Stop struggling to turn off the inner darkness, start striving to turn on the inner light
Stop struggling to turn off the inner darkness start striving to turn on the inner light Suppose we are lost in a dark room. We [...]
Proving that we are right is not as empowering as probing if we are wrong
Proving that we are right is not as empowering as probing if we are wrong We sometimes think that we know a lot. Yet no [...]
The human spirit is too big to stay satisfied within any material cage however grand
The human spirit is too big to stay satisfied within any material cage however grand Birds naturally long to fly. Even if kept in the [...]
Amidst unmanageably distressing times reduce your working frame to manageable units of time
Amidst unmanageably distressing times reduce your working frame to manageable units of time Sometimes, we face such huge distress that everything seems dark. How can [...]
Don’t bolt from temptation bolt the door to temptation
Don’t bolt from temptation bolt the door to temptation When a horse hears a sudden loud sound, like that of a gunshot or a thunderclap, [...]
Fighting urges is like a timed arm wrestling match – if we just survive the present round, we will resume on neutral ground
Fighting urges is like a timed arm wrestling match – if we just survive the present round we will resume on neutral ground Suppose we [...]
To be caught unawares occasionally is condonable to be caught unawares repeatedly is condemnable
To be caught unawares occasionally is condonable to be caught unawares repeatedly is condemnable Suppose a person who runs a ferryboat gets caught in a [...]
Pleasure is too fragile a purpose to sustain us through life’s troubles
Pleasure is too fragile a purpose to sustain us through life's troubles We all seek pleasure. Yet life can put us in such dilemmas and [...]
Happiness is a state of being not a status symbol
Happiness is a state of being not a status symbol People often pretend to be happy. No matter how distressed they are, they plaster a [...]
Friendly snakes are still snakes – beware of the snake-like senses
Friendly snakes are still snakes – beware of the snake-like senses Suppose someone adopts a poisonous snake as a pet. Even if that snake appears [...]
Even when our eyes are full of tears we can still choose to be all ears
Even when our eyes are full of tears we can still choose to be all ears Sometimes, life afflicts us so grievously that we feel [...]
Some limits restrict; some protect – knowing which limit does what is intelligence
Some limits restrict; some protect - knowing which limit does what is intelligence When we are limited in any way, we often see that limitation [...]
A sight on a site can trigger a fire inside watch what you watch
A sight on a site can trigger a fire inside watch what you watch If we live in a house made of inflammable material, we [...]
Careless contemplation turns tempting thoughts into time bombs
Careless contemplation turns tempting thoughts into time bombs When a time bomb is placed somewhere, it may not even be noticed by anyone; it might [...]
The mind is omnivorous – it devours whatever is present and feels pleasant
The mind is omnivorous – it devours whatever is present and feels pleasant Omnivorous creatures are indiscriminate in their eating; they consume whatever is available [...]
We are the makers of our destiny but not the masters of our destiny
We are the makers of our destiny but not the masters of our destiny When we strive to achieve something challenging, we soon realize that [...]
Keep the mind on one track don’t keep a one track mind
Keep the mind on one track don’t keep a one track mind To keep the mind on one track means to keep our attention focused [...]
Intelligence means to know what to do when we don’t know what to do
Intelligence means to know what to do when we don’t know what to do Whenever we have to make decisions, we usually seek guidance from [...]
Stop worrying about avoiding temptation start working on cultivating absorption
Stop worrying about avoiding temptation start working on cultivating absorption When we resolve to resist some harmful temptation, we may fear, “The world is filled [...]
Seek first to understand the question to best understand the answer
Seek first to understand the question to best understand the answer Suppose we hear a discussion between a teacher and a student. If that discussion [...]
If we think humbly we won’t have to act dumbly
If we think humbly we won’t have to act dumbly Suppose we are driving a car and come to an intersection. If we don’t know [...]