SAMARA FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER
April 2008

"During these intense times people have asked me how to touch and expand the joy that they know is their essence but that is often veiled by the mundane and its demands on our time.

I have often answered this simply through the following:

That joy is not static, or a place, or even a goal but rather, like art and music, multi-faceted, uncontainable and expansive.

The way to experience joy is unique to each individual, yet the core of joy is a shared experience that makes us human and part of an alive participating adventure.

Simply put, joy is only understood through the expansion of consciousness. This is when we glimpse what it means to be expansive.

Most of us, due to a thousand and one reasons, focus on the lacks, limitations and problems. These lacks, limitations and problems are so real that they demand all of our attention and from this space we struggle to find the real joy of each moment.

Many feel that by resolving what seems to be a block or hindrance for their expansion then expansion will happen miraculously. I see it differently.

What we want is what we need to be.

An oak tree starts as an acorn but it has no doubt that it will fulfill its destiny as a tree.

Most of us don't even believe that possibilities and potential are real as our experience sabotages our expansion and holds us in the mud of daily living.

The sky, the light, the beautiful stars seem to come from a different world and seem totally out of reach. This leads to depression as we no longer believe in our destiny or even see the light.

One of the most important steps to reawaken who we really are is to be of service to humanity.

By being of service to humanity rather than to our perceived needs we remember in our actions the true meaning of love.

Love is expansive. As we expand with this service so does our focus expand freeing our attachment to the mud so that we are harmoniously in touch with the Universe.

It is not a difficult journey if put into action but it does seem impossible when one uses the present contracting situation as a limitation to what is possible and hence why many of us are not able to expand.

I ask you strongly during these intense times not to focus on yourselves or your needs, or the problems, or the lack of joy, or what could be better. No matter how present they seem, please focus on what it means to serve others and the divine aspect of what is their essence.

As you begin to see the light in every being there is no doubt in my mind that the light within will help the acorn that is in each of us to reach up and open to this new and beautiful expansive experience and hence open up to the joy of life.

This is what is asked of us during this special time of spring and the months that follow.

It is up to each of you to put this into practice rather than to just meditate upon the beauty of my words.

The world needs more trees."

Tony Samara
(March 2008)

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Dear Friends

We are re-sending the recent newsletter related to the Spring Equinox as many people have indicated that they did not receive it and Tony would like to clarify a few things that people were asking about that arose because of his interesting message.

Tony's words inspire us to bring about changes in our lives through practical means. As explained in many of his spiritual discourses, transformation is meditation as well as practical every-day actions.

We have had many enquiries as to what those actions could be.

This is a difficult question to answer as it depends on each individual's circumstances. But to clarify, cooking a meal for oneself is nurturing and a wonderful thing to do. Cooking a meal for someone who you do not know, e.g. an elderly or ill neighbour, is spiritual work.

By being of selfless service to others you touch the heart of humanity.

Practical actions directed for personal gains are wonderful but this is what we do too much of, often hoping that this will bring us permanent happiness.

Tony's radical plea is to do less for oneself and more for others so that we realise the oneness of love.

There are so many wonderful things one can do. The Samara Foundation has prepared many practical projects that need your help.

Please read about the forest project: http://www.tonysamara.org/obw/forests.html

Please read about the theriaca project: http://www.tonysamara.org/obw/teas.html

We have many other projects that require your skills and time so that we can continue to serve everyone. From translation projects into many languages to organising events in new locations, helping with logistics in running the various events, promoting the various events, holding meditation/group support meetings, making books and cds available to those who cannot attend the many programmes organised, helping with writing booklets, helping with music for the various cds, helping with the filming projects, coming up with creative new project ideas for the Samara Foundation to actualise and of course donations to help all of these projects to become a reality.

"Service to humanity is such an amazing gift in this seemingly more self-centered world of ours today. We can learn that the world does not centre around ourselves, our needs, our beliefs, or even our thoughts or words but rather centers around love, centers around our expansion beyond ego and into a space where spiritual growth, compassion, cooperation and focussed giving to others, to the world, to mother earth, to the universal goodness is the magical heart of existence. The creative meaning of existence helps us to nourish our needs, beliefs and thoughts from a space that transcends limitations, dependencies and expectations in a practical as well as in a philosophical sense.

In a practical sense we need to watch the mind and the ego to avoid the games that are so often created to justify our actions. If working in a garden and our efforts and time spent in the garden are simply to satisfy our selfish needs, then we bypass so much and we miss the beauty of sharing our efforts with all that is present and alive. If we plant trees as a gift to humanity then those trees flourish. If we plant them simply to satisfy needs then we don't have a forest rather we have an extension of or a picture of our needs in the garden lacking in the aliveness and magic that is so natural to this world.

In the same sense, if any other action or practical work that we undertake is simply to satisfy our needs and we surely forget the beauty of the world and to be an integral part of this beauty, then our work becomes self-centered and its goal becomes to satisfy our beliefs, needs, egos and thoughts. Being and trusting that your real and selfless actions are an expression of beauty then those beliefs, needs, thoughts and egotistical aspects become superfluous and we enter an aliveness and magic that is our birthright.

This is what makes people great and gives meaning to our personal life as well as hope for humanity. "

Tony Samara
(23 April 2008)

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We receive hundreds of emails weekly from everyone and Tony has made it a point in the past to answer each one personally. This is a very important part of his work as he feels that love is walking on a path together. He will continue to answer everyone but very soon will answer beyond simple, written words as he will soon start his hectic travelling schedule.

You may feel that when writing to Tony with your questions that they become answered in a subtle deep way beyond written words. This is the way that Tony will begin to work with each of you. Tony will read every email that is sent and answer it directly to your heart.

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We would like to remind you that it is always possible to spend time with Tony and receive personal discourse with him in the many retreats and seminar programmes organized for him throughout the world. Below we mention two cleansing retreats happening soon but please check http://www.tonysamara.org for all of the latest event updates of which there are many new since our last newsletter.

22 - 25 May 2008 Cleansing detox retreat Algarve, Portugal
4 - 6 July 2008 Cleansing detox retreat Chieming, Germany

There is also a wonderful 2-day event to be held in St Polten, Austria 3-4 May 2008.

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We also would like to let you know that publishers in Germany, Portugal and Croatia are working diligently on Tony's book 'A SHAMAN'S WISDOM' and we hope these will all be released prior to summer 2008!!! This is good news for the many who do not read French.

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If you are unable to attend the programme s please remember that you can enjoy the wisdoms and meditations of Tony Samara by going to the product page of http://www.tonysamara.org to instantly download one of the e-cds or the e-booklet.

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Thank you for your support and love as we continue to expand this beautiful work in the world we live in.

Love

The Samara Foundation

****** Thank you all for supporting this work by forwarding this newsletter to your friends and posting it to your sites.

N.B. - New Mail Address: Tony Samara, Apartado 293, 8150-909 São Brás de Alportel, Portugal