Jing Si Aphorism - Inspirational Wisdom by Dharma Master Chen Yen

It is easy to reflect on
major mistakes,
and hard to eliminate
small bad habits.

Repentance
purifies the mind ;
a pure mind can readily
sweep away afflictions.

The hardest thing
for people to see
is them self.

Nothing is impossible
with confidence,
perseverance,
and courage.

We must carry out our task
according to principles,
and not let our principles
be compromised by our task.

8 Best Quotes

"If you do a good job for others, you heal yourself at the same time, because a dose of joy is a spiritual cure." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

"Social Promotion : The practice of passing inferior students onto the next grade to keep them with their peers "

" Every great mistake has a halfway moment, a split second when it can be recalled, perhaps remedied "- PERAL S BUCK

"That action is best which accomplishes the greates happiness for the greatest numbers ". FRANCIS HUTCHESON

" A faith that cannot survive collision with the truth is not worth many regrets" . ARTHUR C CLARKE

" The first 40 years of life give us the test ; the next 30 supply the commentary on it ". ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER

" Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent ". MARILYN VOS SAVANT

"The secret of joy in work is contained in one word - EXCELLENCE" . PEARL BUCK

A. E. Housman

"I have seldom written poetry unless I was rather out of health."

A. E. Housman

English Poet

1859 - 1936

Commentary:

A new study conducted by researchers at the Karolinska Institute near Stockholm, Sweden links mental illness to creative individuals like artists, writers, dancers and photographers. Researchers analyzed the anonymous medical records of almost 1.2 million patients from the last 40 years.  The study was published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research this month.  The study shows that families with a history of mental illness are more likely to produce creative family members.

What do you think?  Do you have to be a little bit crazy to be creative?  "I don't think so, but it helps," I say with a grin on my face.  For me the real question is what is normal?  Very few of us are normal.  Some of us are just better at hiding our craziness.  Creative people have to be willing to be different from the norm — to see the world in different ways.  Some of us are able to function in society and some of us are not.

Creative Practice:

Reflect on when you do your best creative work.  Is it when you feeling great and on top of the world or when you are under the weather?  Sometimes my best work occurs when I am not feeling the best or when I am experiencing loneliness.  Pay attention to the time of day when you are the most creative.  For me it is early in the morning if I get up early or late in the day if I get up late.  Study your work habits and change if necessary.

About the Poet:

Alfred Edward Housman was the eldest child of Sarah Jane Williams and Edward Housman.  His mother died when he was 12.  He attended St. John's College at Oxford where he studied the classics.  He was a professor at University College London.  His reputation was build on his classical scholarship.

His major poetry collection was A Shropshire Lad, a cycle of 63 poems which he self-published in 1896.

Study Sources:

http://www.livescience.com/24023-study-strengthens-link-between-creativity-and-mental-illness.html

Quote Source:

Anne Dillard, The Writing Life, p. 34.

LOVE Quotes

True love stories never have endings.  - Richard Bach.


Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.

                                                                                                           - Saint Augustine.

Love and magic have a great deal in common.

They enrich the soul, delight the heart. 

And they both take practice.

                                            - Nora Roberts.

Love is not what the mind thinks, but what the heart feels.

                                                                                                              ~ Greg Evans.

The one thing we can never get enough of is love. 

And the one thing we never give enough is love.

               - Henry Miller.

Now a soft kiss -- Aye, by that kiss, I vow an endless bliss.

                                                                                                      - John Keats.

Romantic love reaches out in little ways, showing attention and admiration.

                                                                                          - from "A Man's Touch".


Love is always open arms. If you close your arms about love you will find that you are left holding only yourself.
                                                                                                      - Leo Buscaglia.

Love is an act of endless forgiveness

A tender look which becomes a habit.

  - Peter Ustinov.

Romance is dead - it was acquired in a hostile takeover by Hallmark and Disney, homogenized, and sold off piece by piece.

              
                                  
                                                             - Lisa Simpson.


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inhabitat.com
wggb.com

Term Life Insurance Quotes- Positive Sayings for Decision Making

These are some positive quotes for anyone who is thinking about getting term life insurance.  Doing research can help you to make the right decision.

“While a whole life program isn't a bad thing, a term life policy can be purchased for much less.” Christopher Pascal

“With term life insurance, one can purchase a million-dollar policy, which would more than help just about any family in the event of a tragic loss. While doing so, the money that would have been spent funding a policy so much smaller can be invested to grow to nearly twice the amount of the whole life alternative.” Christopher Pascal

“Term insurance is the most straightforward form of protection. You generally pay premiums on a monthly or annual basis and your family is protected for that "term". StateFarm.com

“Term Life Insurance is right for you if you want:

• An affordable way to get maximum coverage
• To cover specific financial responsibilities like a mortgage or college expenses
• To supplement your Permanent Life Insurance during periods when coverage needs are higher, such as family-growing, mortgage-paying years” MetLife.com

“An accurate quote is based on a number of personal factors. The healthier you are, the lower your rates are likely to be.” selectquote.com

“Life insurance is something to consider, regardless of your age. Rather than thinking it's morbid, look at life insurance as a smart way to plan for others so they're not left floundering.” progressive.com

“Term life insurance is the least expensive and simplest form of insurance. The premium dollars you pay to buy this insurance cover the “mortality costs” — the likelihood that you will die this year.” Terry Savage

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Friedrich Nietzsche

"When my creative energy flowed most freely, my muscular activity was always the greatest. . . . I might might often have been seen dancing; I used to walk through the hills for seven or eight hours on end without a hint of fatigue; I slept well, laughed a good deal—I was perfectly vigorous and patient."

— Friedrich Nietzsche

German Philosopher, Poet, Composer

1844 - 1900

Commentary:

What is the connection between movement and creative energy?  When sitting at my desk writing, I often have the urge to stand up and walk around.  Sometimes I am able to control this urge while on occasion my subconscious takes over and I suddenly find myself walking around.  I also find that some of my most creative thoughts come when I am taking a walk in the early morning.



For the past 25 years I have been teaching a 2 - 3 day workshop in which students sing and dance 4 to 5 times.  Now the dance is not really dance but more physical movement.  The impact on the classes has been amazing.  During the course of workshop people become bonded and connected.  The normal barriers between people fall away and people willingly share about their lives. 



A few years ago I took a class that combined movement, journey and creativity.  We were encouraged to move about an open room with no chairs and find our place in that room — our home.  Then we were asked to find some destination — some place we wanted to go.  And we were to create a path around the room to that point.  We were to move along that path multiple times until it became very familiar to us.  We were also to express our feelings through writing while on this journey.  I found the workshop fascinating.



Years ago when I was only writing haiku, I would take walks during which I would write one or two haiku in my head.  When I reached home, I would write a narrative about my walk and include the haiku.  This type of writing is called haibun and was first written in 17th century Japan by Matsuo Basho.



Creative Practice:

Take a fifteen minute walk and sit down and write for 15 minutes about anything that comes to mind.  Don't stop.  Keep writing.  Don't worry about grammar or spelling.  Repeat this process multiple times during the week.



About the Philosopher:

Portrait of Friedrich Nietzsche

Edvard Munch

1906

Friedrich Nietzsche was born 168 years ago on October 15, 1844 to Carl Nietzsche and Franziska Oehler in Rocken, a small town near Leipzig.  He was named after King Frederick William IV of Prussia who turned 49 on the day of Nietsche's birth.  Nietzsche's father died when he was five.



In 1864, Nietzsche began studying theology and philology at the University of Bonn.  Within a year, he lost his faith and stopped his theological studies.  He wrote his deeply religious sister: "Hence the ways of men part: if you wish to strive for peace of soul and pleasure, then believe; if you wish to be a devotee of truth, then inquire. . ."  He focused his attention on philology.



In 1868, Nietzsche became a professor of classical philology at the University of Basel in Switzerland.  Before leaving Prussia, he renounced his Prussian citizenship and remained officially stateless for the rest of his life.  Nietzsche published his first book, The Birth of Tragedy, in 1872.  The book was poorly received by his colleagues in the philological field.  He resigned his position as professor in 1879 because of health issues.



In 1889, Nietzsche suffered a mental collapse.  In 1898 and 1899, Nietzsche suffered two strokes and was partially paralyzed and unable to speak.  He had another stroke on August 24 and died on August 25, 1900.



Nietzsche is known for his use of poetry and prose in his writings.  Nietzsche was not widely read in his lifetime.  Because of his evocative style, people either love or hate his philosophy and his work even today is very controversial.  Nietzsche's best known writings include: Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Beyond Good and Evil, and The Will to Power.



Poem



Without a Home



Swift horses carry me
Without fear and trembling
Through the distant land.
And whoever sees me, knows me,
And whoever knows me, calls me:
The homeless man ...

No one would dare
To ask me about
Where my home is:
I have never been bound
To space and fleeting time,
Am as free as an eagle! ...



Biography Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Nietzsche



Quote Source: 

Anne Dillard, The Writing Life, p. 33 - 34.

Inspirational Albert Einstein Quotes about Life

The following is a list of quotes by Albert Einstein.  There are many more but these are some of the more inspirational ones that really spoke to me.

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed." Einstein Quotes

"Yes, we have to divide up our time like that, between our politics and our equations. But to me our equations are far more important, for politics are only a matter of present concern. A mathematical equation stands forever." Einstein Quotes

"The fear of death is the most unjustified of all fears, for there's no risk of accident for someone who's dead." Einstein Quotes

"In order to form an immaculate member of a flock of sheep one must, above all, be a sheep." Einstein Quotes

"If A is a success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut." Einstein Quotes

"Do not worry about your difficulties in Mathematics. I can assure you mine are still greater." Einstein Quotes

"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing." Einstein Quotes

"Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding." Einstein Quotes

"A person starts to live when he can live outside himself." Einstein Quotes

"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." Einstein Quotes

"I never think of the future. It comes soon enough." Einstein Quotes

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction." Einstein Quotes

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."

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Best Quotes

 "Those who make  worst use of their time , most complain  about its shortness ".

                                                                                                             - JEAN DE LA BRUYERE .

"Do not wait for extraordinary circumstances to do good ; try to use ordinary situations".

                                                                                                          -JOHANN  PAUL RICHTER.

"Choose a profession  you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life ".

                                                                                                                           -CONFUCIUS

"Even if you are on right track, you will get run over  if you just sit there".

                                                                                                                    -WILL ROGERS

Quotes on Gratitude

" Gratitude is an art of painting an adversity into a lovely picture". - KAK SRI

"If you have lived, take thankfully the past". -JOHN DRYDEN

"Praise the bridge that carried you over". GEORGE COLMAN

"If you count all your assets, you always show a profit". -ROBERT QUILLEN

"If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness.

 It will change your life mightily ".                       

                                                                                    -GERALD GOOD

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Paul Klee

"Art does not reproduce the visible, rather, it makes visible."

— Paul Klee

Swiss Painter

1879 - 1940

Commentary:

Art does not simply copy the physical world in which we inhabit.  Whether the person is an abstract painter or a realistic painter, each painter must transform the world and make it visible to us.  The same is true of the writer.  Even the novelist with the most realistic dialogue has altered the world so that we can better understand it.  Painting or stories that simply duplicate the visible world fail to inspire us.  They must somehow make the real world more visible to us.

What is your creative vision of the world in which you live?  How does your artistic vision alter the world?  What do you bring to the table that changes the way we see?

Creative Practice:

Write down your artistic vision.  Be sure to write for a minimum of 15 minutes.  Keep writing until you have said everything you can think to say.  Don't try to be perfect or creative.  Don't worry about grammar or spelling.  Simply write and until you have nothing more to say.  If you have nothing to say, keep writing the same thing over and over until something comes.  Start with the phrase, "I see ...."  When you run into a roadblock, start over with "I see..."

About the Painter:

Klee's father was a German music teacher and his mother was a Swiss singer.  Although he was born in Switzerland, he is considered both a Swiss and German painter.  Early in his life, Klee studied music at the encouragement of his parents.  He was very talented on the violin, but chose to become a painter during his teenage years.  He studied art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich.  He married a pianist and fathered one child.  In 1910 Klee had his first solo exhibition in Bern.  His artistic breakthrough came in 1914 when he visited Tunisia and was impressed by the quality of light.  He wrote, "Color has taken possession of me; no longer do I have to chase after it, I know that it has hold of me forever... Color and I are one.  I am a painter."



Paintings:

Red Balloon

1922

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

New York

Flower Myth (1918)

Sprengel Museum

Hannover, Germany

Fire in the Evening

1929

Museum of Modern Art

Quote Source: Clint Brown, Artist to Artist, p. 11.

Joseph McClendon Quotes

Here are some interesting quotes from Joseph McClendon, author of Change Your Breakfast Change Your Life. You will find many effective quotes on self improvement.

“…what we put in our bodies and when we do it will determine the quality of our lives.” Joseph McClendon

“…there is a huge connection between an insufficient breakfast and your overall health and wellbeing, including energy, serious diseases, excess weight and even looks and aging.” Joseph McClendon

“When we don’t have the right nutrition in the morning, it sets up a chain reaction by which the way we feel physically will determine our outward actions and behaviors.” Joseph McClendon

“without one’s health, wellbeing, and happiness, there is no real quality of life.” Joseph McClendon

“Inside each and every one of us exists a seed of absolute magnificence that yearns to be tended so that we may grow and contribute and be, do, and have all that life offers for ourselves and the ones that we love.” Joseph McClendon

“Into every life falls trauma and tragedy. From these fertile episodes, we take the reasoning and knowledge to either carry on in the same way or to shift our being.” Joseph McClendon

“A great deal of change can happen very quickly with just a little bit of knowledge and some simple shifts in our behaviors.” Joseph McClendon

“Legacy is the intellectual property you will pass on to the next generation. It’s the wisdom and knowledge your children and grandchildren will glean from you, and your actions either seen or unseen.” Joseph McClendon

“Your life is one big journey, and regardless of the stage of your journey in which you are, it is a real good idea to decide now that there are great things coming. Expect the best, and you will feel better and move faster in the process.” Joseph McClendon

“Fortune favors the bold and life is exactly what you dare to make it. So, let’s boldly dare to make your life MAGNIFICENT!” Joseph McClendon

“The fact of the matter is anything that is more than the average that is worth attaining will usually carry with it a level of discomfort in terms of hard work or discipline.” Joseph McClendon

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