The aspects of things that are most important for us
are hidden because of their simplicity and familiarity.
And this means: we fail to be struck by what, once seen,
is most striking and most powerful.
Ludwig Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations
photo dave parker
The meaning of life is just to be alive.
It is so plain and so obvious and so simple.
And yet, everybody rushes around in a great panic as if it were necessary to achieve something beyond themselves
Alan Watts, The Culture of Counter-Culture
photo brandon wiggins
Sometimes one waits too long for the perfect moment before snapping the picture.
You never realize that all you needed was to change perspective.
Miguel Syjuco, Illustrado, 2008 Man Asian Literary Prizewinner
No valid plans for the future can be made
by those who have no capacity for living now
Alan Watts
photo mattbuck
The concept of beginning and ending is time, produced by thought. Can we see, right now, that beginning and end, getting somewhere, being somebody, wanting to get the something I lack, are all products of the imagination. As long as this isn’t clear, this bodymind remains tied up in knots. Can we see that a thought is always away from this present moment, where time does not exist?
Toni Parker, The Wonder of Presence.
photo adam jwc
Some of the sentiments expressed around New Year – or the current fad of people posting pictures online – can lead us to think that looking to the future, or looking for happiness somewhere other than where we are, is good for our mental health. These beautiful few lines from Rumi – an extract from a longer inspiring poem – reminds us that it is in this moment, in what is right here, and not in our concepts, is where we need to keep our awareness.
Forget the future.
I’d worship someone who could do that.
On the way you may want to look back, or not.
But if you can say, There’s nothing ahead,
there will be nothing there.
Rumi,
from Coleman Barks, Rumi: The Book of Love: Poems of Ecstasy and Longing
photo kevin law
