The
Consciousness Collaborative Network
Lisa Andrews
Walter Bacigalupo
Nathalie Blitz
Carol Burnes
Joanne Lutz
Samvedam Randles
Beth Sutton
Jamie Thurber
Bob Vinson
Adrian Wilkins
Lysa Wilkins
Quote of the Week Contest
Each week, an informative, inspirational, provocative, or consciously amusing quote is posted to The Consciousness Collaborative home page and on Facebook. If you would like to automatically receive the weekly winner, join our Facebook community.
We invite you to get involved! If you have a favorite quote you would like to share, complete the form below. Each week, one quote will be selected, and you will be credited for sharing the prose!
We invite you to get involved! If you have a favorite quote you would like to share, complete the form below. Each week, one quote will be selected, and you will be credited for sharing the prose!
March 1, 2010
“That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you've known all your life, but in a new way.”
----Doris Lessing, author and Nobel Prize winner“That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you've known all your life, but in a new way.”
March 8, 2010
“If you think you’re too small to make an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room.”
----Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop
March 15, 2010
“Deep listening is miraculous for both listener and speaker. When someone receives us with open-hearted, non-judging, intensely interested listening, our spirits expand.”
----Sue Patton Thoele, author of “The Courage To Be Yourself”
March 22, 2010
“As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.”
----Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, German poet, novelist, and dramatist
March 29, 2010
"We run during the daytime and we run during our sleep. We do not know how to stop. Our practice is first of all to stop, then to relax, then to calm down and concentrate. When we can do this, then we are in the here and now."
----Thich Nhat Hanh - from his book "no death, no fear"
April 5, 2010
"True self-love is not conceit. Conceit is trying to prove to yourself and the world that you are all right, after you have become mired in self-hate. True self-love is an ongoing celebration of who you are no matter how well you perform. It is an ability to greet the dark parts of yourself with the same gracious embrace as you greet the light. Love draws no distinctions. It is."
----Gay Hendricks, Ph.D. & Kathlyn Hendricks, Ph.D., from their book "Conscious Loving"
April 12, 2010
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible."
----Dalai Lama, Tibetan Leader, winner of the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize
April 19, 2010 & April 26, 2010
"A life lived in fear is a life half lived."
----Fran, from the film “Strictly Ballroom” 1992.
May 3, 2010
"Awareness is something like an infectious disease. When a master is alert, aware, you become infected with his awareness. Sometimes, just sitting by the side of the master, you suddenly become aware – as if the clouds have gone and you can see the open sky. Even for a moment…but that becomes a deep change in the very quality of your being.”
----Osho – from his book “My Way The Way of the White Clouds”
May 10, 2010
"Projection is the source of power struggles that eat up energy and intimacy in relationships. Power struggles are a war between two people to see whose version of reality will win out. Much of the energy in troubled relationships is drained through power struggles about who's right, who's wrong, and who's the biggest victim. Relationships - healthy ones, that is - exist only between equals. When both people are not taking 100 percent responsibility, it is an entanglement, not a relationship. There is only one way to transform an entanglement into a relationship: both people must drop projection and see that they are 100 percent the creators of their reality.”
----Gay Hendricks, "The Big Leap"
May 17, 2010
“Being vulnerable doesn't have to be threatening. Just have the courage to be sincere, open and honest. This opens the door to deeper communication all around. It creates self-empowerment and the kind of connections with others we all want in life. Speaking from the heart frees us from the secrets that burden us. These secrets are what make us sick or fearful. Speaking truth helps you get clarity on your real heart directives.”
----Sara Paddison, “The Hidden Power of the Heart”
May 24, 2010
“Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished:
If you're alive, it isn't.”
----from the 'Messiah's Handbook - Reminders for the Advanced Soul,'
a fictional guide within the novel "Illusions," written by Richard Bach
(also author of "Jonathan Livingston Seagull")
a fictional guide within the novel "Illusions," written by Richard Bach
(also author of "Jonathan Livingston Seagull")
June 1, 2010
“…no thought lives in your head rent free.”
----T. Harv Eker “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind”
June 7, 2010
"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."
----Melody Beattie, "The Language of Letting Go"
June 14, 2010
"There is in each of us a propensity to find someone or something outside ourselves to blame when things go wrong… When we focus only on our position, we do not see how our own actions extend beyond the boundary of that position. When those actions have consequences that come back to hurt us, we misperceive these new problems as externally caused. Like the person being chased by his own shadow, we cannot seem to shake them."
----Peter M. Senge, explaining “The Enemy Is Out There Syndrome"
in his book Fifth Discipline
in his book Fifth Discipline
June 21, 2010
"The wonderful thing about falling in love is you learn everything about that person and so quickly. And if it's true love, then you start to see yourself through their eyes. And it brings out the best in you. It's almost as if you're falling in love with yourself."
----Paul, from the film “Playing by Heart” 1998
June 28, 2010
"We love. That is why human life is beautiful."
----Rumi, a 13th Century Persian Poet and Sufi Mystic
July 5, 2010
"We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. This is a precious moment, but it is transient. It is a little parenthesis in eternity. If we share with caring, lightheartedness, and love, we will create abundance and joy for each other. And then this moment will have been worthwhile."
----Deepak Chopra, "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success"
July 12, 2010
"Sometimes people just don’t get things right. Did you hear me? People sometimes don’t do the right thing…so, then you’re left deciding how you’re going to react to what they offer, because you can’t make them change."
----Gran from "The Friday Night Knitting Club," written by Kate Jacobs
July 19, 2010
"…the more meaningful a potential loss is, the more loss averse we become. In other words, the more there is on the line, the easier it is to get swept into an irrational decision."
----Ori and Rom Brafman, from their book:
"Sway – The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior"
"Sway – The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior"
July 26, 2010
"The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in."
----Morrie, from "tuesdays with Morrie," written by Mitch Albom
August 2, 2010
"Leap in, the net will appear"
"Leap in, the net will appear"
----Jason Mraz,"Make It Mine" from the album "We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things"
August 9, 2010
"What is it that I have that IT hasn't got? ...suddenly she knew. She knew! Love. That was what she had that IT did not have."
"What is it that I have that IT hasn't got? ...suddenly she knew. She knew! Love. That was what she had that IT did not have."
----Meg, from the Newbery Award Winning novel,
"A Wrinkle in Time," written by Madeleine L'Engle
----Ralph Waldo Emerson, poet, essayist, and lecturer
"A Wrinkle in Time," written by Madeleine L'Engle
August 16, 2010
"Self-trust is the essence of heroism."
"Self-trust is the essence of heroism."
August 23, 2010
"We are in relationship with everything. That's what this life is - relationship with everything. ...But if we have no sacred relationship to the environment, to people, to religious images, to mantras, and so on, it means the sacred aspect of our lives is dying, or buried, or hasn't been accessed. ...Developing faith and gratitude opens the door to sacred relationships."
----Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, from his book "Healing with Form, Energy and Light""We are in relationship with everything. That's what this life is - relationship with everything. ...But if we have no sacred relationship to the environment, to people, to religious images, to mantras, and so on, it means the sacred aspect of our lives is dying, or buried, or hasn't been accessed. ...Developing faith and gratitude opens the door to sacred relationships."
August 30, 2010
"You get what you settle for."
----Louise from the 1991 award winning film, "Thelma and Louise""You get what you settle for."
September 6, 2010
"Fear is excitement without the breath."
"Fear is excitement without the breath."
----Dr. Fritz Perls, psychiatrist and the founder of Gestalt therapy
----Byron Katie, from her book "Question Your Thinking Change the World"
----Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, Persian poet, theologian and mystic
September 13, 2010
"Change is automatic. Progress is not. Progress is the result of conscious thought, decision, and action."
----Anthony Robbins, coach, author, and inspirational speaker"Change is automatic. Progress is not. Progress is the result of conscious thought, decision, and action."
September 20, 2010
"Nothing outside you can ever give you what you're looking for."
"Nothing outside you can ever give you what you're looking for."
September 27, 2010
"The only thing that keeps us from wanting to know who we are is the fear of who we might be."
----Maria Nemeth, Ph.D, from her book "The Energy of Money""The only thing that keeps us from wanting to know who we are is the fear of who we might be."
October 4, 2010 (shared by Jamie Thurber)
"My true religion, my simple faith is in love and compassion. There is no need for complicated philosophy, doctrine, or dogma. Our own heart, our own mind, is the temple. The doctrine is compassion. Love for others and respect for their rights and dignity, no matter who or what they are - these are ultimately all we need."
"My true religion, my simple faith is in love and compassion. There is no need for complicated philosophy, doctrine, or dogma. Our own heart, our own mind, is the temple. The doctrine is compassion. Love for others and respect for their rights and dignity, no matter who or what they are - these are ultimately all we need."
----Dalai Lama, Spiritual Leader of the Tibetan people
October 11, 2010
"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it."
"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it."
October 18, 2010 (shared by Bonnie Macaro)
"Sometimes your only available transportation is a leap of faith."
October 25, 2010 (shared by Renee Moloney)
"First we make our habits, then our habits make us."
November 1, 2010
"A mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions."
November 8, 2010 (shared by Cindy Maloof)
"The adventure of life is to learn. The purpose of life is to grow. The nature of life is to change. The challenge of life is to overcome. The essence of life is to care. The opportunity of life is to serve. The secret of life is to dare. The spice of life is to befriend. The beauty of life is to give. The joy of life is to love."
November 15, 2010
"Friendship with ones self is all important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world."
November 22, 2010
"I teach selfishness. I want you to be, first, your own flowering. Yes, it will appear as selfishness; I have no objection to that appearance; it is okay with me. But is the rose selfish when it blossoms? Is the lotus selfish when it blossoms? Is the sun selfish when it shines? Why should you be worried about selfishness? ...You have to flower. Your first and foremost responsibility is to blossom, to become fully conscious, aware, alert; and in that consciousness you will be able to see what you can share..."
November 29, 2010
"Let each one turn his gaze inward and regard himself with awe and wonder, with mystery and reverence."
December 6, 2010 (shared by Jamie Thurber)
"We already have everything we need. There is no need for self-improvement. All these trips that we lay on ourselves - the heavy-duty fearing that we're bad and hoping that we're good, the identities that we so dearly cling to, the rage, the jealousy and the addictions of all kinds - never touch our basic wealth. They are like clouds that temporarily block the sun."
December 13, 2010
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
December 20, 2010 (shared by Bonnie Macaro)
"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
December 27, 2010
"Maturity: being willing to do what you want even if your parents want you to do it as well."
January 3, 2011 (shared by Dee Dee Thurber)
"To aim at the best and to remain essentially ourselves is one and the same thing."
January 10, 2011 (shared by Walter Bacigalupo)
"The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do."
January 17, 2011 (shared by Evan Kaufman)
"To be in relationship to what you are going through, to hold it, and, in some sense, to befriend it - that is where the healing or transformative power of the practice of mindfulness lies. When we can actually be where we are, not trying to find another state of mind, we discover deep internal resources we can make use of. Coming to terms with things as they are is my definition of healing."
January 24, 2011 (shared by Julie O'Brien)
"All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.
January 31, 2011 (shared by Jamie Thurber)
"The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered. We know that. And, yes, there are certainly times when we aren't able to muster as much strength and patience as we would like. It's called being human. But I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. And for that I am grateful."
February 7, 2011 (shared by Mark Lesses)
"Isn't it funny how we're the last place we look? Always trying to change the projected rather than clear the projector."
February 21, 2011 (shared by Jamie Thurber)
"Until and unless you know that you are enough just the way you are, you will always be driven to look for more. Knowing that you are enough is a function of consciousness. Your enough-ness develops in direct proportion to the relationship you have with your true identity. Until you wholeheartedly believe in your own worth, in spite of your accomplishments and possessions, there will be a void in your Spirit."
August 8, 2011 (shared by Lisa Rison)
"No! Try not. Do or do not. There is no try."
November 7, 2011 (shared by Joanne Lutz)
"You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf."
December 5, 2011 (shared by Joanne Lutz)
"There is a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results."
January 9, 2012 (shared by Laura Lyons)
"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassions, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen."
January 16, 2012 (shared by Kathryn O'Brien)
"Life is short. Break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that makes you smile."
January 23, 2012 (shared by Lysa Wilkins)
"I like to live in the moment. You worry about yesterday or last week or twenty years ago, it's not gonna work out too good for you. You can't live in two places at once."
----Margaret Shepard, minister, corporate consultant, and business owner
October 25, 2010 (shared by Renee Moloney)
"First we make our habits, then our habits make us."
----Charles C. Noble
November 1, 2010
"A mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions."
----Oliver Wendell Holmes, author and physician
November 8, 2010 (shared by Cindy Maloof)
"The adventure of life is to learn. The purpose of life is to grow. The nature of life is to change. The challenge of life is to overcome. The essence of life is to care. The opportunity of life is to serve. The secret of life is to dare. The spice of life is to befriend. The beauty of life is to give. The joy of life is to love."
----William Arthur Ward, 1921 - 1994, American author and poet
November 15, 2010
"Friendship with ones self is all important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world."
----Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the United States 1933-1945
November 22, 2010
"I teach selfishness. I want you to be, first, your own flowering. Yes, it will appear as selfishness; I have no objection to that appearance; it is okay with me. But is the rose selfish when it blossoms? Is the lotus selfish when it blossoms? Is the sun selfish when it shines? Why should you be worried about selfishness? ...You have to flower. Your first and foremost responsibility is to blossom, to become fully conscious, aware, alert; and in that consciousness you will be able to see what you can share..."
----Osho, "The Book of Understanding"
November 29, 2010
"Let each one turn his gaze inward and regard himself with awe and wonder, with mystery and reverence."
----Henry Miller, American author and painter, from his book "The Cosmological Eye"
December 6, 2010 (shared by Jamie Thurber)
"We already have everything we need. There is no need for self-improvement. All these trips that we lay on ourselves - the heavy-duty fearing that we're bad and hoping that we're good, the identities that we so dearly cling to, the rage, the jealousy and the addictions of all kinds - never touch our basic wealth. They are like clouds that temporarily block the sun."
----Pema Chodron, Buddhist nun and teacher, "Start Where You Are"
December 13, 2010
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
----Howard Thurman, American author, philosopher, theologian, educator & civil rights leader
December 20, 2010 (shared by Bonnie Macaro)
"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
----Anais Nin, French born American Author, 1903-1977
December 27, 2010
"Maturity: being willing to do what you want even if your parents want you to do it as well."
----Michael Neill, Success Coach, from his audio lecture: Effortless Success
January 3, 2011 (shared by Dee Dee Thurber)
"To aim at the best and to remain essentially ourselves is one and the same thing."
----Janet Erskine Stuart, Roman Catholic nun and educationalist
January 10, 2011 (shared by Walter Bacigalupo)
"The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do."
----Sarah Ban Breathnach, American author and expert on abundance and gratitude
January 17, 2011 (shared by Evan Kaufman)
"To be in relationship to what you are going through, to hold it, and, in some sense, to befriend it - that is where the healing or transformative power of the practice of mindfulness lies. When we can actually be where we are, not trying to find another state of mind, we discover deep internal resources we can make use of. Coming to terms with things as they are is my definition of healing."
----Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., creator of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program
January 24, 2011 (shared by Julie O'Brien)
"All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.
----Havelock Ellis, British psychologist and author (1859-1939)
January 31, 2011 (shared by Jamie Thurber)
"The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered. We know that. And, yes, there are certainly times when we aren't able to muster as much strength and patience as we would like. It's called being human. But I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. And for that I am grateful."
----Elizabeth Edwards, attorney, author, and healthcare activist - days before her death
February 7, 2011 (shared by Mark Lesses)
"Isn't it funny how we're the last place we look? Always trying to change the projected rather than clear the projector."
----Byron Katie, "Loving What Is"
February 14, 2011
"The most important choice you make is what you choose to make important."
"The most important choice you make is what you choose to make important."
----Michael Neill, "Effortless Success"
February 21, 2011 (shared by Jamie Thurber)
"Until and unless you know that you are enough just the way you are, you will always be driven to look for more. Knowing that you are enough is a function of consciousness. Your enough-ness develops in direct proportion to the relationship you have with your true identity. Until you wholeheartedly believe in your own worth, in spite of your accomplishments and possessions, there will be a void in your Spirit."
----Iyanla Vanzant, author and inspirational speaker
February 28, 2011 (shared by Stacy Lundquist)
"When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down 'happy.' They told me I didn't understand the assignment, and I told them they didn't understand life."
"When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down 'happy.' They told me I didn't understand the assignment, and I told them they didn't understand life."
----John Lennon, musician, singer-songwriter, political activist
March 7, 2011 (shared by Linda Levi)
"It is our purpose in life to leave this world a better place."
"It is our purpose in life to leave this world a better place."
----Marianne Williamson, from her book "Return to Love"
March 14, 2011 (shared by Ray Bachand)
"I like to be stretched."
"I like to be stretched."
----Gumby, inspirational cartoon character
March 21, 2011 (shared by Amy Feinerman)
"The Universe does not know if the vibration you are offering is because of what you are imagining, or because of what you are observing. In either case, it is responding... As you think, you vibrate. And it is your vibrational offering that equals your point of attraction. So, what you are thinking and what is coming back to you is always a vibrational match."
"The Universe does not know if the vibration you are offering is because of what you are imagining, or because of what you are observing. In either case, it is responding... As you think, you vibrate. And it is your vibrational offering that equals your point of attraction. So, what you are thinking and what is coming back to you is always a vibrational match."
----Jerry and Esther Hicks, authors of "Law of Attraction"
March 28, 2011 (shared by Shanta Puchtler)
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear."
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear."
----Mark Twain, American humorist, Writer and Lecturer
April 4, 2011 (shared by Jill Rothmann Fournier)
"Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life."
"Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life."
----Herbert A. Otto, American psychologist and author
April 11, 2011 (shared by Maria Williams)
"Just because you accept help from someone, doesn't mean you have failed. It just means you're not in it alone."
"Just because you accept help from someone, doesn't mean you have failed. It just means you're not in it alone."
----Eric, from the film "Life As We Know It" 2010
April 18, 2011 (shared by Jamie Thurber)
"Fear is a universal experience. Even the smallest insect feels it. We wade in the tidal pools and put our finger near the soft, open bodies of sea anemones and they close up. Everything spontaneously does that. It’s not a terrible thing that we feel fear when faced with the unknown. It is part of being alive, something we all share. We react against the possibility of loneliness, of death, of not having anything to hold on to. Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth."
"Fear is a universal experience. Even the smallest insect feels it. We wade in the tidal pools and put our finger near the soft, open bodies of sea anemones and they close up. Everything spontaneously does that. It’s not a terrible thing that we feel fear when faced with the unknown. It is part of being alive, something we all share. We react against the possibility of loneliness, of death, of not having anything to hold on to. Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth."
----Pema Chodron, "When Things Fall Apart"
April 25, 2011
"The best and only thing that one artist can do for another is serve as an example and an inspiration."
"The best and only thing that one artist can do for another is serve as an example and an inspiration."
----Stephen Pressfield, "The War of Art"
May 2, 2011 (shared by Jamie Thurber)
"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."
"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."
----Thomas A. Edison, U.S. Inventor (1847-1931)
May 9, 2011
"It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else."
"It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else."
----Erma Bombeck, American novelist and columnist
May 16, 2011
"The willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life is the source from which self-respect springs."
"The willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life is the source from which self-respect springs."
----Joan Didion, American Journalist and Novelist
May 23, 2011 (shared by Walter Bacigalupo)
"Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate."
"Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate."
----Carl Jung, Swiss psychiatrist and founder of Analytical Psychology
May 30, 2011 (shared by Jill Rothmann Fournier)
"The most valuable thing you can make is a mistake - you can't learn anything from being perfect."
"The most valuable thing you can make is a mistake - you can't learn anything from being perfect."
----Adam Osborne, American author, publisher, and creator of the first portable computer
June 6, 2011 (shared by Jamie Thurber)
"...[Y]ou can’t create a brand-new energy and still hold on to where you are now. If you want to flow down the eternal river of perception, toward your Infinite Self, you’ve got to let go of the branch you’re hanging on to and let the river take you."
"...[Y]ou can’t create a brand-new energy and still hold on to where you are now. If you want to flow down the eternal river of perception, toward your Infinite Self, you’ve got to let go of the branch you’re hanging on to and let the river take you."
----Stuart Wilde, “Infinite Self”
June 13, 2011 (shared by Michael Goodwin)
"When we believe something to be the absolute truth and cling to it, we cannot be open to new ideas."
"When we believe something to be the absolute truth and cling to it, we cannot be open to new ideas."
----Thich Nhat Hanh, "Zen Keys”
June 20, 2011 (shared by Aimee Bachman)
"Forgiveness is letting go of trying to change what happened."
"Forgiveness is letting go of trying to change what happened."
----Oprah Winfrey, television host, actress and philanthropist
June 27, 2011
"The next time you encounter fear, consider yourself lucky. This is where the courage comes in. Usually we think that brave people have no fear. The truth is that they are intimate with fear. When I was first married, my husband said I was one of the bravest people he knew. When I asked him why, he said because I was a complete coward but went ahead and did things anyhow."
"The next time you encounter fear, consider yourself lucky. This is where the courage comes in. Usually we think that brave people have no fear. The truth is that they are intimate with fear. When I was first married, my husband said I was one of the bravest people he knew. When I asked him why, he said because I was a complete coward but went ahead and did things anyhow."
----Pema Chodron, spiritual teacher and meditative guide
July 4, 2011 (shared by Jamie Thurber)
"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone."
"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone."
----Neale Donald, Walsch, author of "Conversations With God"
July 11, 2011 (shared by Mark Lesses via Surya Das)
"We must...live our values in our daily lives, combining the development of modern scientific knowledge with timeless wisdom and understanding. Self-discipline is the real answer to bringing about a better society and more peaceful world."
"We must...live our values in our daily lives, combining the development of modern scientific knowledge with timeless wisdom and understanding. Self-discipline is the real answer to bringing about a better society and more peaceful world."
----The Dalai Lama, 7-9-2011, Washington D.C.
July 18, 2011 (shared by Julie Punishill)
"Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it."
"Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it."
----Maya Angelou, US author and poet
July 25, 2011 (shared by Sandra Viteri)
"The unexamined life is not worth living."
"The unexamined life is not worth living."
----Socrates, Greek philosopher
August 1, 2011 (shared by Joanne Lutz)
"Courage is to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart."
"Courage is to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart."
----Brene Brown, Researcher / Storyteller
August 8, 2011 (shared by Lisa Rison)
"No! Try not. Do or do not. There is no try."
----Yoda, Jedi Master from the Star Wars film series
August 15, 2011 (shared by Joanne Lutz)
"Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they're yours."
"Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they're yours."
----'Messiah's Handbook - Reminders for the Advanced Soul,'
a fictional guide within the novel "Illusions," by Richard Bach
a fictional guide within the novel "Illusions," by Richard Bach
August 22, 2011 (shared by Jamie Thurber)
"The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth in the present moment, to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now."
"The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth in the present moment, to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now."
----Thich Nhat Hanh, "Touching Peach" (1992)
August 29, 2011 (shared by Myrna DiCesare and Jamie Thurber)
"Much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on."
"Much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on."
----Steve Jobs, Co-Founder of Apple Computer and Pixar Animation,
in his 2005 Stanford Commencement Address
in his 2005 Stanford Commencement Address
September 5, 2011 (shared by Kathryn O'Brien)
"I have discovered that life doesn't actually knock you down. It does, however, provide you with many opportunities to evaluate your standing in life: what you stand on, what you stand for, how you stand within yourself and for yourself."
"I have discovered that life doesn't actually knock you down. It does, however, provide you with many opportunities to evaluate your standing in life: what you stand on, what you stand for, how you stand within yourself and for yourself."
----Rev. Iyanla Vanzant, inspirational speaker and
founder/director of "Inner Visions Spiritual Life Maintenance Network"
founder/director of "Inner Visions Spiritual Life Maintenance Network"
September 12, 2011 (shared by Mark Lesses)
"Extraordinary learning opportunities like 9-11 aren’t always appreciated for their lessons. But we have plenty to build upon if we remember that original clarity of ten years ago, that extraordinary initial burst of empathy, cooperation, resilience, and our shared hopes for peace."
"Extraordinary learning opportunities like 9-11 aren’t always appreciated for their lessons. But we have plenty to build upon if we remember that original clarity of ten years ago, that extraordinary initial burst of empathy, cooperation, resilience, and our shared hopes for peace."
----Lama Surya Das, Washington Post column "Sept.11, 2001: A Zen teaching moment"
September 19, 2011 (shared by Luciano Aimar)
"There is the Music of Heaven in all things and we have forgotten how to hear it until we sing."
"There is the Music of Heaven in all things and we have forgotten how to hear it until we sing."
----Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), Christian Mystic and Sacred Poet
September 26, 2011 (shared by Joanne Lutz)
"Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes."
"Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes."
----Mahatma Gandhi, Indian political and spiritual leader
October 3, 2011 (shared by Joanne Lutz)
"Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow."
"Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow."
----From the 1997 film Men In Black
October 10, 2011 (shared by Jill Rothmann Fournier)
"We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey."
"We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey."
----Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, French philospoher and Jesuit priest
October 17, 2011 (shared by Sharon Tango)
"I think marriages often fail because once people sign the contract, they say, 'That's it.' But a relationship is a living, breathing organism. It needs to be nourished. It also needs to evolve, to be adjusted; you need compromise and flexibility."
"I think marriages often fail because once people sign the contract, they say, 'That's it.' But a relationship is a living, breathing organism. It needs to be nourished. It also needs to evolve, to be adjusted; you need compromise and flexibility."
----Sting, musician, singer-song writer, yoga practitioner and husband
October 24, 2011 (shared by Jill Gilkey)
"If we treated everyone we meet with the same affection we bestow upon our favorite cat, they, too, would purr."
"If we treated everyone we meet with the same affection we bestow upon our favorite cat, they, too, would purr."
----Martin Delaney, African-American abolitionist, journalist, physician, and writer
October 31, 2011 (shared by Mary-Lee Lutz)
"Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."
"Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."
----Albert Einstein, physicist and genius
November 7, 2011 (shared by Joanne Lutz)
"You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf."
----Jon Kabat-Zinn, Founding director of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the
Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the UMass Medical School
Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the UMass Medical School
November 14, 2011 (shared by Dawn Lipinski)
"Hugging has no unpleasant side effects and is all natural. There are no batteries to replace, it's inflation-proof and non-fattening with no monthly payments. It's non-taxable, non-polluting, and is, of course, fully refundable."
"Hugging has no unpleasant side effects and is all natural. There are no batteries to replace, it's inflation-proof and non-fattening with no monthly payments. It's non-taxable, non-polluting, and is, of course, fully refundable."
----Unknown author - though suspected to be edited text of Sharon Lindsey
November 21, 2011 (shared by Jamie Thurber)
"The only reason we don't open our hearts and minds to other people is that they trigger confusion in us that we don't feel brave enough or sane enough to deal with. To the degree that we look clearly and compassionately at ourselves, we feel confident and fearless about looking into someone else's eyes."
"The only reason we don't open our hearts and minds to other people is that they trigger confusion in us that we don't feel brave enough or sane enough to deal with. To the degree that we look clearly and compassionately at ourselves, we feel confident and fearless about looking into someone else's eyes."
----Pema Chodron, "When Things Fall Apart"
December 5, 2011 (shared by Joanne Lutz)
"There is a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results."
----Kenneth H. Blanchard, author of "The One Minute Manager"
December 12, 2011 (shared by Jill Rothmann Fournier)
"The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself."
"The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself."
----Anna Quindlen, American novelist and journalist
December 19, 2011 (shared by Joanne Lutz)
"Compassion practice is daring. It involves learning to relax and allowing ourselves to move gently toward what scares us."
"Compassion practice is daring. It involves learning to relax and allowing ourselves to move gently toward what scares us."
----Pema Chodron, The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times
December 26, 2011 (shared by Mark Lesses)
"Let us cultivate love and compassion, both of which give life true meaning. This is the religion I preach. It is simple. Its temple is the heart. Its teaching is love and compassion. Its moral values are loving and respecting others, whoever they may be. Whether one is a lay person or a monastic, we have no other option if we wish to survive in this world."
"Let us cultivate love and compassion, both of which give life true meaning. This is the religion I preach. It is simple. Its temple is the heart. Its teaching is love and compassion. Its moral values are loving and respecting others, whoever they may be. Whether one is a lay person or a monastic, we have no other option if we wish to survive in this world."
----Dalai Lama, Spiritual Leader
January 2, 2012 (shared by Maria Williams)
"When you blame others, you give up your power to change."
"When you blame others, you give up your power to change."
----Dr. Robert Anthony, self-help author
January 9, 2012 (shared by Laura Lyons)
"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassions, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen."
----Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, physician, humanitarian and hospice pioneer
January 16, 2012 (shared by Kathryn O'Brien)
"Life is short. Break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that makes you smile."
----Steven Tyler, from his memoir "Does the Noise in My Head Bother You"
January 23, 2012 (shared by Lysa Wilkins)
"I like to live in the moment. You worry about yesterday or last week or twenty years ago, it's not gonna work out too good for you. You can't live in two places at once."
----Buck Brannaman, a real-life "horse whisperer"
