Monthly Archives: March 2012

Quotes - 2012, Stillness

What Can It or I Be?

Leave a comment

It’s not about what it is, it’s about what it can become. – Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

what is

It’s not about what we are today or what we think we are. It’s not about what a situation is today or what we think it is.

We should stop thinking about the ‘problem’. We may approach life as if it’s a game, because it is a massively simulated reality in which we play pivotal roles… We can never be lost, we can’t ultimately be hurt, we are like children in a playground…

vs. what can be

It’s all about potential, it’s about dreams, it’s about our vision, it’s about what tomorrow can be. It’s about us on this planet.

It’s about what’s possible…

So let’s play as though there’s nothing to lose, there is nothing to lose. But a whole lot to gain! We ultimately gain us, our complete self. We understand, finally, how this all fits in and how we’re all related… We gain a brand new world, one of very own dreams!!

Daily Affirmation: Today I AM possibilitarian!!

Recommendation: The Lorax (Classic Seuss) by Dr. Seuss

The Lorax (Classic Seuss)Kindle Fire, Full Color 7

Quotes - 2012, Stillness

Unless!

Leave a comment

Unless! – Dr. Seuss

question

Had the pleasure of watching The Lorax this past weekend. It’s not the best movie out there but certainly one that carries a message that deserves to be heard… The kids loved it!

Unless we start to…

  • Think about things
  • Find time to acknowledge what’s missing in our lives
  • Figure out what plagues society

We won’t really change anything…

act

Once we know what’s missing or what’s wrong we can start to figure out what we might do. What any one of us does is better than all of us thinking that not much can be done…

Daily Affirmation: Today I AM thinking about things…

Recommendation: The Lorax (Classic Seuss) by Dr. Seuss

The Lorax (Classic Seuss)Kindle Fire, Full Color 7

Dale Carnegie, Stillness

Why No One Is Ever Wrong!

Leave a comment

You cannot teach a man anything. You can only help him find it within himself. – Galileo

you’re wrong

We’re told that we must be transparent and say it like it is. Nothing wrong with that sentiment however it never helps to inform someone that they’re wrong! Especially when it’s done in a very direct non-emotional way. We don’t have to skirt the issue but like with most things in life, balance is necessary. How can we let someone know that they’re wrong? 

life principles

11th Dale Carnegie Principle: Show respect for the other person’s opinion. Never say, “You’re wrong.”

Here’s an excerpt from the book attributed to Carl Rogers who wrote the book ‘On Becoming a Person”

Our first reaction to most statements is an evaluation or judgment, rather than an understanding of it. … Our tendency is almost immediately to feel, "that’s right," or "that’s stupid," "that’s abnormal," that’s unreasonable," "that’s incorrect," "that’s not nice." Very rarely do we permit ourselves to understand precisely what the meaning of the statements is to the other person.

Daily Affirmation: Today I truly understand what others say!

Recommendation: How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie

How To Win Friends And Influence People, Revised EditionKindle Fire, Full Color 7

Kabir, Quotes - 2012, Stillness

Who’s At Fault?

Leave a comment

I searched for the crooked, met not a single one
When searched myself, I found the crooked one!

– Kabir

crooked?

Our ego plays games with us. We always find fault in the others’ behavior. It’s not us, it’s the other who ought to change. What’s going on?

moi?

Kabir is not saying that we’re despicable & devious and therefore should we sulk in shame. He’s suggesting, IMO, that we consider changing our own perspective before jumping to conclusions and always attributing fault outside of self. We ought to change our own perspective and consider how we are looking at things. Like Gandhi said ‘We must be the change we want to see in the world’…

Daily Affirmation: Today I AM reflective…

Recommendation: Kabir – Spiritual Commentary by Yoga Niketan

Kabir - Spiritual Commentary by Sri Sri Shyama Charan Lahiri MahasayaKindle Fire, Full Color 7

Quotes - 2012, Stillness

How To Clear Our Mind And Unleash Creativity!

Leave a comment

I must through self-knowledge, be aware of the whole process of my thinking.  – Krishnamurti

how we think

If we follow our own thinking we can do several things. We can understand how particular past thoughts originated. That can help us pinpoint the cause of a certain mental state we’ve experienced. We can also better understand our motivation to do certain things, which may otherwise be done unconsciously. We can comprehend how we build assumptions and entertain biases. We can finally begin to understand why we are where we are, physically, mentally as well as spiritually…

clarity & creativity

Really the best way to observe all this activity is be in the Zen moment of now. And then be the observer of self, detached from the constant barrage of mechanical thinking, stepping back and simply watching our thoughts. This does several amazing things:

  1. Clears our mind up
  2. Allows us to experience the peace that lies just under our normal stream of thoughts
  3. Enables true creativity to emerge

All this happens because when we’re observing, we’re not thinking! In other words, asserting our control over the whole process of thinking and watching how we think moves us toward being a master of self!

Daily Affirmation: Today I AM an observer!

Recommendation: The Awakening of Intelligence by Krishnamurti

The Awakening of IntelligenceKindle Fire, Full Color 7

Quotes - 2012, Stillness

To What End??

Leave a comment

The best way to prepare for death is to spend every day of life as though it were the last. Think of the end of worldly honor, wealth and pleasure and ask yourself: And then? And then? – St. Philip Romolo Neri

what would happen?

If we truly lived each day as though it might be our last? It’s a tall order of course. But imagine if:

  • We loved as though we wouldn’t last!
  • We worked on something as though it were the last thing we worked on!
  • We admired beauty as if we would be blind soon!
  • We drew wisdom from our experiences knowing that all things come to a physical end…

and then…

Saint Neri asks an amazing question about our life pursuits! And then?

After we reach our next goal, or when our child is born, or when we get our next promotion, buy that house, get that car, retire………………

Then what? Then what? Then what?

What’s the actual goal we’re pursuing? To what end are we living?

Daily Affirmation: Today I AM living life to the fullest!

Recommendation: One Month to Live by Kerry Shook

One Month to Live: Thirty Days to a No-Regrets LifeKindle Fire, Full Color 7

Quotes - 2012, Stillness

How To Be Attached In A Balanced Way!

Leave a comment

This world is only a bridge; you may pass over it, but you should not think to build a dwelling place upon it.  – The Urantia Papers

attachment

It’s natural to be attached to all that’s good in our lives. But excessive attachment is also the cause of endless suffering. How can we maintain a balance so that we may be attached but not to a fault?

balance

Balanced attachment may be found by following two principles:

  1. Eternal Life: This principle states that life continues, forever. Personalities continue, forever. We should remember that everyone will always be there. We can relax and revel in God’s amazing plan!
  2. Selflessness: This principle states that we cannot be islands all on our own. We may not become selfish and stay away from relationships and attachments just to avoid getting hurt.

A life lived serving others while knowing that no one ever dies will yield great happiness without the debilitating suffering caused by overly much attachment. Similarly we ought to use material goods for everyone’s benefit and not as metaphorical personal trophies.

Daily Affirmation: Today I AM in balance!

Recommendation: The Urantia Papers

The Urantia Book: Indexed Version with free Audio Book on DVD (Can only be played on a computer with a DVD drive.)Kindle Fire, Full Color 7