[MajestyJo]

Daily Guru

PERSONAL POWER



"The deep root of failure in our lives is to think, 'Oh how useless and powerless I am.' It is essential to think strongly and forcefully, 'I can do it,' without boasting or fretting."
-- Dalai Lama

Angeles Arrien says that whether we are male or female, we need to develop three kinds of power. People who hold these three powers cannot be ignored.

Power of presence - Being really present in each moment
Power of communication - Speaking my truth
Power of position - Being willing to take a stand
"A man's true state of power and riches is to be in himself."
-- Henry Ward Beecher

"We are no longer puppets being manipulated by outside powerful forces; we become the powerful force ourselves."
-- Leo Buscaglia

=====

BEING GENUINE



"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

When we don't know who we are -- or if we are afraid to be who we are -- we betray ourselves. We pretend to be who we think we are. Our self image is made up of our experiences, desires and other people's ideas and expectations of us.

Maintaining this false self is a betrayal of ourselves. In all deep spiritual journeys, there is the experience of betrayal. Betrayal always tells us to adjust our life to be more authentic. What we identify with is all important.

There are large betrayals (e.g., your partner leaving you) and small betrayals (e.g., disappointments). They are all experiences of being wounded for the purpose of breaking down the defenses of the personality. When we allow the wounding and accept the betrayals as divine gifts, we greatly benefit.
-- John Robson

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."
-- Dr. Seuss (via Elena)

"What you must dare is to be yourself."
-- Dag Hammarskjold

=====

THE CHALLENGE OF RELATIONSHIPS



"It doesn't much signify whom one marries, for one is sure to find out the next morning that it was someone else."
-- Samuel Rogers

Despite our passion for romantic love, relationships are not the easiest way to find love and peace. They are, however, one of the most effective for finding our blocks.

Relationships naturally bring out into full view our desires, attachments and unconscious programs - our likes, dislikes, belief systems, judgments, compulsions, conformities, etc. Relationships challenge us because they take us deep into thoughts, feelings and experiences we have suppressed for a lifetime. That's why they provide the very best arena for personal growth!
-- John Robson

"Human relationships are the perfect tool for sanding away our rough edges and getting at the core of divinity within us."
-- Eknath Easwaran

=====

THERE IS LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS



"Each difficult moment has the potential to open my eyes and open my heart."
-- Myla Kabat-Zinn

"Even the most daring and accomplished people have undergone tremendous difficulty. In fact, the more successful they became, the more they attributed their success to the lessons learned during their most difficult times. Adversity is our teacher. When we view adversity as a guide towards greater inner growth, we will then learn to accept the wisdom our soul came into this life to learn."
-- Barbara Rose

"No matter what difficulty you are facing, it is coming from Divine Light to bring you to a higher place within. Write down every conceivable reason that this situation can contribute towards your growth. Write down every way this experience can possibly set the stage for serving to uplift others. When you are complete, and have come to the other side of this experience, you will then know 'why' it happened."
-- Barbara Rose

"The period of greatest gain in knowledge and experience is the most difficult period in ones life."
-- Dalai Lama