Some thoughts on this Friday

Here are some more thoughts from reading The Dance by Oriah Mountain Dreamer. Here are some quotes that I particularly liked.

I am less interested in people’s articulated spiritual beliefs or political philosophies and more interested in whether or not they are true to themselves even when it costs them something, whether or not they can be kind when it is easier to be indifferent, whether or not they can remember that to be human is to be flawed and spectacular and deeply compassionate. (p. 15)

I think to just be yourself when everyone is looking is an accomplishment. And being compassionate is something that I find to be a good trait.

I do not seek perfection. I simply seek to remember who and what I am everyday. I seek the people and places and practices that support the expanding of this awareness in my day, in my life, in my choices. Our lives are the story of how we remember. (p. 29)

Always progress and not perfection in my life. And to be reminded of who and what I am keeps me humble and makes me realize that we are all flawed.

There is a difference between being the determiner in your life and being the controller. We often confuse the two. The desire to control is a normal human response to fear. The ability to determine is the ability to remember who and what you are…(p. 80)

I know that I don't want to be the controller, yet I lapse into the fear that controls me at times. Not letting my ego control me is a struggle.

To live deeper we have to go to the places that help us find a slower rhythm. But simply going to these places is not enough. We have to let these places touch us, change us, speak to us. (p. 117)

I'm go to those places as often as I can. I seek them out. And they provide me with comfort and help still my anxieties.

There is a difference between happiness–offering who you are to the world and knowing it is enough–and pleasure and ease. (p. 140)

I am still working on this. I think that being surrounded by so much that promotes ease and pleasure makes me forget that it's just enough to be happy. There are only few things that I really need as opposed to those things that I may want.

Hope that you have a great weekend. It's a holiday weekend here so I'm going to make the most of that.