A free people [claim] their rights as derived from the laws of nature, and not as the gift of their chief magistrate.
Thomas JeffersonRead
Do not follow after the past; do not go forward to meet the future. Instead, just rest the mind naturally in the present awareness.
Interpretation
Focus on the present moment rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.
This quote emphasizes the importance of mindfulness and being present in the current moment. Gampopa suggests that true awareness and peace come from resting the mind in the present rather than being distracted by regrets of the past or anxieties about the future.
In practice
This quote can be used in a meditation workshop to encourage participants to focus on their breath.
A free people [claim] their rights as derived from the laws of nature, and not as the gift of their chief magistrate.
Rather than understand the original cause-a thought-we try to change the stressful feelings by looking outside ourselves.
You empty yourself and wait, listening. After a time you hear it: There is nothing there...You feel the world's word as a tension, a hum, a single chorused note everywhere the same. This is it: This hum is the silence.
The only secure knowledge is that I exist.
Unlike many deities of the ancient Near East, the God of Israel shared his power with no female divinity, nor was he the divine husband or lover of any.
When I was growing up reading history books as a young student, it seemed all wars had a winner. Yet in today's wars, it is increasingly clear that no one wins. Everyone loses.
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