Having realized that we can depend on no outside authority in bringing about a total revolution within the structure of our own psyche, there is the immensely greater difficulty of rejecting our own inward authority, the authority of our own particular little experiences and accumulated opinions, knowledge, ideas and ideals. Continue reading
Psychology
The Eagle – Symbol of seeing the big picture and the details at the same time
Positive framing – converting emotions such as fear or stress into opportunity
Positive psychologists have shown that some people tend to frame the world optimistically, others pessimistically. Optimists often have an edge: in our survey, three-quarters of the respondents who were particularly good at positive framing thought they had the right skills to lead change, while only 15 percent of those who weren’t thought so. Continue reading
Maintaining a Sense of Dignity
Value of Individuals
“But today’s society is characterized by achievement orientation, and consequently it adores people who are successful and happy and, in particular, it adores the young. It virtually ignores the value of all those who are otherwise, and in so doing blurs the decisive difference between being valuable in the sense of dignity and being valuable in the sense of usefulness. Continue reading How to Still The Mind
“If you try and still the mind,
it will be the mind
trying to still the mind.
Rather become aware
of the mind.
Become aware
of the flow of thoughts. Continue reading
Surrender – Stop Wanting It
That’s it. Want nothing. Choose what shows up instead.
This is the very essence of zen. It is what is meant by the “surrendered state“. Do this, and persist in it long enough, and you will find some incredible things unfolding in your reality, very likely including those that you formerly really, really wanted. The irony? It won’t matter, because you don’t want them anymore! You’ll surely enjoy them while they last, but the terrible need you had for them to give you fulfilment is gone, and you could honestly care less if they showed up or not.
Can you think of a more pure definition of freedom?
Quote by Sonia Ricotti via Google Images.
Continue reading
The brick walls are there for a reason….
The black dot

One day, a professor entered his classroom and asked his students to prepare for a surprise test. They all waited anxiously at their desks for the exam to begin.
The professor handed out the exams with the text facing down, as usual. Once he handed them all out, he asked the students to turn over the papers.
To everyone’s surprise, there were no questions–just a black dot in the center of the paper. The professor, seeing the expression on everyone’s faces, told them the following:
“I want you to write about what you see there.” Continue reading
reflect on the answers to these four questions….

We go at it day after day. The routine is tiresome, at best, At worst, it is exhausting, even debilitating. In our daily haze, we become numb to life: we stop feeling the world the way we should. Our emotional intimacy with the people and experiences around us dulls down and with it, our joy. We become less aware, less conscious of our intentions, thoughts, and actions. Inevitably, it happens to us all. Frustration and impatience take the place of mindfulness, and this is the point at which we have to stop, remind ourselves of our purpose, and re-strategize.
If you’re seeking to reshape your life, reflect on the answers to these four questions to increase your awareness, expand your mindset, and change your outlook:
What thoughts do you keep thinking? Ever notice that the more you think about something, the harder it becomes to get your mind off of it? That’s because the neurons in your brain form clusters around your thoughts. You’ll continue to think the thoughts you’re used to thinking because there’s increasing traffic on those neural pathways. Like every other part of your being, your brain acts on habit and becomes programmed to operate in a certain way. And like a broken record, the thoughts usually repeat the same form and produce the same results. …...


