Just as we put the rubbish out for collection, in the same way, at the same time, we can also put out the rubbish from our minds and hearts.  Throw out the wasteful thoughts and get rid of all the toxic emotions that have piled up.  And, remember once you’ve put the rubbish out, don’t…

Often, we view forgiveness as a favour to others, but in truth, it’s a gift to ourselves. Holding onto hurt, guilt, anger, and resentment consumes more energy than choosing to forgive. By forgiving, we not only find peace of mind but also free ourselves to move on and forward. Are you ready to forgive and…

“Wow…that’s beautiful!” Is either a cry or a thought when faced with the mountain sunset, a spectacular view or a well formed man or woman. But where is the beauty, where is the appreciation of beauty, where is the ability to discern beauty? It is within our own consciousness. For the essence of who and…

If you can see and accept that you create your own stress according to how you are responding, you will then see that there is something you need to unlearn as well as learn. The old response needs to be unlearned, and a new response needs to be learned.

As we mature spiritually there is less need to have our self-respect bolstered by praise and special attention. As our thought processes become more compassionate and less self obsessed, we feel increasingly satisfied with ourselves and our lives. We relate to people more easily and feel no need to draw attention to our successes or…

Try this experiment today. Enter the office with a straight face (not too straight). As you meet others who have a similar kind of straightness on their face, force yourself to smile. Then watch the other person return the smile – perhaps not to the same extent or for so long, or absolutely immediately –…

Next time you are waiting for anything, notice what you are wanting! This will be a source of your tension or impatience. All desire has fear built in – fear of not getting or losing, even before your desire is fulfilled. If you want to be free of fear in life, which is another way…

The heart is akin to a flower—it only releases its fragrance when open. This fragrance comprises the virtues and qualities of our spirit. Many of us have learned to guard our hearts in a world that can be harsh and unkind. To be open-hearted in today’s world often demands great courage. This courage emerges when…

We live in the age of ‘busy’. Busy people not only do a lot, they think a lot. The origins of ‘busy’ are mental. Mental tiredness is a symptom of the self going against the grain of the truth about the self. Being lost in thought, thinking constantly about things to do, what’s been done,…

The root of suffering is attachment. You have created a space in your mind that holds a person or object as part of you. When that person or object is criticized, neglected or not with you, you feel pain in your mind and you experience a sense of loss. True happiness springs from loving and…

Is there some time for yourself today – just for you, to sit quietly and refresh and renew. Not escaping into the TV, or thrashing around a squash court. Just time to sit quietly, focus your thoughts, check your priorities, make sure there is nothing negative pushing you down in your own mind. Take some…

Replace the words “I have to” with “I choose to” and notice the difference in how you feel.

Let the past be the past – both my past and the past of others. There’s no need to keep repeating the past in my head. Think: Whatever happened, happened, it’s OK for me to move on. Let me be supportive and make it easy, not difficult – for myself and others. When I stay…

You can only be in one place at any moment in time. If you feel you are missing out on something then you are. But it’s not the party, or being with another person that you’re missing, it’s your own life. As long as you are thinking of where you could be, you are marking…

Wherever I am is wherever I am meant to be, whatever I am doing is whatever I am meant to be doing and whatever everyone else is doing is exactly what they are meant to be doing – this is contentment. If you do want to change where you are, or what you are doing,…

Meditation allows us to accumulate a stock of pure and positive thoughts, this will easily and automatically finish all waste and negativity. Where there is light darkness does not exist, in the same way, wasteful and negative thoughts are just a lack of a pure and positive state of mind. Take moments throughout the day…

Ignorance makes you believe that life happens haphazardly. Wisdom teaches you that everything that happens in this theatre of life has profound significance. What you see today is not the fruit of chance but a fruit from a seed planted in the past. Plant seeds of peace now and you will create a life of…

If I want more roses in my garden, I start planting them. If I want more love in my life, I start spreading it. Surround yourself with what you like by continuously generating it!

Do you remember the importance of the present? In each moment the choice of an experience lies within the soul. When we are aware that we make choices, then we can choose to have good experiences in each moment. The most successful moments are the present moments. The most powerful moments are the present moments. These are the moments…

Though the mind often asks for what is visible or material, its needs are deeper and cannot be met by anything superficial or short term. Meditation leads to a meeting point with all that is true and eternal.

Leave worries aside and you will be surprised by the beauty of the sky and the colour of flowers, of the freshness of the breeze and the generosity of the sun. You will feel you are part of creation, and life will start to make sense. The greatest wealth is to appreciate what we have…

Don’t give your mind permission to get disturbed. A disturbed mind is easily influenced. This will cost you your peace. Learn to maintain your peace by freeing yourself from attachments. Competing or comparing yourself with others will not allow you to focus inwards. An inner focus allows you to keep your eye on your higher…

To forgive and forget is to reflect love. Situations pass, they cease to exist, but they continue to be alive in the mind. Open your heart and be generous, free yourself from that sorrow, forgive and forget and you will live every moment in peace.

There are no justified resentments. To resent someone is to fall under the illusion that they are the cause of our suffering. No one can die from a snake bite. It’s the poison that kills them. You may receive the poison of another’s words, or even just in a glance, but you don’t have to…

In the vast expanse of our minds, the simple act of keeping the ‘switch of awareness’ perpetually on serves as a powerful conduit to maintaining a resilient and positive outlook. This metaphorical switch, when flipped on, illuminates the darker recesses of our thoughts, enabling us to see with clarity and perspective. It’s about being mindful…

People spend most of their lives running after things, doing things. They forget that being comes before doing. Those who remember this secret make an effort to “be” and discover that when they stop and observe, life helps and brings whatever is needed. Learning to be is learning to be at peace. It is our…

Determined thoughts disperse the clouds of negative situations. A lot of negative situations are bound to come our way, resulting in grief, pain and disappointment. At the time, such difficulties feels insurmountable and seem to last forever. I need to recognise that the difficulties I face are like passing clouds. These clouds gather around me…

The more a person depends on a pattern of thinking, a particular person or a particular role, the more there is fear of loss. The security created by dependence is illusion. The reality of life is that anything external to ourselves can, at any time, vanish. What will we do then? Where is our life’s…

A wise sea captain caught in a tropical storm knows that if he holds his vessel on the periphery it will get hurled from one side to the other. If he can reach the eye of the storm, he will enter a place of stillness. The storm will then subside and the ship can continue…

Contentment does not come to those whose means are great, but to those whose needs are few.

It is when we silence the chattering of our mind that we can truly hear what is in our heart and find the still, clear purity that lies within the soul. Spiritual love carries us into the silence of our original state of being. This silence contains the power to create harmony in all relationships…

Spirituality teaches me to see my responsibility and what causes I am setting in motion by my thoughts, words and actions. I just have to fulfill my responsibilities and the rights will automatically follow, because they are the effect. This may not happen immediately, but it is inevitable. The law of cause and effect, action…

Is life an obstacle course? Sometimes it may feel like it. If you join the military you will be sent around an obstacle course of increasing degrees of difficulty. Why? To increase your strength and stamina and expand your creative capacity under strain. So it is on the course called ‘life’ – you can choose…

The biggest disease of the mind is over-thinking, especially too much thinking about others: What they did, what they should do, what they should have done, what they said, what you wished they had said, why they spoke at all. All of these rob the mind of its inherent serenity. Thinking too much is like…

The law of life is constant renewal. So, let everything flow – air, water, light, thoughts and feelings. Go beyond everything that is old in this world: old ideas; old concepts; old methods. Look with new eyes and do things differently based on inner values.

Amidst the earthquakes of unexpected situations, the hurricanes of unreasonable behaviour, when fortune strikes against me, I will remain unmoved, knowing that finally all will be well.

When someone disbelieves us, we usually argue back and try to prove our point. Yet we find that the more we talk, the less people listen. Unable to convince them, we end up frustrated. Instead, when someone challenges my words, I should think about whether they might be right. Rather than stubbornly clinging to my…

When you can think of yesterday without regret and tomorrow without fear, you are near contentment.

If you are helping someone and expecting something in return you are doing business not kindness.

Despite its size, an ant can drive an elephant to distraction simply by crawling into its ear. This serves as a powerful reminder of how even the smallest irritant can have a massive impact. Similarly, allowing even the slightest negative remark about someone to enter our minds can diminish our spiritual tranquillity and our inherent…

True happiness flourishes in the absence of fear. Fear is a pervasive toxin that contaminates our minds, thriving on our insecurities, dread of loss, solitude, feelings of not being enough, and our attachments. Know that you are deserving of love and capable of loving in return. Recognise this as an undeniable truth. Treat yourself with…

Within our consciousness lies a serene oasis, the essence of our soul. This core, though molten, radiates a cool tranquility. It’s not merely passive; it’s a reservoir of inner strength that energizes our mind and intellect. This enables us to forge potent thoughts and execute precise decisions. By mastering the art of accessing this central…

True peace can be experienced only when we stop giving and taking sorrow. In order not to give sorrow we need a clear heart that has no ill feelings and for not taking sorrow we need a big heart that can tolerate and help other souls to get over their weaknesses.

Many of us have the tendency to postpone even the most important things to the last moment. We assume we will be able to get things done later. But sometimes the unexpected intervenes and everything collapses under the added strain. When I remain focused I am able to prioritise. I understand that small tasks can…

When I become excessively critical towards others, it means I am going in the wrong direction. We are usually very good at spotting mistakes, but we should develop the quality of also spotting goodness. If I can see what is good in others or in situations and go beyond the curtain of negativity, I feel…

Fill your mind with peace and good feelings and your mind will give that experience in return. Whatever you are experiencing in your mind now is what you put there earlier on.

Many of us, while sound of mind, struggle to find harmony and peace. We’re capable of thinking and creativity, yet controlling our thoughts and co-creating in harmony often eludes us. Mental training could help us harness the mind’s immense power, readily available to us. Mindfulness offers a starting point. It’s about being fully present in…

Patience is a reflection of the peaceful mind. My peaceful mind is able to cope with all situations without becoming disturbed and agitated. It calmly accepts the resolution of circumstances and, with this patience acquires the power to deal with all situations.

Whatever you give comes back to you. Whatever you take will not stay with you.

Everything that comes to us, comes to pass or, more accurately, for us to pass on. Not just the money in our pocket, but wisdom, objects, ideas, even opportunities, all come to us, so that, at the right moment, we can pass them on. This is called flow. Being in the flow means being aware…

If I allow bitterness and resentment to fester inside, it will make my relationships guarded and unsatisfying. The more I close down to others, the more I become a stranger to myself. By letting go of sorrow and negativity, I can keep my nature open and loving. Remaining open to life, with its constant adventures…