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December, 2008

Real Love arises from Stillness of the Mind.
Amma
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November, 2008

When you behold the entire universe as a play of consciousness, what is there to do but smile?

Spirituality is a deep, genuine smile at all situations in life.
Amma
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October, 2008

Awareness transforms life experience into wisdom and confusion into clarity.

Masters make as many mistakes as anyone; but they learn from them.
Dan Millman, Body Mind Mastery

Stephen's Comment...
A friend of mine recently lent me Body Mind Mastery by Dan Millman, an Olympic athlete and coach, and author of Way of the Peaceful Warrior . I highly recommend it, especially for anyone engaged in a physical discipline (sport, yoga, martial art, dance).
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September, 2008

And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.
Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

Stephen's Comment...
If you find that each week is a repeat of the last, and you desire to feel something new, something different, then take yourself to a place in nature you have never been before - even somewhere local - and enter into that place with a playful spirit, and a spirit of wonder, and with the eyes - and heart - of a child.
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August, 2008

A real yogi is one who can maintain a peaceful mind in the midst of any crisis.
Amma
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July, 2008

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.
Albert Einstein
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June, 2008

When you feel good about yourself and your actions, you remove impurities of low self-esteem... you begin to love yourself.
The more you love yourself, the more you love all.
Paul Tisdell, The Law of Economy

Love thy neighbour as thyself.
Lev 19:18, Matt 22:39
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May, 2008

No matter how much Amma speaks unless you wake up it won't make any difference.
Amma, April 2008 (at the end of a long discourse on various spiritual topics)

You got some big dreams, baby, but in order to dream you gotta still be asleep. When you gonna wake up?
Bob Dylan, When You Gonna Wake Up?

Why sleep ye?
Jesus, Luke 22:46

Awake thou that sleepest...
Eph. 5:14

Wake up and live!
Bob Marley
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April, 2008

Love is my religion.
Ziggy Marley

Stephen's Comment...
Ziggy tells of how, after many years, he has arrived at this conclusion that love is the essence of all religion.
In doing so he has restated what his father (Bob Marley) knew when he sang, 'One Love'.
Jesus also said the first and greatest commandment was to love God, others and yourself.
The Masters have all known this truth, but imagine what would the world be like if practicing being loving was the most important thing to every so-called religious person.
What would your life be like if practicing being loving was the most important thing each day?
Try it today and see what happens !
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March, 2008

There is no misery worse than discontent.
Content of mind is peace and satisfaction eternal.
Lao-tsu, Tao Te Ching

Stephen's Comment...
We may believe that the only way to contentment is through the satisfaction of our desires. Unfortunately, this type of contentment is usually fleeting, as our satisfaction is soon replaced by another desire.
There is another way to achieve satisfaction and peace of mind - by cultivating an attitude of inner contentment. The more we arrive at an inner contentment through connecting with ourselves, so the more we free ourselves from dependance on outside circumstances for our happiness. Then we can really enjoy all the good things in life!
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February, 2008

We should serve others without any expectations whatsoever. When others throw thorns at us, we should be able to throw flowers back at them.
Amma

Stephen's Comment...
Amma is not suggesting that we cultivate low self-esteem or become doormats, for to be a victim is still the ego playing a role, only this time that of the underdog.
Rather she is suggesting we surrender our egos and learn to love and give without keeping score, like a parent naturally does with a child.
This will set you free, and indeed, it is you who will benefit most by this attitude - even more than the people you serve.
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January, 2008

In [deep] sleep, you do not know whether you are a man or a woman. Just as a man, impersonating a woman, does not become one, so the soul, impersonating both man and woman, has no sex. The soul is the pure, changeless image of God.
Sri Yukteswar
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