Relaxation

Relaxation is a function of the body's ability to surrender its weight to the pull of gravity. If we are constantly bracing ourselves against the force of gravity, we cannot truly relax.

Will Johnson in "The Posture of Meditation" page39

Retire before you are too old

It would be wise if after a certain age, perhaps let us say forty or forty-five, or younger still, you retired from the world, before you are too old. What would happen if you did retire not merely to enjoy the fruit of sensate gatherings but retired in order to find yourself, in order to think feel profoundly, to meditate, to discover reality? Perhaps you may save mankind from the sensate, worldly path it is following, with all its brutality, deception and sorrow. Thus there may be a group of people, being disassociated from worldliness, from its identifications and demands, able to guide it, to teach it. Being free from worldliness they will have no authority, no importance and so will not be drawn into its stupidities and calamities. For a man who is not free from authority, from position, is not able to guide, to teach another. A man who is in authority is identified with his position, with his importance, with his work and so is in bondage. To understand the freedom of truth there must be freedom to experience. If such a group came into being then they could produce a new world, a new culture.

Krishnamurti - Ojai 4th Public Talk 4th June, 1944

The Source of the income is the Divine

Our money worries are more of a faith issue than a financial one. The Source of the income is the Divine, not just me and my hard work; I'm just the channel. If I'm really co-creating with the Divine, I can relax.

Rev. Karen Russo

Preach what you practice

Why do I try to practice what I preach?
If I stuck to preaching what I practice, I'd be less of a phony.

Anthony de Mello in "The Song of the Bird" page 91

Why are we such snobs?

Why is it that we crave to be recognized, to be made much of, to be encouraged? Why is it that we are such snobs? Why is it that we cling to our exclusiveness of name, position, acquisition? Is anonymity degrading, and to be unknown despicable? Why do we pursue the famous, the popular? Why is it that we are not content to be ourselves? Are we frightened and ashamed of what we are, that name, position and acquisition become so all-important? It is curious how strong is the desire to be recognized, to be applauded. In the excitement of a battle, one does incredible things for which one is honoured; one becomes a hero for killing a fellow man. Through privilege, cleverness, or capacity and efficiency, one arrives somewhere near the top - though the top is never the top, for there is always more and more in the intoxication of success. The country or the business is yourself; on you depend the issues, you are the power. Organized religion offers position, prestige and honour; there too you are somebody, apart and important. Or again you become the disciple of a teacher, of a guru or Master, or you co-operate with them in their work. You are still important, you represent them, you share their responsibility, you have and others receive. Though in their name, you are still the means. You may put on a loincloth or the monk's robe, but it is you who are making the gesture, it is you who are renouncing.

Krishnamurti in Commentaries on Living Series I Chapter 22

The desire to be free cages us

In its yearning for freedom, with Spirit wild and unbroken, the untameable Soul cages itself in this very desire. Not before even the desire has burned away shall it be truly free.

Peter Erbe in "Garden of Gods" page 89

Spiritual Awakening

Spritual awakening is certainly a becoming not becoming what you are not as yet, but becoming aware of what you already are.

Peter O. Erbe in "Garden of Gods" page 2

The way of self-reliance

But, rather than be carried along by circumstances and manipulated by those who can see the weaknesses and behavior tendencies that we ignore, we can work with our own characteristics and be in control of our own lives. The Way of Self-Reliance starts with recognising who we are, what we've got to work with, and what works best for us.

Benjamin Hoff in "The Tao of Pooh" page 57

Brain can be fooled

As we have likely recognised by now, no two snowflakes, trees or animals are alike. No two people are the same, either. Everything has its own Inner Nature. Unlike other forms of life, though, people are easily led away from what's right for them, because people have Brain, and Brain can be fooled. Inner Nature, when relied upon, cannot be fooled. But many people do not look at it or listen to it, and consequently do not understand themselves very much. Having little understanding of themselves, they have little respect for themselves, and are therefore easily influenced by others.

Benjamin Hoff in "The Tao of Pooh" page 57

Heaven doesn't choose sides.

Return to simplicity

Let people return to simplicity, working with their own hands.
Then they will find joy in their food
Beauty in their simple clothes
Peace in their living
Fulfillment in their traditions.

John R Mabry in "The little book of The Tao Te Ching"

Just know about it

You don't need to avoid or deny anything. It is enough to just know about it. When you are busy trying to avoid something, it's still affecting you. Simply cease to be affected or impelled by anything and you'll find you are free.

Caoshan

Truth must be discovered

There is no path to truth. Truth must be discovered, but there is no formula for its discovery. What is formulated is not true. You must set out on the uncharted sea, and the uncharted sea is yourself. You must set out to discover yourself, but not according to any plan or pattern, for then there is no discovery. Discovery brings joy - not the remembered, comparative joy, but joy that is ever new. Self-knowledge is the beginning of wisdom in whose tranquillity and silence there is the immeasurable.

Krishnamurti Commentaries on Living Series I, My Path and Your Path

Effects of Yoga

Grace, beauty, strength, energy and firmness adorn the body through Yoga. 

Yoga Sutra III.47

Don't enter into a debate

When someone doesn't accept what you say, don't attempt to make him understand you intellectually. Don't enter into a debate. Listen to his objections until he begins to find his error himself.

Dogen

Perfect Existence

We should find perfect existence through imperfect existence.

Shunryu Suzuki

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

Oliver Wendell Holmes

 

Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams, who looks inside, awakens.

Carl Jung

If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished?

Rumi

Meditation cannot be cultivated

If you set out to meditate it will not be meditation. If you set out to be good, goodness will never flower. If you cultivate humility, it ceases to be. Meditation is like the breeze that comes in when you leave the window open; but if you deliberately keep it open, deliberately invite it to come, it will never appear.

Krishnamurti The Only Revolution India Part 6

Insanity

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

Albert Einstein

Live like the lotus

May we live like the lotus, at home in the muddy water.

Judith Hanson Lasater

Why should I be angry with a man for loving himself better than me?

Francis Bacon

Teach the truth as you know it

Whatever you know, teach it with all your heart, give it fully from your heart, without any reservation. Teach the truth as you know it. This is the way to create space for more knowledge to flow through you and to accelerate your own evolution. As you continue to teach, you learn further and consolidate what you know. The more you learn, the more you can teach.

Yogi Hari

Remain with the feeling

Try remaining with the feeling of hate, with the feeling of envy, jealousy, with the venom of ambition; for after all, that's what you have in daily life, though you may want to live with love, or with the word 'love'. Since you have the feeling of hate, of wanting to hurt somebody with a gesture or a burning word, see if you can stay with that feeling. Can you? Have you ever tried? Try to remain with a feeling, and see what happens. You will find it amazingly difficult. Your mind will not leave the feeling alone; it comes rushing in with its remembrances, its associations, its do's and don'ts, its everlasting chatter. Pick up a piece of shell. Can you look at it, wonder at its delicate beauty, without saying how pretty it is, or what animal made it? Can you look without the movement of the mind? Can you live with the feeling behind the word, without the feeling that the word builds up? If you can, then you will discover an extraordinary thing, a movement beyond the measure of time, a spring that knows no summer.

Krishnamurti in "Commentaries On Living Series III" Aloneness Beyond Loneliness

A cell in the body of humanity

Your lower self sees you as the centre of the universe - your higher self sees you as a cell in the body of humanity.

Peace Pilgrim

Be like the flowers

Why not be like the flowers in the field without any reason? They live, they blossom, they expand. Their perfume is swept in the air by the wind and it is not contaminated by ideas, duties, motivations. Those things would twist the flowers in different directions.

Vanda Scaravelli in "Awakening the Spine" page 87