“To be free of all authority, of your own and that of another, is to die to everything of yesterday

a13c2-fullyaliveHaving 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

The Eagle – Symbol of seeing the big picture and the details at the same time

The eagle has the ability to soar high above a valley, visually taking in miles upon miles of terrain, yet also able to zero in on a mouse on the ground, swoop down, and capture it in his claws.

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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

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?

surrender

Quote by Sonia Ricotti via Google Images.
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The black dot

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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