Readings from Class July 2013: Presence + Acceptance = Happiness

 “True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence on the future; not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears, but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is sufficient. The greatest blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach.”― Lucius Annaeus Seneca   “We are addicted to pleasure, inContinue reading “Readings from Class July 2013: Presence + Acceptance = Happiness”

Reading from Class: Acceptance of the Ordinary

“We must be willing to be completely ordinary people, which means accepting ourselves as we are without trying to become greater, purer, more spiritual, more insightful. If we can accept our imperfections as they are, quite ordinarily, then we can use them as part of the path. But if we try to get rid ofContinue reading “Reading from Class: Acceptance of the Ordinary”

Reading from Class: “I got the Power!” by Goethe

This is another favourite of mine to share that elicits a lot of response from students.  Thanks to Willa for the reminder. “I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possessContinue reading “Reading from Class: “I got the Power!” by Goethe”

Reading from Class end of May 2013: Pema Chödron on being fully present

This is a real favorite of mine, that I love sharing: “It takes bravery to train in unconditional friendliness, it takes bravery to train in “suffering with,” it takes bravery to stay with pain when it arises, and not run or erect barriers… As we become intimate with these tendencies, they gradually become more transparentContinue reading “Reading from Class end of May 2013: Pema Chödron on being fully present”

Reading from Class weeks of 5/6 and 5/13 (Happy Mother’s Day!): Vyasa on Faith in Practice

I was inspired by these words on faith in practice also taken from the Letter “Faith and the Power of Practice” from Patricia Walden and her team — also found the nod to Mother’s timely.  Here they reference Vyasa’s commentary on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra: “Faith sustains the yogi like a benevolent mother. At its simplest and mostContinue reading “Reading from Class weeks of 5/6 and 5/13 (Happy Mother’s Day!): Vyasa on Faith in Practice”

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