“No doubt a critical mind is a quality, but one might wish some people would become aware of how much damage they cause with their habit of continually stressing the negative side of people and things. So many friendships and relationships break down because of this tendency! Increasingly, people look at one other only to find fault, they see only what is going wrong in the world, they focus and comment only on failures and disasters. Contrary to what some people think, this is not the attitude of someone who is wise.
Of course, the wise are not blind, they can see evil, they are not taken in, but they consider that what is important in life and in beings is the good that is in them. So they know evil exists, but they’re not so preoccupied with it. Rather, they focus on the good, and with that attitude they attract the forces of good and nurture them in themselves, in others and in the world.”
Of course, the wise are not blind, they can see evil, they are not taken in, but they consider that what is important in life and in beings is the good that is in them. So they know evil exists, but they’re not so preoccupied with it. Rather, they focus on the good, and with that attitude they attract the forces of good and nurture them in themselves, in others and in the world.”
“When the Master governs, the people are hardly aware that he exists. Next best is a leader who is loved. Next, one who is feared. The worst is one who is despised. If you don’t trust the people; you make them unstrustworthy.
The Master doesn’t talk, he acts. When his work is done, the people says “Amazint”: We did it all by ourselves!”
Perseverance
“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will”.
“Unlike proud people, who tend to retreat into disdainful aloofness, vain people make themselves known everywhere; they need to be noticed, sought after, invited, photographed and
praised. And even if they realize their weakness costs them a great deal (in wasted time or money), it is very difficult for them to rise above it. Their need for recognition, for fame, gets the better of them every time and leads them into all kinds of pointless, even harmful, expenditure. So, what is the answer? It’s natural to want recognition or fame, but this need should
be directed elsewhere….”
praised. And even if they realize their weakness costs them a great deal (in wasted time or money), it is very difficult for them to rise above it. Their need for recognition, for fame, gets the better of them every time and leads them into all kinds of pointless, even harmful, expenditure. So, what is the answer? It’s natural to want recognition or fame, but this need should
be directed elsewhere….”
“Money is obviously necessary, but as soon as you have enough to live on it’s better if it remains a minor concern, otherwise you will have to sacrifice all that’s best in you to it. For, suppose you amass a fortune, what will you really gain if it blunts your sensitivity? You will not even be able to enjoy the advantages your fortune brings you; you’ll no longer feel anything. You will have everything you want, but you’ll be miserable, for you will have destroyed that something inside you that gives the most exquisite flavour to everything you taste. And that’s what unhappiness is: to have the possibility of obtaining anything, possessing anything, and yet not feel any joy from it! So if you have to choose between these two situations – owning everything but losing the ability to appreciate it or, on the other hand, owning very little but keeping your zest for life – choose to keep your zest for life, and the least thing will bring you joy.”
“Avoid criticizing others, especially if you are not sure of the facts you are mentioning, for spoken words never fail to have consequences. If you slander someone, you awaken negativity in that person, or in yourself or those who hear you. You may be obliged to speak in a negative way about a person who has behaved badly, but in that case, so as to make a point of being constructive, don’t forget to end your conversation by mentioning one of their qualities – they must have at least one! Emphasizing people’s faults has never helped them improve. And when you merely criticize people without mentioning they also have certain qualities, you just make things worse, and that isn’t a constructive attitude. If you wish to behave like a conscious being, when you are forced to say something negative, try to end with something positive – even if it’s only to mention a second person who possesses the qualities the first one lacks. Yes, the important thing is always to end with something positive.”