Two Quotes Today

Two quotes today. The first one I came across yesterday while browsing The Natural Awareness Facebook page."Of all the footprints, that of the elephant is the greatest. Of all the meditations, contemplation of death is the greatest." (Shakyamuni Buddha)The second I wrote down a couple of weeks ago. Michael Meade mentioned it in one of his talks that I downloaded and listened to on the mail route. “Take your well-disciplined strengths and stretch them between two opposing poles. Because inside human beings is where God learns.” --Rainer Maria Rilke

Some Questions To Ponder Before Bed

"Every event and circumstance in this world is dependent on complex causes and conditions that are constantly arising and disappearing. The pleasures, conditions, beliefs, and relationships that I rely on — which of them is genuinely reliable and lasting? What am I taking for granted? As I observe the world about me, I can see that everything changes — nothing stays the same. The inhabitants of the world come and go. Every one of them will die. Though I see change, impermanence, and death all around me, I act as though I were going to live forever — but I too will die. My death will definitely come, and I have no idea when. I may live a long time, or I may die today. What I do know is that each day brings me one day closer to my inevitable death. Nothing — not wealth, intelligence, strength, power, friends or family — will prevent me from dying. Where in my life do I ignore change? What am I trying to cling to? What is really important to me? Am I living the life that I want?"-- George Draffan

Control and Influence

"We overestimate our control and underestimate our influence."--George Draffan

Separate

"International trade and the whole corporate state are based on a set of delusions that have been institutionalizing and hemming us in for six thousand years. We weren't always so destructive. But for some reason maybe six thousand years ago we began to see ourselves as separate from the world, separate from--and set against--other tribes, other cultures, other species: others. How you behave depends on how you see and feel your self. Once we see ourselves as separate from the rest of the world, we start to see every other being as a mere thing, and we begin to believe that we can get away with working our will on the world, that there wouldn't be negative consequences for attempting to do so, for pretending we're separate. But as you once wrote, Derrick, ignorance or denial of ecological law in no way exempts us from consequences of our actions."--George Draffan

Santayana on Fanaticism

"Fanaticism consists in redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim."-- George Santayana

I got the idea for this post HERE.