Wise Words for You

St David's Day takes place on March 1 Celebrated on March 1, St David's Day marks the national day for Wales. With the help of Cadw,the historic environment service of the Welsh Government and part of the Tourism and Culture group, we can share some excellent information about the patron saint who is said to have been born around 520 AD. David was around when it was a time when Welsh kings ruled small kingdoms and their people made a living by farming. Most people in Wales were Christians, and monasteries were important centres of prayer and learning. His birth is said to have taken place on the cliffs in a wild thunderstorm, near the city which is now named after him. Some believe that David was the son of Sanctus, king of Ceredigion and a nun called Nonnita (Non). David's life as a monk Around the year 550, David is said to have founded a monastery close to the place where he was born. Here, he and his fellow monks lived a simple life, drinking only...

It is nice to be important but it is important to be nice. Today take the opportunity to be nice to someone without expecting a return.

Why do we find it hard to be at peace with ourselves, each other and the world? Imagine a lake that is flat and calm and pure – it is so clear you can see the bottom. Even when the wind blows it only ruffles the surface. All is still and peaceful in its depth. Then the first polluting chemicals of the new factory and farm come rolling down the hill and into the water. Immediately it starts to cloud over and bubble a little. Chemical reactions are taking place and the purity is lost. When purity is lost peace is lost. It is the same with human consciousness. We are innately peaceful beings. Peace is our deepest inner state of being, our true nature. To be at peace is to be in our natural state, but only when our consciousness is pure and clean and true. As soon as the pollutants of any negative images are allowed in, or we allow old memories and experiences to disturb us into negative thinking, our purity and therefore our inner peace are gone. It’s not the external event or ...

Many a philosophical debate arrives at the bottom line – are we naturally the way we are or is it nurtured? Are we all pure in heart, but blinded by the impurities of the world? Are we all enlightened souls who have simply succumbed to illusion? Most of us have an intuitive response which seems to acknowledge that there is goodness in everyone, it’s simply sometimes hard to see. As we look at ourselves maybe we even find it hard to see the good in ourselves. Perhaps we’ve been taught to see only the dark, the negative. Perhaps we grew up with others whose vision always landed on the negative. But who would choose to live in the darkness? Who would choose to be a negative person? Who would choose pessimism? Probably very, very few, if only we could see the choice. That’s why it is essential you find the good, however small within yourself, tend to it, nurture it, nourish it – just as you would the plants in your garden. When you focus on the good, the positive within yourself...

The deepest wounds we all carry are locked in our subconscious (out of our awareness). Deep memories and subtle impressions, from unfinished experience, rooted in the past. The pain from those wounds comes to revisit, to block and paralyse us in the moment called now. We all know it comes without warning – “Why am I feeling this way, I didn’t mean to do that, I don’t know what made me say that.” Healing does not mean finding and treating every single inner scar which send it message to haunt us. It means going even deeper, past those wounds, beyond those distant memories and recording of unfinished business, to the core of our self, to the heart of our spirit, where we find the light and warmth of our own core qualities of love and peace. They are eternally present within us they are what we need to heal all our inner wounds. That’s why this kind of deep healing is called spirituality and not therapy.

You have the power to tolerate anyone and any situation. But tolerance is not just suffering in silence. It means going beyond any personal discomfort you may feel, and giving a gift to whom ever you would tolerate. Give your time, attention, understanding, compassion, care – all are gifts, which paradoxically, you also receive in the process of giving. And, as you do, you will experience your own self esteem and inner strength grow. In this way you can turn tolerance into strength.

Most of us have forgotten how to dream. We have exchanged our creativity for security. The current state of the world is a wake up call that brings us back to our dreams and hopes. This is the time to realise that beyond us there is another, unlimited, energy in action. This energy will surpass our expectations, if only we trust. The more we remember our dream, the more we become alert for the coincidences and synchronicity that will bring us in its direction.

When you are aware and accept that everything around you is constantly changing, and that you have no control over 99.99% of it, you are able to embrace change like a close friend! Change is a like a river, constantly flowing and moving things around. The river of life is constantly bringing you ideas, people, situations – each one is an opportunity to be enriched or to enrich others, and to learn. Change is the play of the universe as it entertains us in the biggest light and sound show of all time. Why not sit back and enjoy the show?

When you build a house, every brick counts. When you build a character, every thought counts. You are what you think. Love, purity, peace, wisdom – the more you think of these qualities, the more you will become them.

Is life an obstacle course? Sometimes it may feel like it. If you join the military you will be sent around an obstacle course of increasing degrees of difficulty. Why? To increase your strength and stamina and expand your creative capacity under strain. So it is on the course called ‘life’ – you can choose to perceive people, situations or events as obstacles, or you can choose to use these things to strengthen and expand your capacity to be creative and to find ways round, under, over. The choice lies in your perception. Obstacles are never ever ‘out there’, they are always in our own minds

Virgin Trains has completed its £40m programme of refurbishing its entire East Coast fleet. The TOC has spent the last two years refurbishing its current fleet of 45 High Speed and Intercity 225 trains to improve passenger experience. The programme forms part of Virgin’s wider pledge to invest £140m to transform travel on the East Coast network since it assumed control of the franchise in March 2015. David Horne, Virgin Trains’ managing director on the east coast, said: “Since we launched services on the East Coast Main Line in 2015 we have committed more than £40m to improving our existing fleet, to give customers the best possible experience when they travel with us. “It gives me great pleasure to announce that we have completed our refurbishment programme, and passed another milestone on our journey towards totally transforming travel for our customers on the east coast.” The refurbishment scheme saw all Virgin Trains on the east coast route kitted out with new interiors at th...

In everything, goodness is there. Our goal is to find it. In every person, the best is there. Our job is to recognise it. In every situation, the positive is there. Our opportunity is to see it. In every problem, the solution is there. Our responsibility is to provide it. In every setback, the success is there. Our adventure is to discover it. In every crisis, the reason is there. Our challenge is to understand it. By seeing the goodness, we’ll be very enthusiastic and our lives will be richer.

I have this little angel. For me she left her wings. She has no idea how much happiness she truly brings. She brightens up my days with her smiles and her laughs. She helps me to remember all the blessings that I have. Her face, it is so perfect, she's sweet and soft and pure. Sometimes she can be willful and sometimes she is demure. She tries her very hardest to please and do what's right. She gives the greatest hugs from morning until night. Every person that has known her sees this light within her soul I know that in this whole great world, she has a special role. She's helpful and considerate to everyone she knows This light in her shines brighter as my angel grows. When she sees someone is sad, it opens up her heart. She wants to do all that she can; she wants to do her part. She'll squeeze away the sorrow and make me forget about my pain. She shows me where the sun is when we're hiding from the rain. I know that God must love me, He showed me with His Grace I...

Why is it hard to forgive others? Usually because we believe that they are 90% to blame for the problem, that I am not as bad as they are. So I start to carry the load of other people’s actions. If my ego is too hurt, I will have the sense of correction, of justice: ‘I know I am right’, ‘That is not fair’. But if I start to forgive from the heart, sincerely, then this kind of feeling and attitude begins to dissolve. I remain humble and this forgiveness will bring me closer to others. Then I do not carry regrets or anger, I just let go and remain light

Most of us are of sound mind, but many of us have trouble maintaining a note of harmony and peace. Most of us know how to think, but few of us are able to control our thoughts. We all have the capacity to be creative, to image new ideas, but few of us are able to do it together and co-create in harmony with each other. We could all do with some mental training so that we may use the most powerful energy in the universe, the mind, which is always at our instant disposal. We can begin with mindfulness. It’s a simple way to gently help our mind go where it is best to go, do what is the best thing to do. It begins by simply being fully aware of what you are doing. Mostly we are not fully aware, as our minds wander into the past and then into possible futures. We spend most of our time watching others and so rarely fully focus on what we are actually doing ourselves. Next time you sit down to a meal, watch your self. Be aware of only what you are eating. Every time your mind want...

Maintaining a state of inner calmness protects me from becoming a slave to my emotions. It also helps me to keep a cool head when I see others becoming heated or angry. Coolness is not to be distant or uncaring; rather it requires that I develop the deeply caring nature of a peacemaker and serve others in the best possible way.

Each morning before I begin the journey of my day let me sit still, in silence, and sow the seed of peace. Peace is harmony and balance. Peace is freedom – freedom from the burden of negativity and wastefulness. Let peace find its home within me. Peace is my original strength, my eternal tranquillity of being. Let my first thought of the day simply be peaceful.

Just as the bird has to find the courage to let go of the branch in order to fly, so we also must let go of our branches if we are to know the exhilaration of soaring to the highest potential of our life. The branches we hold to are our inner attachments – our beliefs, ideas and memories. And then there are the outer attachments – people, possessions, positions and privileges are a few. But as long as we hold on to them we will live in fear (of letting go and loss) and we will never be free. And just watch those birds, by letting go of one branch they are able to spend the rest of their life alighting on a million other branches, and they enjoy the view from each. Are you flying and soaring in your life, or are you stuck on one branch, cursing others as they fly past. Go on, try it …let go!

Cardiff's bus wars are set to get serious this year as NAT brings in new routes The battle of the bus operators will get fiercer The battle between Cardiff Bus and NAT (New Adventure Travel), is set to hot up even further this year. The sparring firms' rivalry is set to expand to another key route into Wales' capital and both operators are extending other routes or introducing new ones. NAT, which caused a furore with its 'ride me all day' slogan, has announced it will be introducing a new route from Thornhill to Cardiff Bay from March 6. A Cardiff Bus service was already operating in the area – between Thornhill and the city centre – but the company has now said it will now be expanding the service to run up to every seven minutes at certain times during the day. NAT’s new X8 service will operate every 15 minutes from 6.30am until 8.30pm between Monday to Saturday and will travel via Llanishen, Birchgrove, Maindy, Cardiff city centre, Bute Street and o...

Each one of us is a walking radiator. Mostly we radiate thoughts and attitudes. From deep within we radiate our state of being, and the essential, original and eternal state of every being is peaceful and loving. But we block and distort this energy with our attachments. Attachments turn love into fear, peace into anger and then distort our attitudes and actions towards others. This is neither relaxing for ourselves, or for those around us. Which is why detachment is the secret to living lightly and lovingly.

The results of the investigation into the fire aboard the prototype D-Train have been published. The investigation was commissioned by Vivarail Chief Executive Adrian Shooter in the immediate aftermath of the fire on the D-Train, which brought the three-car diesel-electric multiple unit to a halt at Kenilworth. Conclusions The Fire that occurred on unit 230001 on 30th December 2016 was caused by a fuel leak in the high- pressure fuel system on Genset 4 that was subsequently ignited by a hot body – likely to have been the turbocharger. The fuel leaks were likely caused by a repair intervention on Genset 4 by the genset supplier and not spotted due to the lack of suitable test procedures post repair work. The passenger saloon of the vehicle was unaffected by the heat of the fire, despite the intensity and duration, and whilst some smoke did enter the saloon the rate of build-up and intensity were such that had passengers been on board it would have been possible to evacuate sa...

They do not come to stop you. They come to strengthen you and help you progress with more experience. Keep advancing. One day is not the same as another. Sometimes you do not have to find a solution, it is enough to keep moving forward, leaving the obstacle behind.

Constantly have a happy face and remain healthy with the nourishment of happiness and full of the treasures of happiness. What more does one need? Your treasures of happiness are unlimited. The more you spend, the more they increase. No matter what happens, whether it is through the state of one’s own mind, through other souls or through the elements or atmosphere, I must not loose my happiness. Even if someone insults you or tries to bring you down, remember this, I must remain happy.

Values are related to each other as if they were members of a great family . From peace and happiness emerges inner joy. From this state of wholeness love awakens and with is the desire to share and give . Two of its relatives are tolerance and respect. All values have a shared origin which unites them – the peace of spirituality. When you lose peace you begin to lose everything.

When can I see the penumbral eclipse? Like other lunar eclipses, penumbral eclipses occur when the Earth passes between the moon and sun, blocking out the sun's light and casting a shadow on the surface of the moon. But don't get too excited, they aren't as dramatic as total or partial eclipses. In fact they're very subtle and on Friday night the full moon will just look slightly dimmer than usual. This is because it will be passing through the Earth's penumbra - the technical name for the outer shadow of our planet. Jeremy Shears from the British Astronomical Association explains: "As a result the moon's brightness will begin to dim, as it is less strongly illuminated by the sun, but it remains illuminated. "What makes this penumbral eclipse special is that this is a rare occasion when almost the whole of the moon's face will pass within the Earth's penumbra, and so the reduction of the moon's brightness will be more perceptible t...

Look out on life with amazement, not shock. The variety, the diversity, the manner of every person, the beauty amidst the drudgery, the contrasts, the opportunities, the heroism in the lives of ordinary people, your gifts, your talents, your friends – even just one friend – is all awesome. Live in awe, and entertain wonder, and you will be knocking on the door of true love. Don’t kill it with cynicism or criticism, don’t sabotage your life with moaning and complaining. Open the eyes in your head and the eye in your intellect and choose to see the stunning, awesome, diverse beauty of life happening around you right now. Meet it with your heart and you will enrich and be enriched in one single moment.

Silence increases the quality and the level of our ability to discern, allowing us to use our time, thoughts and qualities effectively and thus benefit all. In the silence of inner quietness, the intellect makes everything clear and then we just know how to act for the best. Too much analysis and mental processing pollutes the clarity of discernment; an overload of details makes us miss the essence.

Is there some time for yourself today – just for you, to sit quietly and refresh and renew. Not escaping into the TV, or thrashing around a squash court. Just time to sit quietly, focus your thoughts, check your priorities, make sure there is nothing negative pushing you down in your own mind. Take some time and be …with yourself. If you don’t, you may miss meeting the most important person in your life.

The livery of the new buses for Cardiff Bus was designed by Best Impressions.  BEST IMPRESSIONS Ten brand new 9.7m ADL Enviro200 MMCs to be brought into service in March Cardiff Bus has announced plans to invest £1.5 million in 10 brand new 9.7m ADL Enviro200 MMCs as it continues to improve its offering for customers. The high-tech buses are made in Britain by Alexander Dennis Ltd in Scarborough, and will offer an improved passenger experience complete with CCTV, contemporary interiors, comfortable seating, free 4G WiFi and USB charging points, the operator claims. The vehicles will be brought into service in March this year and will have the latest next-stop announcement systems to ensure Cardiff Bus’ services are accessible to all. The distinctive livery on the new vehicles was designed by Best Impressions. When asked what the new buses would be replacing, Cardiff Bus said that they were additions to the fleet. Cynthia Ogbonna, Managing Director at Cardiff Bus, commen...

Many of us spend most of our life trying to live someone else’s life. We are great fixers, and as we watch others we can hear ourselves attempting to ‘sort them out’. We hear it in our conversations with others and with ourselves. It sounds like, “They shouldn’t…weren’t they awful…did you hear about so and so…in my opinion they should”. In these moments we waste time trying to write the script of others and forget to write our own. We have no right to write another’s script and any attempt to do so is futile, frustrating and doomed to failure. So let be, and taste the freedom from the subtle tensions and anxieties about others by letting them write their own script. Don’t miss your life by trying to live someone else’s.

The gap between what you say and what you do, between what you promise and what you deliver, is like a drain in the road. The drain is where water escapes, just as your power will seep away if there is a difference between your words and your actions. Ask yourself everyday, were your thoughts, words and actions aligned? Ask someone else what they saw in you too. Feedback is the food of all positive change.

There is a part of you that is perfect and pure. It is untouched by the less-than-perfect characteristics you have acquired by living in a less than perfect world. This part of you is a still and eternal star. Make time to reach it and this will bring you untold benefit.

Keep peace in the mind, love in the heart and happiness in relationships.

Only when we find the quietness in our own minds can we begin to hear our inner teacher, so that we may receive some in-tuition. Only when we are ready to recognise and value the wisdom that we carry at the core of our being will we turn our attention inwards and ‘listen in’. But it’s been a long time since we truly listened, so a little practice and patience will be needed. Sit down, be quiet and listen in at some point today and you might be surprised at what you hear. Then do it again tomorrow. All you need to do is remember that you are the listener and not the noise.

Learning to talk properly to the self is a spiritual endeavour. When you make a mistake, do you talk lovingly to yourself in your mind, or do you tell yourself off? One habit recognises your divinity; the other subtly shapes a nature of sorrow.

Meditation is the process of getting to know yourself completely, both who you are inside and how you react to what is outside. Above all, meditation is enjoying yourself in the literal sense of the word. Through meditation, you discover a very different ‘me’ from the person who may be stressed or troubled, the person who may seem superficially to be ‘me.’ You realise that your true nature, the real you, is actually very positive. You begin to discover an Ocean of Peace right on your own doorstep.