The only thing that is ultimately real about your journey
is the step that you are taking at this moment.
That’s all there ever is.
Eckhart Tolle
photo japanese gardens kildare, peter clarke
Tag: Awareness
Keeping watch
More on thoughts as constructive or destructive, this time from an early Christian monk who was remarkable for his insights into processes of the mind or heart. His encouragement to be watchful of what thoughts we dwell on and resist negative, self-critical, ones, is very similar to one of the descriptions found in ancient texts of mindfulness as a gatekeeper, and to exercises used in modern Cognitive Behavioural Therapy:
Be the guardian of your own heart and do not let any thought pass through without checking them! Ask each one of them: “Are you from our side or from that of those against us?“. If they come from your own house, they will fill you full of peace, but if they come from your enemy they will stir up anger and agitate your emotions.
Evagrius Pontius, 345 – 399.
photo guus van der valk
Disapproving
Everyone’s mind likes saying “but.”
Thinking you are doing it wrong, that the conditions of your life stop you from making friends with yourself – these thoughts might get in the way of noticing what it is like to be you. You might disapprove of who you are, but disapproving is just another way of not being here.
In this case, making friends with yourself could mean lowering your standards….
John Tarrant, What’s it Like to be You?
photo Ian Kirk
Welcome
Wherever you are, just try being the host.
You will always be at home.
Linji Yixuan, Chan Buddhist, died 866
Sunday quote: Inner wisdom
There is an inner wakefulness…
that will eventually
startle us back
to the truth of
who we are.
Rumi
Everywhere and everything
Take a pitcher full of water and set it down in the water
– now it has water inside and water outside.
We mustn’t give it a name,
lest silly people start talking again about the body and the soul.
Kabir
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