Happiness

Seize the moments of happiness, love and be loved! That is the only reality in the world, all else is folly.

LEO TOLSTOY, War and Peace

We can smile, breathe, walk, and eat our meals in a way that allows us to be in touch with the abundance of happiness that is available. We are very good at preparing to live, but not very good at living. We know how to sacrifice ten years for a diploma and we are willing to work very hard to get a job, a car, a house, and so on. But we have difficulty remembering that we are alive in the present moment, the only moment there is for us to be alive.

THICH NHAT HANH, Peace is Every Step

Those who possess that treasure which no thief can take away,
Which, though on suppliants freely spent, increaseth day by day,
The source of inward happiness which shall outlast the earth--
To them e'en kings should yield the palm, and own their higher worth.

BHARTRHARI, "The Praise of the Wise Man"

Good Quotes for the Week

 

The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that the warrior takes everything as a challenge while an ordinary man takes everything as a blessing or a curse. - Don Juan

 Failure is not always a mistake, it may simply be the best one can do under the circumstances. The real mistake is to stop trying. - B F. Skinner

 

God made everything out of nothing. But the nothingness shows through -Paul Valery

Did you ever notice how difficult it is to argue with someone who is not obsessed with being right? - Wayne W. Dyer 

 

It is simple. We are where we should be, doing what we should be doing. Otherwise we would be somewhere else, doing something else.

“The world doesn't owe you anything. It was here first.” ~ Mark Twain 

The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself -Henry Miller 

 

Being nice, patient, responsible people does not make us door mats. Choosing to be the best people possible, regardless how others choose to behave, means we are in control of ourselves rather than simply being the puppet of our irresponsible ego. Ego is NOT capable of choosing our 'best' behavior. So being in control of our ego to create life with positive purpose actually makes us the powerful ones.

Even after all this time,
The sun never says to the earth,
"You owe me."
Look what happens with
A love like that.
It lights the whole sky.
((((( Hafiz )))))
 

Quote of the Day

 

IN OURSELVES 

 PEACE

IN THE WORLD

 

.:Thich Nhat Hanh:.

 

"Enjoy your "self". Right here, right now. If you don't, why would anyone else?"

“Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes.” Alan Watts 

  

"If we are not aware that we are happy, we are not really happy. When we have a toothache, we know that not having a toothache is a wonderful thing. But when we do not have a toothache, we are still not happy. A non-toothache is very pleasant. There are so many things that are enjoyable, but unless we practice mindfulness and learn to cherish these things, then we don't appreciate them."  Thich Nhat Hanh

 "To my mind, the idea that doing the dishes is unpleasant can occur only when you are not doing them. Once you are standing in front of the sink with your sleeves rolled up and your hands in warm water, it really is not so bad. I enjoy taking my time with each dish, being fully aware of the dish, the water, and each movement of my hands. I know that if I hurry in order to go and have a cup of tea, the time will be unpleasant and not worth living. That would be a pity, for each minute, each second of life is a miracle. The dishes themselves and the fact that I am here washing them are miracles! Washing the dishes is at the same time a means and an end that is, not only do we do the dishes in order to have clean dishes, we also do the dishes just to do the dishes, to live fully in each moment while washing them."  Thich Nhat Hanh

 “If you are still talking about what you did yesterday, you haven't done much today.”

"We seem to be going through a period of nostalgia, and everyone seems to think yesterday was better than today. I don't think it was, and I would advise you not to wait ten years before admitting today was great. If you're hung up on nostalgia, pretend today is yesterday and just go out and have one hell of a time." Art Buchwald

"Every morning is a fresh beginning. Every day is the world made new. Today is a new day. Today is my world made new. I have lived all my life up to this moment, to come to this day. This moment--this day--is as good as any moment in all eternity. I shall make of this day--each moment of this day--a heaven on earth. This is my day of opportunity."  Dan Custer

"One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon - instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today."  Dale Carnegie

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”  Dalai Lama

 “As soon as we wish to be happier, we are no longer happy.”  Walter Landor

“Realize that this very body, with its aches and it pleasures… is exactly what we need to be fully human, fully awake, fully alive.” Pema Chodron

"As long as we have practiced neither concentration nor mindfulness, the ego takes itself for granted and remains its usual normal size, as big as the people around one will allow." Ayya Khema

"Don’t worry about what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Robert Thurman