Untitled from B-Rilla on Vimeo.

There is this saying in Chinese, “Jia You,” which directly translates to “Get Gas.” Normally, it’s used as a form of encouragement, a cheer during a sporting event. It can also be translated into: “you can do it.” Well, it didn’t really work in our favor.   Read more...

There was this very beautiful line that I read in Orhan Pamuk’s novel, ‘My Name Is Red’. He wrote about a blind man watching the snowfall and smiling to himself. That line stayed with me for a long, long time. How could a blind man watch the snow?   Read more...

Prior to giving birth to my children, I never thought I would be trying to make sure my kids stay conscious in their lives. I don't mean trying to make sure they don't fall down and knock themselves out. Of course, I don't want that to happen either, but anyway....

Truthfully, I had never heard the terms “being conscious”, or “staying present”, prior to having kids. That all changed when I read the book called Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting by Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn. This was my introduction to mindful parenting, and also my introduction to a whole new world. Learning to be present with my kids became even more of a priority as my kids got older. However, my top priority was working on being present with myself.   Read more...

TRE Trailer from B-Rilla on Vimeo.

This is the end, and the beginning of a new era. After traveling for the last 5 months or so. We’ve put together a trailer for you folks. From this day forward, we’ll be posting a little bit less frequently. We will keep you posted on our progress.   Read more...

As if the Aurora Butterfly of Peace weren’t beautiful enough just as it is, its history and creation make it even more stunning than just visually.

The substance of this dazzling artwork is diamonds! Real diamonds, assembled one at a time, from all over the world, over the course of 12 years, by two artists Alan Bronstein and Harry Rodman. There are rare and unusual color diamonds that make up the design including purples from Russia, blues and oranges from South Africa, lime greens from Brazil, violets and dozens of pinks from the Argyle Mine in Australia.   Read more...

Sometimes when you meet a seemingly ordinary person, you sense they have a story to tell. Masanobu Abe is that kind of person. He is quiet, but deep. A student, but not young. He studies massage at night and works in a massage clinic during the day. He is obviously a very busy, motivated man.

There are from three to five people who work in the same clinic. Most are young and are students. Some have already graduated. Masanobu stands out because he is a good ten years older than the others. Here in Japan it is very unusual for someone his age, 37, especially a man, to be starting a new field. Although it is changing a bit, usually people here are locked into a particular job track long before their late thirties.   Read more...

I went to our weekly meditation and contemplation session on Tuesday and this time there was a newcomer. He shared his lessons learned from several difficult years in which many diseases pestered him. He suffered from various serious infections, going practically blind and more. He believed firmly that behind all great, and so called random, challenges in life there is great meaning: they are there to force us into changing for the better or to parish. At a point in his life, when he felt broken and dependent on others in his blindness, he went inward. In his words he was forced to become humble, thankful for all that others give and all that existence brings. While waiting for others to do this or that for him he realized that things happen when they are supposed to happen. Nothing bad happened if he had to wait a little.

We are so accustomed to force our will onto everything and everybody: we can't even wait a little in peace and acceptance of the other. All we are busy with are our egoistic worries, our money, our image and other so called needs.   Read more...

For some reason, my old license plate from New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment which sits on my altar in front of my desk kept drawing my eye, so let me be the first to invite you (again) to scout Peace license plates, snap photos and send them to me at susan@susancorso.com. We’ve got some swell ones, and I’d really like to have one from every state in the U.S.

That said, what was drawing me was the translation of the Latin words on the license plate: peace goddess. On a whim, I turned to the fulsome Wikipedia and turned up seven such deities.   Read more...

Sri Lanka has been in a conflict for the last 26 years between the government and Liberation Tamil Tigers of Ealam (LTTE), a rebel group trying to carve out a section of Sri Lanka for them for self rule.   The government forces (mostly Sinhala) have destroyed the group and regained control of the area.  However, there has been collateral damage to many civilians in these areas and a cry from the Tamil Diaspora around the world.  This article calls for reconciliation between the two communities - Sinhala and Tamil. 

I am amazed at the mobilization of young people from the Tamil Diaspora around the world to protest against the Sri Lankan government’s purported human rights violations.   When often the younger generation of immigrants forgets the old country to a future in the new one, it is incredibly positive that the Diaspora feels so passionate about this difficult conflict on behalf of their community.   Maybe once the conflict is over, they will come back to Sri Lanka to rebuild the country together.   However, there is long way to go for reconciliation between the two communities as so much hatred has manifested, especially amongst the Diaspora overseas.   Read more...

This website made me grin for days.  They don’t want our money. They don’t want our email addresses. They just want our participation.

Consider these wonderful words from Good Will Treaty for World Peace founder Bryant McGill on their home page:   Read more...