Sarah, Author at Sarah Wiesendanger

Facing Your Fear

When we’re ruled by our fear, everyday life can feel a bit like walking a tightrope over a bottomless pit. It’s a hell of a balancing act. And it’s absolutely exhausting; it takes up so much energy, so much mental focus.

But often the advice we get given is to push through our fear. We’re told that the more we do that, the easier it will become – basically because we will have anaesthetised ourselves to, or dissociated from, those painful feelings.

This may work to a certain extent. We may achieve whatever it is that we were fearful of doing. But we haven’t actually dealt with the emotion of fear, meaning that when another scary situation arises, we are no better able to handle our feelings.

A more sophisticated and mindful approach, is to get to know and understand your fear, and to develop a compassionate and non-judgemental relationship with it. When you do this, through meditation or contemplation, you may find that the fear has something valuable to teach you – about yourself or the situation within which you find yourself, making your judgement more refined and your subsequent actions better adapted to your goals. You may also find the fear transforming into a more comfortable emotion, once it’s been heard and attended to.

Pushing through your fear cuts you off from yourself and from your own inner wisdom. Attending to your fear with loving kindness and an open mind, gives you access to your deep knowing.

Enhancing Your Life-Energy

What proportion of your life do you spend engaged in activities that are life-enhancing? You know the ones. The kind that, when you’ve finished, you’re fizzing with energy and joy, ready to laugh and love, walking on air.

Is half your day spent doing things like that? The whole of your day, none of a typical day?

You might think it unrealistic to expect that too great a proportion of your life can be spent doing what you really love. You might think life is just too full of chores and duties, that to focus on what you want to do all the time would simply be selfish? But is it really?

In creating a more life-enhancing daily pattern, many of my clients find it helpful to go back to the basics. They find it helpful to spend time working out a clear life philosophy and value system that is meaningful to them, that gives them a sense of greater purpose and self-respect; a life philosophy and value system which does not depend on looking to others for approval or appreciation, but that really chimes with their own true nature…

…And then my clients check their daily activities against these values and beliefs. Do they fit or not? In what way can those that don’t be replaced with ones that do?

When we live according to our own values, in a way that gives us a sense of greater purpose, we usually find that even the unpleasant tasks are life-enhancing. We know why we are doing them and, in the greater scheme of things, we are pleased we are doing them because they are an expression of our true nature. They fulfil the larger meaning of our lives, and there is nothing more truly joyful than that.

Optimistic Thinking versus Fantasy

Successful people dream up a vision. From this, they can create a goal towards which they aspire. But, in order to turn the vision into reality, the dreaming – or fantasising – must stop. A more dynamic mindset is required.

Fantasies of success tend to lead to inactivity, and so low performance.

Positive expectation, on the other hand, is linked to high aspiration and optimistic thinking. These lead to productive cognition, problem-solving, high performance, and prosocial behaviour. It is a strong motivator. In fact, in a thirty-year longtidunal study (Peterson, MEP, et al), optimistic thinking was shown to be good for you health, slowing the progress of both acute and chronic disease. Conversely, fantasy has a negative outcome on health.

Our brains are designed to fulfil expectations. It’s partly how we corroborate our personal world view. It stands to reason, then, that if we expect a particular outcome and think optimistically about this, our mindset will be configured to achieve that expectation.

Fantasising, however, precludes realisation, wrapped up, as it is, in a tissue of unreality; from the outset, there is the belief that it can’t really come true. And so, guess what, that expectation is fulfilled.

When we employ optimistic thinking, we are less likely to give up when luck doesn’t seem to be on our side; in other words, we create our destiny. If opportunity doesn’t come knocking, we build a door…

Healing Neurosis

It was the belief of Carl Jung, that our neuroses were in direct proportion to our inability to face our emotional pain. It follows that, in order to heal and find peace, we need to open our hearts to the reality of our lives; to face our hurt with acceptance and compassion.

And doing this goes beyond self-care. In being free from our pain and neurosis, we are free to open to others who are suffering. More than this, our example acts as an inspiration to others, creating a ripple effect through those in our lives, through their connections, out into the wider community, and down through the generations.

Doing this takes courage, but the rewards are immense. How wide have the ripples spread from the fearlessness of world-famous Vedran Smailovic, the Sarajevo cellist who, during the siege of his city, would play out among the ruined buildings, play at funerals despite sniper fire, because he believed people needed the healing properties of music? How many people have been inspired to act with courage and loving kindness – to face their own sorrows and to look with compassion on those of others – having heard his story?

But when we turn away from what is painful, we allow the wounds to fester, to flourish into neuroses and hate, causing further suffering for ourselves and those around us.

Self-Worth: A Foundational Value for Freedom

Self-Worth

After the recent events in France, I have been struck by the importance of encouraging within ourselves and each other the recognition of our own, and others’, self-worth. I believe that it is only with a full appreciation of our innate value that we can resist being intimidated by aggressive behaviour evolving out of hatred and confusion. To respect our own worth, and that of every other human being, is fundamental to finding the courage to stand up for freedom and democracy.

And, it is only within a society free from fear and coercion, that we can develop our inner sense of freedom to fulfil our unique potential, to develop the personal strength necessary to be the person we know we ought to be.

Underneath a sense of self-worth is unqualified respect. Respect and acceptance for who we are right now, for both our successes and our shortcomings. And this is not possible without deep introspection, without a profound self-knowing.

Spending time, therefore, on our own personal growth – whether by reading, meditating, attending lectures and workshops, or counselling -is not an indulgence, but the act of a citizen committed to the freedom and democracy of the society in which they live.

The Journey to Self-Fulfilment

Explore. Dream. Discover.

Mark Twain said that “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” And, in my experience of counselling people who are coming to terms with the end of their life, I would judge that he was spot-on. Invariably people feel that they could and should have done more with their lives, and regret that there is too little time left to make amends.

So what are you waiting for? Sail away from the harbour and let the winds fill the sails of your life to take you to the distant horizons of your experience.

But, of course, you need to be able to chart your course. You don’t want to be at the mercy of the currents. And to be able to steer your direction, you need first to have explored your inner world, to have become well-acquainted with your innermost feelings and beliefs, to have discovered your passions and talents, so that you embark on a journey out in the world that is congruent with your authentic self. Gandhi said that “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”

And, when you have achieved that, your gifts to the world and those around you will be immense.

Parenting: How to be an Emotional Coach

Teaching your children to master their emotions is one of the best gifts you can give them. Emotional intelligence is a far more reliable predictor of fulfilling achievement, balance, and contentment in life than either intellectual intelligence or material advantage.

Of course, one of the best ways of teaching, and one of the hardest, is by example. If you’re able to show your child how you use your emotions – the pleasant and unpleasant ones – to inform your life, but how you are also able to choose how you respond to them, giving yourself space to consider both the long and the short-term effects of a possible reaction, you will be providing a wonderful behavioural model.

However, sometimes you may need to go one step further, and put in some active teaching as well. After all, there are going to be times when your role-modeling is less than perfect! And, most children need help learning how to identify the nuances of their emotions. Talking through your own feelings, and how they serve to guide you in your life choices, when you’ve had to rein them in so as to give yourself time for contemplation, when it’s helped to share them with others, will be invaluable to your children. Also talking through your children’s emotions; empathising and accepting how they feel, pinpointing exactly why they feel the way they do, working out strategies to cope better next time in a similar situation.

Because the one thing that we can rely on in life is change – in our work and home environments, in our social lives – and, because the rate of change is increasing, our children need to be able to find their own sense of inner security, when the world around them may feel unstable. And, the most reliable way for them to do this, is to have a real mastery over their emotions.

Parenting: financial rewards to children?

We all understand reward motivation, don’t we? People get bonuses at work, win trophies in sport, get presents when they’re nice. And it seems to work. Doesn’t it? Well, no not always or, indeed, often. Research has shown that extrinsic motivation is apt to: encourage short-term thinking, become addictive (meaning that we come to rely on being rewarded by other people), increase cheating and bad behaviour, lower performance, and diminish creative response [Daniel Pink, Drive].

And yet we keep doing it. More and more, it would seem, with our children as well as in the workplace. It seems almost standard practice these days to pay teenagers to do well in the GCSEs and A levels. But what is the message we are sending in this supposedly generous and motivational act?

Research conducted by Alfie Kohn shows that providing financial reward is likely to de-motivate students. If compensation is necessary for studying, it implies, then learning can have no intrinsic reward of itself. And yet personal, internal drive is fundamental to high performance.

Bribing our children to achieve suggests that we can’t trust them to do it on their own. Also, in this respect it denies their access to two basic human needs: that of interest (doing something for the thing itself), and autonomy (being in charge of one’s own life). Whilst it may work in the short-term (the first round of exams may go well), it will build resentment, lack of interest, and defiance in the longer-term. It will also create a belief that they shouldn’t have to exert themselves unless someone is going to reward them. This is setting our children up to lose interest in their own education and striving for excellence, and to lose their ability to self-direct.

Harder, but more beneficial to our children – and society as a whole – would be to encourage them to develop a sense of meaning and purpose in whatever they choose to do, to look to the long-term for their own personal goal-setting, and to strive for excellence for its own intrinsic rewards.

Taking away the bribes and financial rewards within parenting, means trusting our children to take responsibility for their lives, showing them respect, and believing in their innate resources to excel on their own terms.

Uncomfortable to take care of yourself?

Are you good at looking after others, or at knowing what would be good for someone else? It’s often so much easier than looking after yourself, isn’t it?

Taking time to be mindful, and to notice where you get stuck in being good to yourself, where it gets uncomfortable, can be an enlightening experience.

And it can be challenging, because it means being honest with yourself; it means noticing what you find painful, and doing something about it.

For instance, if you are in the habit of drinking that bit too much when you’re out with your friends, in order to take better care of yourself, and to start cutting down, there may be something, or a number of things, that you need to address. Perhaps an ex-partner is part of your social group, and it’s still painful to meet up; maybe you find large groups intimidating because you have not got the confidence to be widely seen and heard; perhaps you easily feel put down or slighted…

And maybe the issues underlying a lack of self-care feel too difficult to resolve. But the truth is, not resolving them makes life much more burdensome than it need be.

So, why not start today? Notice where you could improve your self-care; be mindful of what uncomfortable truth is driving your behaviour, and determine to make a positive change. And remember, if it feels too difficult to do on your own, you can always ask for help!

Can you ever really waste time?

I often see people who feel regret when they think of their past; feel, perhaps, that they’ve wasted months or years in a certain mind-set, not been as pro-active as they now wish they had been. And yet are they taking account of all that might be going on underneath the surface? One person’s time-wasting, may be another’s gestation. If you had not had those fallow periods of your life, perhaps you wouldn’t have been able to temper certain qualities of which you now feel in command. After all, for a blacksmith to make a sturdy sword which does not snap in the first battle, he needs to quench and temper the metal over and over again – it takes time to become tougher and more serviceable.

Les Brown tells this lovely story of a Chinese bamboo tree seed….

How, once it’s planted, no growth appears above the soil for four years – it seems a lost cause, and some gardeners may give up on it. However, the wise gardener is patient, continuing to water and nurture the seed. After four years, the tree grows up to ninety feet in five weeks.

So, could you benefit from being a little kinder to yourself? Giving yourself the benefit of the doubt, respecting and trusting yourself even when you don’t appear to be that productive or positive? Who knows what you may be preparing yourself for, what qualities and resources may be being born within you?

Do you have the right kind of dreams?

Are your dreams more about running away, away, avoiding, hiding; or are they about embracing, commitment, passion, and love?

It’s more psychologically healthy to move towards something, than to try to retreat, even if that something is challenging, or painful.

Moving forwards to achieve what we want, rather than to avoid what we don’t, is also more likely to allow for success. Consider the difference between wanting to be lawyer because you care passionately about upholding people’s human rights, and wanting to be a lawyer so that you can charge exorbitant fees and buy an expensive house. Which motivation is more likely to bring you deep contentment and fulfilment?

Motivational Quotes

Sometimes, during hard times, all it takes is a little inspiration to help us through. I hope you enjoy this selection of motivational quotes. You may be surprised how transforming it is to keep one or two of your favourites in the forefront of your mind.

“One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.” Andre Gide

In order to move forwards in our lives, we usually have to step out of our comfort zone. Although this is scary, it is only by continually stretching ourselves that we fulfil the need that we all have to live a life of meaning and purpose in which gain a sense of worthwhile accomplishment. So, in order to stay emotionally and psychologically healthy, it would seem that

“There is the risk you cannot afford to take, [and] there is the risk you cannot afford not to take.” Peter Drucker

A life that is always certain, and that demands of us only what we are sure we can easily accomplish, is often one that can lead towards boredom and depression.

“Success means we go to bed at night knowing that our talents and abilities were used in a way that served others…Sharing our gifts is what makes us happy.” Marianne Williamson

No matter how great it is, success that serves only ourselves is remarkably unfulfilling. We need to have our focus outwards, to feel part of a community and of the world at large, in order to really thrive. According to Viktor Frankl, psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, it was those who looked out for others as well as themselves who survived best in the World War II concentration camps.

“The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core strength within you that survives all hurt.” Max Lerner

The most fundamental part of us, our awareness or consciousness, does not itself get pained or hurt, feel either sadness or joy; it simply is. It is the part of us that witnesses our ego experiencing the rainbow of emotions, but itself remains constant. Some athletes use this understanding to push through barriers of exhaustion and pain to greater achievement: the awareness that observes the body’s pain is not itself in pain.

“If you’re going through hell, keep going….Never give up. Never, never, never, never give up.” Winston Churchill

There are times when we can be our own worst enemy. If we allow ourselves to become discouraged in times of difficulty, it is all too easy to give up – and then there we are, stuck in the middle of a nightmare. It is during the darkest times, that we in fact need to be our most motivated.

“Take your life into your hands and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame.” Erica Jong

It is so much easier lay our troubles at someone else’s door rather than our own. And yet when we do that, we also give that other person our power. Once we take responsibility, we acknowledge that we have the power to make a difference in our lives. How much better to move our lives forward than to sit in the same place hoping for “justice” or “revenge”.

“What counts is not the enormity of the task, but the size of the courage.” Matthieu Ricard

Because the journey is more important than the goal, and when we are stepping into our courage, the experience cannot help but mould us into deeper and wiser people. When we truly allow the process to be more important than the end result, then we can enter flow and use our skills and talents to their full.

“When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.” Rumi

It’s easy to get caught up in a life that is fulfilling others’ expectations of us, rather than our own. Exhaustion is a good indicator of this. However, when we’re living our own dreams, the joy this brings us is not only life-affirming but also energising and invigorating.

“Next time there’s a storm, you need to open the front door and the back…don’t let your misfortunes find a home.” “Call the Midwife”

How many of us are shaped by our bad experiences, allowing them to pull us around by our noses years after they are over? How much happier we’d be if we could let the winds of misfortune blow right through so that when the storm is over, we can stand tall again with no trace of bad weather left behind.

“The things that matter most in our lives are not fantastic or grand. They are the moments when we touch one another.” Jack Kornfield

Sometimes we can get lost in planning for and working towards our own goals and not pay sufficient attention to those around us. But our achievements are nothing if they only benefit ourselves and if we have no one with whom to share them.

“When you are master of your body, word and mind, you shall rejoice in perfect serenity.” Shabkar

How much of the time are decisions made in our life by our desires, addictions, dislikes and hatreds? How often does the course of a conversation or day turn on a thoughtless word? And after the heat of the moment, whether of desire or anger, there’s always an eternity to regret…Learning to master these yearnings inside of us is the work of a lifetime but the rewards, even from small steps in the right direction, are vast.

“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” Joseph Goldstein

And, we know how difficult it is, and what strength and perseverance it takes – to both surf in the sea and to ride the waves of our daily lives. And yet, even before we’ve mastered the necessary skills of trust, balance, acceptance and composure, we can sense by watching others how riding in harmony with whatever presents itself carries us and takes us forward, stops us from sinking underneath the weight of the waves.

“The greatest glory in living does not lie in never having fallen, but in rising every time you fall.” Nelson Mandela

And if ever there was anyone who walked their talk…When we know that others have already walked along the path, it becomes easier for us to get up and take the next step. However great our setback, however many there have been, the human spirit never dies – it is always there within us, waiting to be rekindled and to shine a light on our future endeavours.

“On the day that you were born, you began to die. Do not waste a single moment more!” Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

And, in those moments before you die, what will it be that you will want to look back to and say that you have achieved; what will be the qualities and attitudes within yourself that you will be grateful to have developed; by what principles will you have been proud to have lived? What do you believe to be the single most important thing in the world? Whatever it may be, start cherishing and nurturing it now.

“You’re mind can be a great servant, but a lousy master.” Anon

It’s vital to use your mind in the service of your dreams but, give it free rein, and it will lead you by the nose. A compulsive worrier and someone who uses their imagination to visualise and breathe into life their goals, both use the same innate gift; but whereas the second is in control of the gift, the first has let it run loose, dragging them down into fear and helplessness.

“Bring your attention to…[your emotional] pain as if you were gently comforting a child, holding it all in a loving and soothing attention.” Jack Kornfield

Often our instinct is to attempt to push our hurt away, or tense protectively around it. But then either it fights back, wanting to be heard, or it gets trapped within the tension. Once we find the courage to open to the pain and, without holding onto it or exaggerating it, extend loving compassion towards it, so many times we find that it begins to dissolve and to lose its intensity.

“In that stillness – in that space between breaths, between thoughts, between lives – something is suddenly remembered, something it seems impossible ever to have forgotten. And in every fibre of our being we know that love is the only rational act of a lifetime.” Stephen Levine

How many of us give ourselves enough quiet time to notice what happens between our thoughts or between each breath? But to be rewarded with the certainty that love is our true essence, if only we can train ourselves to rest within it, is gift indeed.

“Wisdom is a view from on high, from the narrow path between two precipices, two extreme ideas.” Amin Maalouf

It’s only by finding ourselves in difficult, often treacherous, circumstances, and by finding our way through them, that we become people of greater substance: more understanding, more compassionate, more loving, with greater insight and judgement – more wise.

“Prayer is a scanning of the heavens for the chink through which angels travel and divinity looks on.” Thomas Moore (Psychotherapist)

As a society, we’re not as accustomed to prayer as we once were; many of us only pray in desperate circumstances, when everything else has failed us, and our prayer is full of want, perhaps even bargaining: “Please help me. I won’t ever do…again, if only you’ll help me now”. But how much richer would our lives be, if we were able to get beyond that attitude of quid pro quo, to quest for the mystery, the ineffable, bathe in its splendour and, in so doing, grow in its reflection.

“Greater awareness without greater self-compassion can be tough.” Miranda McPherson

It’s only by understanding ourselves that we can change and grow, and yet if we’re not kind, learning more about ourselves can be painful; without compassion, we are unlikely to want to go there. A good guide of how caring of ourselves we are, is to notice how judgemental we are of others. If we tend to have a private critical commentary running on others, we can be sure we do the same with ourselves.

“Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world.” George Bernard Shaw

We all see things from our own perspective which is informed by not just our past experiences, but by how we have chosen to interpret them and what we have consequently chosen to believe about ourselves, others and the world at large. Remember that most of the time, what we tell ourselves is made up of precisely that – beliefs, not absolute truths. So, let’s choose our beliefs wisely, check regularly that they are not becoming clouded over by self-sabotaging emotions.

“The path that separates you from the garden of your desire,…is nowhere but in yourself.” Faouzi Skali

What’s behind us, and what’s in front of us, even with everything’s that’s going on around us, nothing is more important than what is going on within us. If our hearts and minds our clear, our attitudes are in line with our goals, then who knows what we may achieve – spiritually, or in the world of action.

“Do not forget: you are never faced with a trial that you cannot overcome.” Rabbi Nachman of Breslov

We all have a great depth of resources, most of which the majority of us rarely use, or are even aware that we possess. But rest assured, if a crisis comes, you do have sufficient strength with which to meet it.

“A new philosophy, a way of life, is not given for nothing. It has to be paid dearly for and only acquired with much patience and great effort.” Fyodor Dostoyevsky

We live in a culture of quick fixes. Often it’s so much easier to buy a replacement than to repair something old. More and more healing – of our bodies, minds, lives – is sold as being done quickly and with little effort. But deep, lasting change, takes work and a depth of commitment. This we shouldn’t be afraid of, or unwilling to give. Our minds can be changed in an instant, but the principles from which our unconscious responds are more durable and take greater effort to alter.

“Hope is the thing with feathers/That perches in the soul, And sings the tune without the words,/And never stops at all.” Emily Dickinson

Hope doesn’t bend to reason and logic, rational expectation; it’s components have amongst them: courage, joy, and an irrepressible love of life.

“…important forks in the road are usually not about choices that will show up on any public record; they are decisions and struggles to do with choosing love or fear; anger or forgiveness; pride or humility. They are soul-shaping choices.” Jean Shinoda Bolen

The attitude from which we act has such a profound effect on how our actions are received in the world. More fundamentally, our attitude determines the perspective from which we see the world and so defines the possibilities we imagine are available to us.

“Our so-called and imagined failures become the doorway to profound success in our lives – success that is…measured by…the currency of depth of being, compassion and wisdom.” Mariana Caplan

Of course, we all prefer our lives to go smoothly, to be happy and filled with fun. But, if we’re honest, those aren’t the times during which we learn a great deal about ourselves. The good times don’t make us stronger, more understanding and compassionate, or even more deeply interesting. It’s the difficult times that forge our characters into those that are admired, and not simply envied.

“This kind of compulsive concern with ‘I, me, and mine’ isn’t the same as loving ourselves…Loving ourselves points us to capacities of resilience, compassion, and understanding within that are simply part of being alive.” Sharon Salzberg

Many people confuse loving oneself with selfishness. But selfishness is more about greed, jealousy and envy, and in its disconnection from other people rarely leads to contentment or joy. However, when we truly love ourselves we find the strength and empathy from which we can not only give ourselves what we need to be happy, but also those around us which, in turn, increases further our own happiness.

“Do not go where the path may lead, but go where there is no path and leave a trail.” Henry David Thoreau

There never has been anyone with the same blend of gifts, skills and experiences as you, and there never will be. By definition, to be truly yourself, you have to forge a new path through life. If you don’t, you will be betraying yourself and will be cheating the world of all that you have to offer.

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.” Johan Wolfgang von Goethe

You’re never going to feel completely ready to accomplish your ambitions; well, at least, not until you have accomplished them. Which is why it’s important to start right now; take the first step, however small, however ill-equipped you may imagine yourself to be. It’s only by doing it, that you’ll become more able to do it. Driving cross-country at night, the headlamps light the road only so far but, if you have faith and keep driving, you reach your destination.

“Isolation is the dreamkiller, not your attitude. No amount of positive thinking can replace information, encouragement and accountability. You need input and support from other people. They’ll tell you things you need to know, encourage and believe in you and keep you moving towards your dream.” Barbara Sher

We’re basically social creatures and we need the support and encouragement that interaction brings. But, more than that, we need the adjustment of perspective which it allows. Working in a bubble on our dreams provides no corrective influence. At some point, our projects have to prosper out there in the world, benefit and be appreciated by the people around us. They will be more robust for having, from the outset, been tempered by the world which they will serve.

“People are like stained glass windows: they sparkle and shine when the sun is out but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within.”

The ups and downs of life often extinguish that inner light, and it doesn’t seem important until something hits us that is completely overwhelming. By which point, it’s almost too late. Just as a storm light, or the light of a lighthouse is kept in readiness through the balmy summer days as much as through the winter, so we too need to tend to and nurture our inner resources so that they are they to be drawn on when the storm hits.

“Perpetual inspiration is as necessary to the life of goodness, holiness and happiness as perpetual respiration is necessary to animal life.” William Law

“The real world is beyond our thoughts and ideas; we see it through the net of our desires, divided into pleasure and pain, right and wrong, inner and outer. To see the universe as it is, you must step beyond the net. It is not hard to do, for the net is full of holes.” Sri Nisargadatta

“You are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe unfold. That is how important you are!” Eckhart Tolle “The secret to living the life of your dreams is to start living them today; to any degree you can.” Mike Dooley

“Memories are clever impostors, making it appear that an experience or relationship cannot be healed. If you believe that, how can you heal your body or protect your health? Replace impostors with a higher truth.” Carolin Myss

“Celebrate all that is good and blessed about your life, realising that gratitude is a powerful remedy. Appreciating your blessings increases the vitality of your life force.” Peter Occhiogrosso

“Modern civilisation is largely devoted to the pursuit of the cult of delusion. There’s no general information about the nature of mind. It is hardly ever written about by writers or intellectuals; modern philosophers do not speak of it directly; the majority of scientists deny it could possibly be there at all. It plays no part in popular culture: no one sings about it, no one talks about it in plays, and it’s not on TV. We are actually educated into believing that nothing is real beyond what we can perceive with our ordinary senses.” Sogyal Rinpoche

“The further you progress, the more you will perceive that the universe is divine.” Arnaud Desjardins

“Where exactly does your influence on life end? You’ll never know the full power or consequences of your actions and choices. Enhance the whole of life today through your actions.” Caroline Myss

“When we love someone. they become a mirror for our heart. They reflect back to us the place within us that is love, the divine principle. When that mirror is shattered through death or separation, we may feel love itself has died.” Stephen Levine

“It is precisely where there’s no effort toward homogeneity, but simply a space shaped with a sensitivity to intimacy, that we find the usefulness of a friendship.” Thomas More

“Where exactly does your influence on life end? You’ll never know the full power or consequences of your actions and choices. Enhance the whole of life today through your actions.” Caroline Myss and Peter Occhiogrosso

“Simplifying our lives does not mean sinking into idleness, but on the contrary, getting rid of the most subtle aspect of laziness: the one which makes us take on thousands of less important activities.” Matthieu Ricard

“The near enemy of loving-kindness is attachment. At first, attachment may feel like love, but as it grows it becomes more pearly the opposite, characterised by clinging, controlling, and fear.” Jack Kornfield

About Sarah

Self-Worth