When you deeply understand the power of love and forgiveness, you realize how small you have probably been and you may feel embarrassed. Don’t ever get stuck. Life is like school. You can either graduate or remain in the same class forever. ~Dimitrios I Petropoulos
Contentment is a wealth that gives the highest satisfaction, and we can gain it simply by mining our own mental resources, and knowing our own mind. We can cultivate the perspective that what we have is enough. We can see that we do not actually need more than we already have, and can be completely satisfied with that. ~17th Karmapa
The priority we give to material goods in our life is up to each of us to determine. This is also part of deciding how we want to define ourselves. If we are looking to our jobs and to material things to tell us how we are, what we are worth, and where we fit in the world, this is a sign that we have become profoundly confused about the order of things. It shows we have missed the point about how we human beings stand in relation to the material world. ~ 17th Karmapa
The deepest reasons to love yourself have nothing to do with anything outside you — not with your body or with others’ expectations of you. If you ground yourself in your own goodness, nothing will be able to damage your self-esteem. Take delight in your inner nature, in your virtues, and in all your beautiful qualities. ~ 17th Karmapa
The Natural Bridge. Photo credit: Randy Neufeldt
Most living beings seek mental happiness and want to eliminate suffering, but just wishing will not bring this about. We may even create the opposite. So we must search for the cause of suffering and the cause of happiness. The afflictions are the cause of samsara, of all mental discomfort and suffering. The remedy is meditation. ~ 17th Karmapa
You may not understand why you are going through difficult times, but don’t try to figure it out. Keep trusting in God. He knows how to bless you in unexpected ways. ~Vikas Runwal
At age one, dogs have the same level of physical development that humans have at age 15. Dog body odor is often called “Frito Feet,” referring to bacteria collected on dogs’ paws that often smell like the popular salty snack. A typical dog has a mouthful of 42 permanent teeth, while the average human has 32. Source: Animal Planet
Just one act of kindness that you perform may turn the tide of another persons life. Kindness is not only sharing but making your heart happy by what one is giving out. If you keep your eyes, mind, and heart open, love, kindness and wisdom will enter. ~Unknown
Conquer the angry man by love.
Conquer the ill-natured man by goodness.
Conquer the miser with generosity.
Conquer the liar with truth.
~Buddha, The Dhammapada
