a Sanskrit manuscript called Medicine Buddha Sutra (Bhaisajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabhā-rāja Sūtra) he was described as a bodhisattva who upon enlightenment made twelve great vows:
The idea of Buddha as a metaphorical healer is as old as Buddhism itself and goes back to the historical Buddha who found the cure for suffering and presented his formula as the Four Noble Truths.
Medicine Buddha is one of the emanations of the Gautama Buddha as understood in Mahayana Buddhism. He is venerated in China, Japan and Tibet. He is often depicted as a seated Buddha with a stem of the Aruna fruit (Terminalia chebula) wearing the three robes of a Buddhist monk, sometimes blue-faced or having a blue body and holding a lapis lazuli medicine bottle.
Bhaisajyaguru (Medicine Buddha) Mantra
namo bhagavate bhaiṣajyaguru
vaidūryaprabharājāya tathāgatāya arhate
samyaksambuddhāya tadyathā:
oṃ bhaiṣajye bhaiṣajye
bhaiṣajya-samudgate svāhā
The practice of Medicine Buddha is considered to be a very powerful tool for liberation from suffering. The faithful recite either the dharani or the mantra that helps them overcome the inner "sickness" of attachment, hatred and ignorance. It also helps ease the outer, physical suffering and purify the negative karma.
By Dominique Allmon
Dominique Allmon©2025
Images: Medicine Buddha by Dominique Allmon