words of wisdom and love
a collection for sharing quotations, poems, proverbs and scripture which has moved hearts throughout the world
if you have a contribution to make, which you would like published here, please e.mail to smile@chinmayiyogaretreat.co.uk
it may put a warm smile on someones face, lift someones heart or help someone in a difficult place at the right time
Taken from Upanishads - story about the breath (beginners class 1)
Once there was a dispute between the ears, the speech, the eyes, the mind and the breath. They went to God and asked, “Who is the greatest among us?”
“That is easy, each of you will leave the body for a year and then you decide”, God said.
The ears left the body first and the body was without sound for a year. When the ears came back, then the tongue left the body, leaving it without speech. When the tongue returned, the eyes left the body, leaving it in darkness for a year. When the eyes came back, the mind left the body, leaving it simpleton and motionless. When the mind came back, the breath left the body and, as the breath began to move away,
The ears lost their power to hear,
The tongue lost its power to speak,
The eyes could no longer see,
The mind lost its intelligence.
“Come back, come back! For you are the greatest!”
The breath returned and the body was whole again.
"when you look up, there are no limits" -chinmayi |  |
"your breathing is your greatest friend - return to it in all your troubles and you will find comfort and guidance" -buddhist master |   |
| "your body is a temple, but only if you treat it as one" | 
|
"when you come to the edge of all that you know, take a leap of faith - there will be a ridge for you to stand on, or someone will teach you to fly " - unknown |  |
| "if we were to sit in a circle and confess our sins, we'd laugh at each other for lack of originality" |  |
"anxiety doesn't exist in the present moment, it's based on the past or the future.... |
"venture from the known to the universe" -iyengar |  |
| "nothing we can do can change the past but
everything we do changes the future" |  |
 |
| "yoga is
99% practice and 1%
theory" - sri pattahbi jois |  |
| "No-one can do everything, but everyone can do something. Your most important contribution is not
what you do, but who you are - a person with a peaceful heart" - Marcus Braybrooke |  |
| | "Yoga is the cessation of
mind." PATANJALI,
The Yoga Sutras |
"Don't just do something, sit there!" |  |
"What I was is unimportant, what I am is important" - Iyengar |  |
"Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared." - Buddha |
| When I hear somebody sigh, "Life is hard," I am always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?" - Sydney J. Harris |  |
"“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” Jimi Hendrix |  |
| "Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were". Cherie Carter-Scott |  |
"You cannot always control what goes on outside, but you can always control what goes on inside" Mr Yoga |  |
"Yoga is light, which once lit, will never dim. The better your practice, the brighter the flame" BKS Iyengar |  |
"I do yoga so that I can stay flexible enough to kick my own arse if necessary" Betsy Cañas Garmon |
"Before you've practiced, the theory is useless. After you've practiced, the theory is obvious." David Williams, Ashtanga teacher |  |
 | When the winds of
change blow, some
people build walls and others build windmills (Chinese proverb) |
"blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape" |  |
 | "If
your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete" Jack Kornfield |
"There was never a good war or a bad peace." Benjamin Franklin |  |
"Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to succeed" - Corita Kent |  |
| "Lets not count
the cost of our mistakes. The lessons we learn are priceless" chinmayi |  |
 | "Happiness is as a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but which if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you. - Nathaniel Hawthorne |
The day starts the night before
An early night ensures deep, refreshing sleep.
Deep, refreshing sleep ensures one wakes early - rested and revitalised.
Waking early - rested and revitalised - ensures time for massage, yoga and meditation.
Massage, yoga and meditation ensure the mind and body are awake and alive.
Mind and body - fully awake and alive - ensure a happy countenance.
A happy countenance ensures a stress-free mind.
A stress-free mind creates a positive mind.
A stress-free, positive mind imparts love and peace to those around.
An atmosphere of love and peace creates a wave of harmony throughout the room.
A wave of harmony throughout the room creates a wave of harmony throughout the house.
A wave of harmony throughout the house creates a wave of harmony throughout the city.
A wave of harmony throughout the city creates a wave of harmony throughout the country.
A wave of harmony throughout the country creates a wave of harmony throughout the world.
The peace and harmony of every individual in every town, in every city, in every country is in your power and their happiness rests in your arms. If you are fully awake in the present moment, having learnt from and let go of the past, the future will take care of itself. You simply need to bathe in the joy of being fully alive in every present waking moment
And the real beauty is - you can start today.
Danny Cavanagh & Carol Willis
DESIDERATA
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 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 wain and bitter; for there will always 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 the 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 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 yor 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 careful. Strive to be happy.
A Wonderful Message
by George Carlin
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.
We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorces, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.
Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side. Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent. Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
HOW TO STAY YOUNG
Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you pay him/her. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil’s workshop." And the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s. Enjoy the simple things. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it’s family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge. Cherish your health. If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help. Don’t take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
If you don't send this to at least 8 people, who cares?
George Carlin
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Anxiety doesn't exist in the present moment, it's based on the past or the future
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Where thought goes, energy flows. Think positive and the possibilities are endless
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