October 2025 Lhagsam Newsletter

by Maria Gabrani

A smile of a child, a loved one,
a stranger in the street.
A smile that warms our heart
brings internal peace.
A smile that brightens our day
in such a magical way.

The energy it carries transforms our emotions,
shifts our minds; drives our intentions.
We instinctively respond, reciprocate,
incognizant of the waves of energy we share, we propagate.
Incognizant of our interdependence, we relate,
to the ever-changing karmic cause-and-effect.

The smile of Buddha, our beloved Gurus:
symbol of joy, inner equanimity, refuge.
Cultivating kindness, compassion, connection –
lighting our meditation, prayer, prostration.
Offering us encouragement for our spiritual call
reminding us of the inherent goodness in all.

Smiles transform us
bringing moments in daily life – suddenly awake.
A deep affection for sentient beings – a vivid embrace.
A stranger on the street, a compassionate relation;
A fly in the kitchen, a companion welcome;
A snake on the path, an influence wholesome.
Becoming moments that ripple in our mind,
our unconscious self – makes us wiser.
Moments when our heart chakra burns,
our perception of our existence deepens,
our mental continuum expands.

Moments in time, creating an inner universal smile.
Just for a few moments, an imprint eternal,
just a few moments, patiently we wait –
the next smile on our path, our next moment awake –
this moment to become a lasting state.