By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.

Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.

He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.

The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.

If you make a mistake and do not correct it, this is called a mistake.

Study the past if you would define the future.

Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.

Respect yourself and others will respect you.

philosophy

Philosophy

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

motivationandinspiration

Motivation & Inspiration

Wisdom Quotes

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.

You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,Love like you'll never be hurt,Sing like there's nobody listening,And live like it's heaven on earth.

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.

Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present.

It is never too late to be what you might have been.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts

Everything you can imagine is real.

Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'!

Peace begins with a smile..

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.For beautiful hair, let a child run his fingers through it once a day.For poise, walk with the knowledge you’ll never walk alone.We leave you a tradition with a future.The tender loving care of human beings will never become obsolete.People even more than things have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed and redeemed and redeemed.Never throw out anybody.Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands: one for helping yourself, the other for helping others. Your “good old days” are still ahead of you, may you have many of them.

Inspirational Quotes 

The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.

Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.

Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.

Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together,but do so with all your heart

The soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts.

It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.

Our life is what our thoughts make it.

I have often wondered how it is that every man loves himself more than all the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinion of himself than on the opinion of others.﻿

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it.

Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears.

Christopher Gill provides a new translation and commentary on the first half of Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, and a full introduction to the Meditations as a whole. The Meditations constitute a unique and remarkable work, a reflective diary or notebook by a Roman emperor, that is based on Stoic philosophy but presented in a highly distinctive way. This new edition will help students and scholars of ancient philosophy make sense of a workwhose intellectual content and status have often been found puzzling. The translation is designed to be accessible to modern readers and all Greek and Latin are translated in the introduction and commentary.

Christopher Gill provides a new translation and commentary on the first half of Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, and a full introduction to the Meditations as a whole. The Meditations constitute a unique and remarkable work, a reflective diary or notebook by a Roman emperor, that is based on Stoic philosophy but presented in a highly distinctive way. Gill focuses on the philosophical content of the work, especially the question of how far it is consistent with Stoic theory as we know this from other sources. He argues that the Meditations are largely consistent with Stoic theory—more than has been often supposed. The work draws closely on core themes in Stoic ethics and also reflects Stoic thinking on the links between ethics and psychology or the study of nature. To make sense of the Meditations, it is crucial to take into account its overall aim, which seems to be to help Marcus himself take forward his own ethical development by creating occasions for reflection on key Stoic themes that can help to guide his life. This new edition will help students and scholars of ancient philosophy make sense of a work whose intellectual content and status have often been found puzzling. Along with volumes in the Clarendon Later Ancient Philosophers series on Epictetus and Seneca, it will help to chart the history of Stoic philosophy in the first and second century AD. The translation is designed to be accessible to modern readers and all Greek and Latin are translated in the introduction and commentary.

Marcus Aurelius (Emperor of Rome)

Marcus Aurelius: Meditations, Books 1-6

Meditations

We're going old school on this one.Believed to be rockin' it in the 5th/6th centuryBCE (around the same time as Lao Tzu and Buddha), Confucius was super passionate about learning and developing himself into the best person he could be according to the dictates of his classic society.I think you'll appreciate the mining I've done for us and trust you'll enjoy this quick tour of the classic book!

 Intro 

"The Master said, If out of the three hundred songs I had to take one phrase to cover all my teachings, I would say 'Let there be no evil in your thoughts."Nice.As it turns out (and as you know if you've read many of these Notes), this theme is echoed across the literature.The first words of one of the core texts of Buddhism. The Dhammapada (see Notes), tell us the same thing: "Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think."

Let There Be No Evil In Your Thoughts 

While Marcus Aurelius (see Notes on Meditations) advises us to watch how we're soaking our mind: Your mind will be like its habitual thoughts; for the soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts. Soak it then in such trains of thoughts as, for example: Where life is possible at all, a right life is possible."And, Shakespeare tells us that nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so and Wayne Dyer tells us that when we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change. So, how's your mind? Are you letting "evil thoughts" cruise around in there unchecked?

"The Master said, (the good man) does not grieve that other people do not recognize his merits. His only anxiety is lest he should fail to recognize theirs."Love that.Where's your focus?Are you frustrated people aren't seeing your wonderful qualities? How about we shift that around a bit and only allow anxiety to arise if WE fail to see the merits of others? (Interestingly, my gut is that as we fully make that switch others are a LOT more likely to see our good qualities as well, eh? :)

Recognizing Merit

"The Master said, He does not mind not being in office; all he minds about is whether he has qualities that entitle him to office. He does not mind failing to get recognition; he is too busy doing the things that entitle him to recognition.""He does not mind failing to get recognition: he is too busy doing the things that entitle him to recognition."Do you feel like you deserve more recognition in some aspect of your life?

Doing The Things That Need To Be Done

What might happen if you took that energy you're spending being upset/frustrated about not getting recognition and simply DID the things that would unquestionably entitle you to recognition?(My hunch is it'd be good. :)So I say we follow the Master's mojo and focus our energy on what needs to be done. :)

"The Master said, In the presence of a good man, think all the time how you may learn to equal him. In the presence of o bad man, turn your gaze within!"Love it.Confucius says it another way as well: "The Master said, Even when walkin in a party of no more than three I can always be certain of learning from those ! am with. There will be good qualities that I can select for imitation and bad ones that will teac me what requires correction in myself."Isn't that a great approach?If we let it be, life is our classroom rich wit opportunities to expand our perspective and develop our consciousness.

I Can Always Be Certain Of Learning 

So, the next time we're in the company of someone who we find a little less than inspiring, rather than criticize or get irritated, let's see if we can see how WE have those same qualities we find offensive in others and do some work on correcting them within ourselves, shall we?!? :)And, of course, let's see how we can develop those admirable qualities we find in others as well!

"The Master said, Give me a few more years, so that I may have spent a whole fifty in study, and believe that after all I should be fairly free from error." It's awesome how humble Confucius is about the time it takes to truly master his life. He says this as well: "The Master said, At fifteen set my heart upon learning. At thirty, had planted my feet firm upon the ground. At forty, I no longer suffered from perplexities. At fifty. I knew what were the biddings of Heaven. At sixty, I heard them with a docile ear. At seventy, I could follow the dictates of my own heart; for what I desired no

50 Years Of Study Would Do It

longer overstepped the boundaries of right."And this: "One who will study for three years without thought of reward would be hard indeed to find."Vernon Howard puts it this way: "Do not be impatient with your seemingly slow progress. Do not try to run faster than you presently can. If you are studying, reflecting and trying, you are making progress whether you are aware of it or not. A traveler walking the road in the darkness of night is still going forward. Someday, some way, everything will break open, like the natural unfolding of a rosebud."

So, are you feeling a little impatient about growth in a certain area of your life?Confucius would prolly advise us to chillax on the stress and just get back to doing the necessary work.

"As in the case of making a mound, if, before the very last basketful, I stop, then I shall have stopped. As in the case of leveling the ground, if, though tipping only one basketful, I om going forward, then I shall be making progress."That's awesome.As they say, when you're climbing a mountain, it doesn't matter how many times you give up as long as you're feet keep moving. :)Your feet moving?You tipping another basketful?

Making A Mound 

"The Three Armies can be deprived of their commanding officer, but even a common man connot be deprived of his purpose."Purpose, purpose, purpose.We talk about this one a lot, too, eh?!? :)It's Deepak's seventh spiritual law in his Seven Spiritual Laws of Success (see Notes). In his words: "Everyone has a purpose in life... a unique gift or special talent to give to others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of our own spirit, which is the ultimate goal of goals."

Your Commanding Officer 

Abraham Maslow (see Notes on Motivation and Personality) likes to say: "Musicians must make music, artists must paint, poets must write if they are to be ultimately at peace with themselves. What human beings can be, they must be. They must be true to their own nature. This need we may call self-actualization."While Emerson (see Notes) says: "Nature arms each man with some faculty which enables him to do easily some feat impossible to any other, and thus makes him necessary to society."So.. What's your purpose?

I always love Gay Hendricks answer to that question (see Notes on The Big Leap and Conscious Living): "My purpose was this: to expand in love and creativity every day and to assist those who are interested to expand in their ability to be more loving and creative."

"There is one single thread binding my way together.. the way of the Master consists in doing one's best... that is all."One of the main themes of Confucianism is becoming the ideal person, chun yu, who embodies virtue, which is very similar to the Greek concept of aretė.As I've mentioned a few times in these Notes, the classic Greek philosophers like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle talk about the idea that the meaning of life is happiness and, if we want to consistently live with happiness, we need to live with what they call areté a word that directly translates as "virtue" or "excellence"

The Way Of The Master

but has a deeper meaning, something closer to "striving to do your best" moment to moment to moment.When we're fully showing up in any given moment, there's no difference between what we're capable of being and what we're actually being.And, when that's the case, we feel bliss.As Don Miguel Ruiz says while describing the fourth of his Four Agreements (see Notes): "There is just one more agreement, but it's the one that allows the other three to become deeply ingrained habits. The fourth agreement is about the action of the first three: Always do your best."

He continues: "Under any circumstance, always do your best, no more and no less. But keep in mind that your best is never going to be the same from one moment to the next. Everything is alive and changing all the time, so your best will sometimes be high quality, and other times it will not be as good."Our best changes from day to day and even moment to moment, but how're you doing with It?!?

This is a new translation of the Analects (Lun Yu) of Confucius, the 5th-century BC Chinese sage whose influence on Chinese and other East Asian cultures is still felt today. Huang's translation is more literal than any available version, and is accompanied by notes that explain unfamiliar terms and concepts and provide historical and cultural context.

In this gem-like translation by Simon Leys, Confucius speaks with clarity and brilliance. He emerges as a man of great passion and many enthusiasms, a man of bold action whose true vocation is politics. Confucius (551-479 B.C.) lived in an age of acute cultural and political crisis. Many of his observations mark a world sinking into violence and barbarity. Unable to obtain the leading political role he sought, he endeavored to reform society and salvage civilization through ethical debate, defining for ages to come the public mission of the intellectual.

Confucius

The Analects of Confucius

The Analects of Confucius (Lun Yu)

Simplicity, patience, compassion.These three are your greatest treasures.Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the source of being.Patient with both friends and enemies,you accord with the way things are.Compassionate toward yourself,you reconcile all beings in the world.

Knowing others is intelligence;knowing yourself is true wisdom.Mastering others is strength;mastering yourself is true power.

Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know.

When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everyone will respect you.

The truth is not always beautiful, nor beautiful words the truth.

A man with outward courage dares to die; a man with inner courage dares to live.

Do you have the patience to wait until your mud settles and the water is clear?

Give evil nothing to opposeand it will disappear by itself.

If you understand others you are smart.If you understand yourself you are illuminated.If you overcome others you are powerful.If you overcome yourself you have strength.If you know how to be satisfied you are rich.If you can act with vigor, you have a will.If you don't lose your objectives you can be long-lasting.If you die without loss, you are eternal.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.

In what may be the most faithful translation of the Tao Te Ching, the translators have captured the terse, enigmatic beauty of the original masterpiece without embellishing it with personal interpretation or bogging it down with explanatory notes. By stepping out of the way and letting the original text speak for itself, they deliver a powerfully direct experience of the Tao Te Ching that is a joy to come back to again and again. And for the first time in any translation of the Tao Te Ching, now you can interact with the text to experience for yourself the nuanced art of translating. In each of the eighty-one chapters, one significant line has been highlighted and alongside it are the original Chinese characters with their transliteration. You can then turn to the glossary and translate this line on your own, thereby deepening your understanding of the original text and of the myriad ways it can be translated into English. Complementing the text are twenty-three striking ink paintings brushed by Stephen Addiss and an introduction by the esteemed Asia scholar Burton Watson.

books

Books

In what may be the most faithful translation of the Tao Te Ching, the translators have captured the terse, enigmatic beauty of the original masterpiece without embellishing it with personal interpretation or bogging it down with explanatory notes. By stepping out of the way and letting the original text speak for itself, they deliver a powerfully direct experience of the Tao Te Ching that is a joy to come back to again and again. And for the first time in any translation of the Tao Te Ching, now you can interact with the text to experience for yourself the nuanced art of translating. In each of the eighty-one chapters, one significant line has been highlighted and alongside it are the original Chinese characters with their transliteration. You can then turn to the glossary and translate this line on your own, thereby deepening your understanding of the original text and of the myriad ways it can be translated into English. Complementing the text are twenty-three striking ink paintings brushed by Stephen Addiss and an introduction by the esteemed Asia scholar Burton Watson.

Lao Tzu is an accomplished writer whose work has resonated with readers around the world. Lao Tzu has published several books that explore a range of topics, from fiction to nonfiction, and has received critical acclaim for the ability to weave compelling narratives. Lao Tzu's writing style is known for its depth and authenticity, and has earned quite a loyal following of readers.

Lao Tzu

Tao Te Ching

"The intelligent want self-control; Children want candy."I don't know about you, but I'd like the candy AND the self-control. :)Nietzsche (see Notes on Thus Spoke Zarathustra) likes to say: "He who cannot command himself should obey. And many can command themselves but much is still lacking before they can obey themselves."And Leonardo da Vinci tells us: "One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself."Another way Rumi says "The lion who breaks the enemy's ranks is a minor hero compared to the lion who overcomes himself."What about you?How's your self mastery?

Candy Or Self-Control?

*This discipline and rough treatment are a furnace to extract the silver from the dross. This testing purifies the gold by boiling the scum away."Yet another of Rumi's thoughts on the value of challenges: "It is God's kindness to terrify you in order to lead you to safety."How can we possibly grow without challenge and a bit of discomfort?Do you run away from every obstacle? And/or complain about every challenge?Next time you find yourself in a challenging situation, step back. Take a deep breath. And remember Rumi's beautiful words

Wisdom Quotes

Inspirational Quotes

Meditations

The Analects of Confucius (Lun Yu)

Tao Te Ching

Safwan M.