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There are many times when you will encounter a family member, friend, neighbor, work colleague or even a stranger and discover they are extremely discouraged. Sometimes the issue is so acute, the person feels hopeless. That’s when you can play an important and even life changing role by awakening hope within them. When a person is deeply disappointed and disheartened, he or she needs someone who can provide encouragement and stimulate hope for the future. This is surprisingly easy to do. Sometimes a mere smile triggers positive energy. Simply listening can lift a person. Or, a few well chosen words of encouragement can transform a negative emotional environment.
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At the root of generosity is the perception that there is always something to share. In fact, you don’t need a lot in order to give. - Ajahn Pasanno
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Buddhism does not place undue emphasis on asceticism, because demanding a plain and simple life for oneself is moral, but to demand it of others is too harsh.
- Hsing Yun
- Hsing Yun
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Though Buddhism isn’t out to convert people from their religion to the Buddhist path, it does stress the importance of self conversion. The Buddha reminds us that we can transition from a lower self into a Higher Self. That is based on the fact that every being has basic goodness called Buddha nature.
Self-conversion takes place as we become aware of our weaknesses - greed, anger, anxiety, self-centeredness, suspicion, transforming them into higher traits – generosity, patience, peacefulness, compassion and trust. The Buddha taught that our bewilderment and confusion can blossom into confidence and clarity but only if we are willing for that to happen.
Self-conversion takes place as we become aware of our weaknesses - greed, anger, anxiety, self-centeredness, suspicion, transforming them into higher traits – generosity, patience, peacefulness, compassion and trust. The Buddha taught that our bewilderment and confusion can blossom into confidence and clarity but only if we are willing for that to happen.
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You must not allow yourselves to grow old before your time. Please live with a youthful spirit. That is what Buddhism teaches us to do and it is how life ought to be lived. If you make a commitment to work for the sake of others, you will be rejuvenated. If you devote your life to helping others, you’ll stay young. - Daisaku Ikeda
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“One who does not recognize his strength and talents is even worse off than one who does not know his flaws, because he is totally unaware of the tools with which he can achieve spiritual growth,” noted Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz (1874-1936).
Commenting on that wisdom, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin offers this example. “If we often and unfairly lose our temper, but have a strong sense of reason, we can draw on that reason to see that our temper is irrational and disproportionate to the provocation. But if we don’t appreciate our ability to reason, we will deprive ourselves of a powerful weapon in learning to control our anger.”
Commenting on that wisdom, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin offers this example. “If we often and unfairly lose our temper, but have a strong sense of reason, we can draw on that reason to see that our temper is irrational and disproportionate to the provocation. But if we don’t appreciate our ability to reason, we will deprive ourselves of a powerful weapon in learning to control our anger.”
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To succeed in any walk of life you’re going to need grit, drive and determination. And you’re going to need a way to overcome the obstacles that will, without any doubt, be put in your way.
- Michael Caine
- Michael Caine
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Bad things happen to all of us at some point in our lives. We lose our jobs, or our parents, or our health. We are disappointed at work, or in love, or in front of the mirror. You can choose to dwell on the knockbacks. Or you can choose to embrace the opportunities that are still available to you.
- Michael Caine
- Michael Caine
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Catholic Trappist monk, Thomas Merton, learned how to close a door mindfully from Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh. Here's the story.
One day when he was a novice monk, Thich Nhat Hanh was asked by his teacher to get an item for him. Out of great respect for his instructor, Nhat Hanh rushed out to do it but in his excitement at assisting his teacher, he mindlessly opened and closed the door. Actually, it slammed shut, loudly.
His teacher called Nhat Hanh back: Please go out and close the door again, but this time, do better than you did before.” Nhat Hanh says that hearing this from the teacher made him realize his practice was lacking in mindfulness.”So, I bowed to my teacher and walked to the door with all of my being, every step with mindfulness. I went out and very mindfully, closed the door after me. My teacher did not have to tell me a second time. Now every time I open and close a door, I do so with mindfulness, remembering my teacher.” he says.
Years later when he was in the United States, Nhat Hanh visited with Trappist monk Thomas Merton and related that incident to him. Rev. Merton responded: “I noticed that without you telling me. I have seen the way you close the door.” A month later when Merton was teaching monastery monks, he told them Nhat Hanh’s story gently reminding Catholic monks how to mindfully open and close a door.
One day when he was a novice monk, Thich Nhat Hanh was asked by his teacher to get an item for him. Out of great respect for his instructor, Nhat Hanh rushed out to do it but in his excitement at assisting his teacher, he mindlessly opened and closed the door. Actually, it slammed shut, loudly.
His teacher called Nhat Hanh back: Please go out and close the door again, but this time, do better than you did before.” Nhat Hanh says that hearing this from the teacher made him realize his practice was lacking in mindfulness.”So, I bowed to my teacher and walked to the door with all of my being, every step with mindfulness. I went out and very mindfully, closed the door after me. My teacher did not have to tell me a second time. Now every time I open and close a door, I do so with mindfulness, remembering my teacher.” he says.
Years later when he was in the United States, Nhat Hanh visited with Trappist monk Thomas Merton and related that incident to him. Rev. Merton responded: “I noticed that without you telling me. I have seen the way you close the door.” A month later when Merton was teaching monastery monks, he told them Nhat Hanh’s story gently reminding Catholic monks how to mindfully open and close a door.
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Seek the company of the wise. - Swami Sivananda