Our Paths in the Valley

Kind Words

"So many gods
So many creeds
This wind, that wind.
While just the art
Of being kind
Is all the sad world needs."
- Ella Wheeler Wilcox

"Wise sayings often fall
on barren ground;
but a kind word
is never thrown away."
- Sir Arthur Helps

Lifestyle Advice for Wise Persons

The Art of Happiness, 10th Anniversary Edition: A Handbook for Living by the Dali Lama 

Kindness (Metta)

The Dalai Lama's Rules for Living

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three Rs: Respect for self, Respect for others, Responsibility for all your actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good and honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.
15. Be gentle with the earth.
16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

 

 

Desiderata by Max Ehrmann

Desiderata
By Max Ehrmann
1952

“Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy. ”

Green Way Wisdom - Religion

Lifestyle Advice for Wise Persons

Desiderata
By Max Ehrmann
1952

“Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy. ”

Green Way Wisdom - Religion

Lifestyle Advice for Wise Persons

Discourse on Happiness

"Not to be associated with the foolish ones,
to live in the company of wise people,
honoring those who are worth honoring –
this is the greatest happiness.

"To live in a good environment,
to have planted good seeds,
and to realize that you are on the right path –
this is the greatest happiness. 

To have a chance to learn and grow,
to be skillful in your profession or craft,
practicing the percepts and loving speech –
this is the greatest happiness. 

To be able to serve and support your parents,
to cherish your own family,
to have a vocation that brings you joy –
this is the greatest happiness.

To live honestly, generous in giving,
to offer support to relatives and friends,
living a life of blameless conduct –
this is the greatest happiness. 

To avoid unwholesome actions,
not caught by alcoholism or drugs,
and to be diligent in doing good things – 
this is the greatest happiness.

To be humble and polite in manner,
to be grateful and content with a simple life,
not missing the occasion to learn the Dharma –
this is the greatest happiness. 

To persevere and be open to change,
to have regular contact with monks and nuns,
and to fully participate in Dharma discussions –
this is the greatest happiness.

To live in the world
with your heart undisturbed by the world,
with all sorrows ended, dwelling in peace –
this is the greatest happiness.

For he or she who accomplishes this,
unvanquished wherever she goes,
always he is safe and happy –
happiness lives within oneself."

-  The Buddha, Mahamangala Sutta, Sutta Nipata, 2.4
    Found in "Chanting from the Heart," by Thich Nhat Hahn, p. 270 

Lifestyle Advice for Wise Persons

Dharmapada Sutra 

   

    

 

 

Ten Guiding Principles

"1.    Never obey anyone's command unless it is coming from within you also. 
2.    There is no God other than life itself. 
3.    Truth is within you, do not search for it elsewhere. 
4.    Love is prayer. 
5.    To become a nothingness is the door to truth. 
       Nothingness itself is the means, the goal and attainment. 
6.    Life is now and here. 
7.    Live wakefully.  
8.    Do not swim – float.  
9.    Die each moment so that you can be new each moment.  
10.  Do not search.  That which is, is.  Stop and see." 

-   Osho (Acharya Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh)

Lifestyle Advice for Wise Persons

Principles of Natural Liberation

The Twelve Principles of Natural Liberation

1. All forms are interconnected, constantly change, and continuously arise from and return to primordial Source.
2. Commit yourself completely to liberation in this lifetime.
3. Relax and surrender to life.
4. Remain in now.
5. Cultivate union with universal energy.
6. Go with the universal flow.
7. Rest in the radiance of your open heart.
8. Active compassion arises naturally out of unconditioned love.
9. Cut through to clarity.
10. Return to Source.
11. Pure Source awareness is - remain in recognition.
12. Serve as a warrior of the open heart and liberated spirit.

- John P. Milton, Sky Above, Earth Below, 2006

Lifestyle Advice for Wise Persons

Ten Emotions of Power

The Ten Emotions of Power

1.   Love and Warmth
2.   Appreciation and Gratitude
3.   Curiosity
4.   Excitement and Passion
5.   Determination
6.   Flexibility  
7.   Confidence 
8.   Cheerfulness  
9.   Vitality 
10.  Contribution

-   Anthony Robbins, Awaken the Giant Within, 1991, p. 264

Livestyle Advice for Wise Persons

"There can be no transforming of darkness into light and of apathy into movement without emotions."
-   Carl Jung

The Ten Emotions of Power

1.   Love and Warmth
2.   Appreciation and Gratitude
3.   Curiosity
4.   Excitement and Passion
5.   Determination
6.   Flexibility  
7.   Confidence 
8.   Cheerfulness  
9.   Vitality 
10.  Contribution

-   Anthony Robbins, Awaken the Giant Within, 1991, p. 264

Livestyle Advice for Wise Persons

"There can be no transforming of darkness into light and of apathy into movement without emotions."
-   Carl Jung

Prescription for Healthy Aging

A Twelve-Point Program for Healthy Aging By Andrew Weil, M.D.

"1. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet.

2. Use dietary supplements wisely to support the body's defenses and natural healing power.

3. Use preventive medicine intelligently: know your risks of age-related disease, get appropriate diagnostic and screening tests and immunizations, and treat problems (like elevated blood pressure and cholesterol) in their early stages.

4. Get regular physical activity throughout life.

5. Get adequate rest and sleep.

6. Learn and practice methods of stress protection.

7. Exercise your mind as well as your body.

8. Maintain social and intellectual connections as you go through life.

9. Be flexible in mind and body: learn to adapt to losses and let go of behaviors no longer appropriate for your age.

10. Think about and try to discover for yourself the benefits of aging.

11. Do not deny the reality of aging or put energy into trying to stop it. Use the experience of aging as a stimulus for spiritual awakening and growth.

12. Keep an ongoing record of the lessons you learn, the wisdom you gain, and the values you hold. At critical points in your life, read this over, add to it, revise it, and share it with people you care about."

- Andrew Weil, M.D., Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being, 2005, p. 239.

Lifestyle Advice for Wise Persons

Desiderata by Max Ehrmann

Desiderata
By Max Ehrmann
1952

“Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy. ”

Green Way Wisdom - Religion

Lifestyle Advice for Wise Persons

Energy Is ...

"Goals provide the energy source that powers our lives. One of the best ways we can get the most from the energy we have is to focus it. That is what goals can do for us; concentrate our energy."
- Denis Waitley

"Our energy is in proportion to the resistance it meets."
- William Hazlitt

"Life begets life. Energy begets energy. It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich."
- Sarah Bernhardt

Energy - Quotations

Willpower

Disputing Irrational Beliefs

Disputing Irrational Beliefs:
Questions to Ask Yourself  

1.  What self-defeating irrational belief do I want to dispute and surrender?
2.  Can I rationally support this belief?
3.  What evidence exists of the falseness of this belief?
4.  Does any evidence exist for the truth of this belief?
5.  What are the worst things that could actually happen to me if I don't get
     what I think I must (or do get what I think I must not get)? 
6.  What good things could I make happen if I don't get what I think I must
     (or do get what I think I must not get)? 

-  Albert Ellis, Albert Ellis Reader, p. 140

If you find yourself living with emotions-behaviors that you find non-productive, dysfunctional, or dissatisfying, they are likely related to cognitive patterns of irrational thoughts, premises, or beliefs.  A useful first step is to try to dispute and give up these false, irrational, and ungrounded beliefs or assumptions. 

Take 10 minutes during the day to ask yourself the above questions.
Write out or tape record your responses.
If you do the above exercise, then reward yourself by doing something you like to do.
If you avoid doing the above exercise, then you must do something you don't like to do.  

Lifestyle Advice for Wise Persons

Albert Ellis, A Guide to Rational Living