Be inventive. Don't imitate. Stay on your own ground. Think your own thoughts. Act with discipline and courage. Control your mind. See God in everything. Work hard and never lose your heart. Heirakhan Babaji
One who is not envious but is a kindly friend to all creatures, who does not think himself a proprietor, who is free from false ego and equal both in happiness and distress, who is always satisfied and engaged in devotional service with determination, and whose mind and intelligence are fixed upon Me - he is very dear to Me. Gita 12:13-14
He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anxiety, who is steady in happiness and distress, is very dear to Me. A devotee who is not dependent on the ordinairy course of activities, who is pure, expert, without cares, free from all pains and not striving for some results is very dear to Me. One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contamination, always silent, and satisfied with anything, who doesn't care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and engaged in devotional service, is very dear to Me. He who follows this imperishable path of devotional service and completely engages himself with faith, making Me the supreme goal, is very, very dear to Me. Gita 12:15-16,18-20
This then is what it means to seek God perfectly: to withdraw from illusion and pleasure, from worldly anxieties and desires, from the works that God does not want, from a glory that is only human display; to keep my mind free from confusion in order that my liberty may be always at the disposal of His will; to entertain silence in my heart and listen for the voice of God; to cultivate an intellectual freedom from the images of created things in order to receive the secret contact of God in obscure love; to love all men as myself; to rest in humility and to find peace in withdrawal from conflict and competition with other men; to turn aside from controversy and put away heavy loads of judgment and censorship and criticism and the whole burden of opinions that have no obligation to carry; to have a will that is always ready to fold back within itself and draw all the powers of the soul down from its deepest center to rest in silent expectancy for the coming of God, poised in tranquil and effortless concentration upon the point of my dependence on Him; to gather all that I am, and have all that I can possibly suffer or do or be, and abandon them all to God in the resignation of a perfect love and blind faith and pure trust in God, to do His will. And then to wait in peace and emptiness and oblivion of all things. Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation. PP. 45-46. Submitted to L-Center Discussion Group by Gary Horn mailto:ghorn@uswest.com
A devotee should always remain pure, thoughtful, enthusiastic, determined, judicious and composed. Shanti Vachan Bhandar, 236.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Fearlessness, purification of one's existence, cultivation of spiritual knowledge, charity, sense of control, performance of sacrifice, study of the Vedas, austerity, simplicity, nonviolence, truthfulness, freedom from anger, renunciation, peacefulness, aversion to fault finding, compassion toward every living entity, freedom from greed, gentleness, shyness, determination, vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, and freedom from both envy and the passion for honor - these are the transcendental qualities, born of the godly atmosphere, O son of Bharata. Gita 16:1-3
There are three gates leading down to the hell - lust, anger and greed. Every sane man should give these up, for they lead to the degradation of the soul. Gita 16:21
What chains bind those who think only of themselves, love but themselves; the greedy, the inquisitive, the gadabouts, those who look for a soft time (...). Thomas A Kempis, Imitation of Christ, III.32.1
The man who is neither bent upon pleasing his fellows nor afraid of offending them will enjoy great peace. It is from affections allowed to run wild and from baseless fears that all disquiet of heart arises, all distractions of the feelings. Thomas A Kempis, Imitation of Christ, III.28.2
Everyone loves the obedient follower. If you obey the laws of Nature, it will protect you. Try to follow the middle path, i.e. exercise moderation in your eating habits, social behavior and living routine and you will face no problem. Shanti Vachan Bhandar, 275.
Search out for yourself some out-of-the-way spot, and make it your delight to live there alone by yourself. Don't be looking for neighbours to pass the time of day with, but talk to God in prayerful entreaty, if you want to remain sorry for your sins and keep conscience clean. Count the whole world as nothing; put your waiting on God before all outward things ... Thomas A Kempis, Imitation of Christ, III.53.1
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: To give up the results of all activities is called renunciation by the wise. And that state is called the renounced order of life by great learned men. Sacrifice, charity and penance are never to be given up; they must be performed by all intelligent men. They are purifying even for the great souls. All activities should be performed without any expectation of result. They should be performed as a matter of duty, O son of Prtha. That is my final opinion. Gita 18:2,5-6
Where is your faith? Stand firm and hold your ground. Be a man of courage, and wait in patience; my comfort will come to you in its own good time. Thomas A Kempis, Imitation of Christ, III.30.2
The key to success is: (i) Truth as the base, (ii) Firm determination, (iii) Diligent efforts, (iv) Invincible Faith. Shanti Vachan Bhandar, 1189.
If you desire true happiness, seek the pleasure of the Lord. Think, speak, and act only that which pleases the Lord so that you may be dear to Him. Shanti Vachan Bhandar, 1956.
A spiritual aspirant must be jovial, active and bright so that on observing him, others may be inspired to live similar life. Shanti Vachan Bhandar, 2089.
Beauty in life does not lie in wearing beautiful clothes and taking care of the hair and adorning the body but real beauty lies in making the soul immortal and radiant. Shanti Vachan Bhandar, 2100.
If you want to illuminate your soul with devotion and radiance of the spiritual values, you must abdicate certain vices - hypocrisy, vanity, ego, duality and attachment. Purifying your mind of all defilement, saturate it with humility, good conduct, reverence, faith and purity. Shanti Vachan Bhandar, 2141.
To live well myself is my first and essential contribution to the well being of all mankind and to the fulfillment of [humanity's] collective destiny. If I do not live happily myself how can I help anyone else to be happy, or free, or wise? (...) Thomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander, PP.81-82
(…) For nine years I wanted to tell you that God, your Father, is the only way, truth and life. I wish to show you the way to Eternal Life. (…) Give your good example to your children: give a good example to those who do not believe. You will not have happiness on this earth, neither will you come to Heaven if you are not with pure and humble hearts, and do not fulfill the law of God. (…) For that reason reconcile and purify your soul. Take your rosary and pray it. All your sufferings take patiently. You should remember that Jesus was patiently suffering for you. Let me be your Mother and your tie to God, to the Eternal Life. Do not impose your faith on the unbelievers. Show it to them by your example and pray for them. My children, pray! Our Lady of Medjugorie, February 2, 1990. Words from Heaven, P.183-4.
(…) I ask you to renew in yourselves the messages I have given you. These are messages of prayer, peace, fasting, and penance. (…) All of the other messages come from these four basic ones (...) Our Lady of Medjugorie, June 6, 1988. Words from Heaven, P.288.
Pray, fast and allow God to act. Do not pity anyone. If the police cause you some anxiety, continue on your way joyful and calm. Pray for them. When God begins His work, no one can stop it. Our Lady of Medjugorie, April 4, 1983. Words from Heaven, P.340.
Work, eat, walk, laugh, cry, meditate - only in Him. That is the best way to live. In so doing you will be truly happy, serving Him, loving Him, and communing with Him. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.7
Intensity, secrecy, devotion and constancy are necessary. You don't know when death will come. Every minute keep your mind on God. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.53.
Plain living and high thinking should be your goal. Learn to carry all the conditions of happiness within yourself by meditating and attuning your consciousness to the ever-existing, ever-conscious, ever-new Joy, which is God. Your happiness should never be subject to any outside influence. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.78.
God's way is the easiest way. It is best to go to the Father first and ask Him what is best for you. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.135.
Be genuinly amiable when you are with others. (...) Just be smiling, congenial and kind. (...) If you want to be likeable, be sincere. (...) Above all, be humble. Though you may have admirable inner strength, don't overwhelm others with your strong nature. Be calm and considerate of them. (...) Strive always to be understanding. (...) True friends understand one another no matter what they do. (...) There is a magnet in your heart that will attract true friends. That magnet is unselfishness, thinking of others first. (...) Consideration means awareness of and attentiveness to others. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.142-3.
If you are unselfish, good-tempered, understanding, you are richer than those who are selfish and angry and jealous. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.145.
The perfect Masters in the Radha Soami line of mystics have distilled the requirements of the spiritual life into four vows, which serve as anchors or guideposts by which their disciples agree to live their lives. (...) The vows are: (1) Adherence to a lacto-vegetarian diet, (2) Abstention from alcoholic drinks, narcotics, and other mind-altering drugs (...), (3) Living a clean, moral, and honest life, (4) Meditation for two and one-half hours each day (...). Quoted after: Miriam Bokser Caravella, The Holy Name. P.238.
You are a child immortal. You have come on earth to entertain and to be entertained. This is why life should be a combination of both meditation and activity. If you lose your inner balance, that is just the time when you are vulnerable to wordly suffering. (...). Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.242.
Don't be sensitive about the body and material concerns, nor let anyone hurt you. Keep your consciousness aloof. Give goodwill to all, but develop a state of consciousness wherein nobody can ruffle you. Try to make others happy every day. Share your wisdom with others. Do not permit yourself to lose interest in life. Learn everything about one thing, and something about everything. Realize that the more you seek, the more you will find; the realms of thought are infinite. The moment you think you have attained everything, you have circumscribed yourself. Search on and on, continuously, and in the valley of your humbleness will gather the ocean of God's widsom. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.244.
Hillel used to say: the more flesh the more worms, the more possessions the more worry. The more Torah the more life, the more study and contemplation the more wisdom, the more counsel the more discernment, the more charity the more peace. The one who acquires a good name, acquires it for him or herself. The one who acquires knowledge of the Law, acquires life in the world to come. Mishna Avot 2:7, quoted in: Michael Shire, The Jewish Prophet, P.49.
The hermit laughed, "(...)The best time is always right now, the only moment you can control. The most important person is always the one you are with. And the most vital thing to do is always to make that person happy." Jack Maguire. (2001). Essential Buddhism. P.111.
Here are the five precepts common to all Buddhist traditions:
Jack Maguire. (2001). Essential Buddhism. P.138-141.
A monk should consider the purpose of each text in Scripture, to whom it speaks and what occasions. He should persevere continually in the ascetic struggle and be on his guard against the provocations of the enemy. Like a pilot steering a boat through the waves, he should hold to his course, guided by grace, keeping his attention fixed within himself, he should commune with God in stillness, guarding his thoughts from distraction and his intellect from curiosity. St. Isaiah the Solitary (died in Gaza in 491 C.E.), quoted in: The Philokalia, Vol. I., P.23.
He who wants to cross the spiritual sea is long-suffering, humble, vigilant and self-controlled. If he impetuously embarks on it without these four virtues, he agitates his heart, but cannot cross. St. Mark the Ascetic (4th Century C.E.), quoted in: The Philokalia, Vol. I., P.128.
It necessary to accept our state and the reality of being fallen men, struggling to lift up our head to Divine Mercy. And in the midst of the storm of thoughts, to look for our real choices. When I stop and reflect, I choose only God, to be with him, to live his holy will. That is what matters. And the constant, patient, humble striving with God’s help to purify mind and heart: to avoid associations that recall the unwanted past, avoid idleness, turn to good reading, keep saving texts at hand and in memory. And when I become aware of alien pulls, to strongly reject them, to positively choose the abiding Lord, to avoid self-indulgence. The struggle is a lasting one, though, thank God, with its wonderful seasons of calm. Pennington, Basil. (1978). O Holy Mountain! Journal of a Retreat on Mount Athos. P.145.
When you lie down on your bed, remember with thanksgiving the blessings and Providence of God. Thereupon, filled with this good thought, you will rejoice in the spirit and the sleep of the body will mean sobriety of the soul; the closing of your eyes, a true knowledge of God; and your silence, brimming with the good feeling, will wholeheartedly and with all its strength glorify Almighty God, giving him from the heart praise that rises on high. Saint Anthony, Hundred and Seventy Texts on Saintly Life, quoted in: Pennington, Basil. (1978). O Holy Mountain! Journal of a Retreat on Mount Athos. P.191.
Last update: 2008/03/25
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