Category Archives: Quotes – 2011

Why We Must Start Here…

Better do a good deed near at home than go far away to burn incense.Chinese Proverb

starts here

All effort must start at the base, at home, with us… This means several things:

  1. Gandhi said ‘we must be the change we want to see in the world’. Right off the bat we know it’s us who needs the most work! If we change self, our attitude and perceptions, then we may be ready to go change the world!
  2. It’s easier to be nice to folks at work and to others outside the family. It’s so much harder to be nice, loving and patient with immediate family. Why’s that? A self-examination can help.
  3. Sometimes it’s hardest to be nice to self. We don’t like our hair, our make-up or our body. We’re ever comparing self to others. We’re unable to forgive ourselves. Why do we so often hold self to such high standards? To what end?

goes there

All effort spent on us is well rewarded. We start to get along with us. We’re increasingly more patient with family and others around us. Our improvement is noticeable to others and can become an inspiration to them. All intelligent effort spent on self-improvement will eventually benefit others around us and that’s the ultimate reward for self-improvement!

Daily Affirmation: Today I start right here!

Recommendation: Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda

Autobiography of a YogiKindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6

When Prayer Doesn’t Work!

God changes not what is in people, until they change what is in themselves.The Quran

open

We pray for all sorts of things and most times it’s a monologue emanating from us in the direction of divinity. God already knows what we might want or could ever need; maybe our time is better spent opening up to God? Maybe we should just be listening?

receive

By opening up to God’s exhortations to us, and yes he does talk to us, we allow for maximum spiritual growth and happiness. After all God is our Father and Mother. He’s continuously communicating with us. We can’t hear him because we don’t attempt to listen. Sitting quietly opens us up to listening… We can then change for our own benefit and therefore everyone else’s benefit, and that apparently is part of the plan…

Daily Affirmation: Today I listen…

Recommendation: Understanding Islam

Understanding IslamKindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6

What It Takes…

14.24 Who dwells in his inner self, and is the same in pleasure and pain; to whom gold or stones or earth are one, and what is pleasing or displeasing leave him in peace; who is beyond both praise and blame, and whose mind is steady and quiet… 

14.26 And he who with never-failing love adores me and works for me, he passes beyond the three powers and can be one with Brahman, the ONE..The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 14)

equanimity

We use meditation to still our mind. When the mind’s still it connects to Spirit more readily. Without stilling our mind the electro-chemical nature of our body and mind makes it exceedingly difficult to make such contact. Let’s practice stillness.

love

As we increase our contact with Spirit, life becomes easier, we become more peaceful, we’re suddenly more creative, we’re happier, life is good and continues to be an adventure! Loving everyone becomes a whole lot easier!

Daily Affirmation: Today I AM still.

Recommendation: The Bhagavad Gita (Penguin Classics) by Juan Mascaro

The Bhagavad Gita (Penguin Classics)Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6

You Are Perfect Love!

You have so little faith in yourself because you are unwilling to accept the fact that perfect love is in you, and so you seek without for what you cannot find within.A Course in Miracles

who are we?

If there’s a God, if there’s Universal Intelligence, then that which created us supports us, keeps us safe, loves us, guides us, inspires us and leads us forward…. A spark from God is at our core. Our challenge is to seek that spark; the first step in that direction is to accept that such a thing is possible…And that is Faith.

love r us

As we discover the center from which we emanate, we realize that love is the very currency of this Universe. We can choose love or we can choose fear at any juncture, those are our only 2 choices. Let’s choose the way of love, acceptance, forgiveness, peace, adventure and joy!!

Daily Affirmation: Today I AM love.

Recommendation: A Course in Miracles by Dr. Helen Schucman

A Course in Miracles: Combined VolumeKindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6

Why We Must Be The Change!

The following exchange took place between teacher and inquirer:

‘How can I avoid a noisy world?’

‘Be quiet yourself.’

‘How can I avoid getting hurt?’

‘Be harmless yourself.’

‘How can I avoid false teachings?’

‘Be true yourself.’

Whatever kind of psychological events a man meets, he really meets himself, for he and his world are one. Vernon Howard

we are the world

We are literally the world. Our own consciousness is all we truly know.

  • We assume others understand and view the world the way we do. They don’t.
  • We assume that circumstances need to change for us to be happy. Not true.
  • We think we’ll be happy when others start behaving. Nope.
  • We know we’ll be happier when we reach a certain goal. Probably not.

it’s us

It started with us when we became conscious of self. The onus remains on us. We control our happiness. We control our reaction to events. We design our thoughts. We decide what makes us happy. We choose our own values. We  take action the way we please. We must change if our world is to change. We must change if we’re to architect our destiny. We must change if we’re to be free.

Daily Affirmation: Today I AM the change.

Recommendation: The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power by Vernon Howard

The Mystic Path to Cosmic PowerKindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6

What Is True Meditation?

Meditation is the dissolution of thoughts in Eternal awareness or Pure consciousness without objectification, knowing without thinking, merging finitude in infinity. Voltaire

so far

I’ve had the pleasure to share with you several meditation approaches on this page. In general I like to view meditation as ‘relaxed awareness’ a certain consciousness which allows us to watch self. It starts with physical relaxation followed by mental relaxation and goes into a thoughtless awareness mode. Some view this as an end state, an end in itself. It is that, in some ways, because when we’re in that state we can feel a certain peace, a well being that cannot easily be matched by any other experience of the mind. In this blog I attempt to take this level of meditation to the next step, as I understand it…


Previous Tips:


Tip # 1: Connecting with your deep self


Tip # 2: Stretch your wings out


Tip # 3: Arise out of fear!


Tip # 4: Do Nothing!


Tip # 5: Sitting!


Tip # 6: Just Be


Tip # 7: FLaG It!


Tip # 8: Let It Be


Tip # 9: What Is True Meditation?

 

true meditation

So what is true meditation? The next level of meditation is to go beyond the ‘relaxed awareness’ state and make contact with Universal Intelligence, with God, the Creator, the Architect and Parent of All That Is….

Here are the suggested steps:

  1. Read: Do some spiritual reading, this will help us get into the right frame of mind.
  2. Breathe: Breathe 3 deep breaths, relax, see this tip for more: Do Nothing!
  3. Visualize: Visualize being in a beautiful relaxing place, like a beach or a mountain resort, smell the air, feel the sand with the fingers, try and truly be there!
  4. Ask: Ask God for help to meditate, tell him what’s on your mind, just chat…While doing so FLaG It! This includes an exercise in forgiveness and gratitude, a piece that is super important.
  5. Receive: Finally ask him for his love. Sit back and receive God’s love because undoubtedly with just a little practice you’ll palpably experience God’s love…simply receive…
  6. Journal: If you’d like to deepen this experience and continue this practice, start journaling, more here…Emotional Freedom!. At this point we can receive inspiration from the Creator. This voice will exhort us to love, to forgive and to trust…..

Daily Affirmation: Today I AM still.

Recommendation: Meditation for Beginners by Jack Kornfield

Meditation for BeginnersKindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6

What Would God Do?

Everything is based on mind, is led by mind, is fashioned by mind. If you speak and act with a pure mind, happiness will follow you, as a shadow clings to a form.Buddha

origin

Our actions originate from mind. Creation springs from God’s mind. Even though ours is a subset of God’s mind, it still has some of its qualities. We are mini creators unleashed into the universe. It’s up to us what we do with this God given gift, this amazingly creative facility!

wwjd?

A pure mind is one that is peaceful and one which thinks of the greater benefit rather than the selfish one. God’s mind is like that too. The trick is to mimic God’s mind in any situation, which is why one might ask a question like: ‘What Would Jesus Do?’. What would God do if She was me? Such an approach leads to happiness.

Daily Affirmation: Today I AM God’s Mind.

Recommendation: Choose Them Wisely: Thoughts Become Things! by Mike Dooley

Choose Them Wisely: Thoughts Become Things!Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6