Tagged with: small

The great arises out of small things that are honored and cared for. Everybody’s life really consists of small things. Greatness is a mental abstraction and a favorite fantasy of the ego. The paradox is that the foundation for greatness is honoring the small things of the present moment instead of pursuing the idea of greatness. The present moment is always small in the sense that it is always simple, but concealed within it lies the greatest power. Like the atom, it is one of the smallest things yet contains enormous power. Only when you align yourself with the present moment do you have access to that power. Or it may be more true to say that it then has access to you and through you to this world.

The great arises out of small things that are honored and cared for. Everybody’s life really consists of small things. Greatness is a mental abstraction and a favorite fantasy of the ego. The paradox is that the foundation for greatness is honoring the small things of the present moment instead of pursuing the idea of greatness. The present moment is always small in the sense that it is always simple, but concealed within it lies the greatest power. Like the atom, it is one of the smallest things yet contains enormous power. Only when you align yourself with the present moment do you have access to that power. Or it may be more true to say that it then has access to you and through you to this world.

The next time you’re doing something like cleaning your car, packing for a trip or just going to the store, see if you can remember to hear that small voice that tells you what you may forget. So often I find that later in the day or week, I remember hearing the words “don’t forget that”, “pick that up”, “write that down” or “take that with you”. Then I think back and realize, if I had really been paying attention, I’d have listened and written it down, picked it up or taken it with me and not forgotten whatever it was. It feels great when you listen to that small voice and really contributes to optimizing each moment and even the future.

The next time you’re doing something like cleaning your car, packing for a trip or just going to the store, see if you can remember to hear that small voice that tells you what you may forget. So often I find that later in the day or week, I remember hearing the words “don’t forget that”, “pick that up”, “write that down” or “take that with you”. Then I think back and realize, if I had really been paying attention, I’d have listened and written it down, picked it up or taken it with me and not forgotten whatever it was. It feels great when you listen to that small voice and really contributes to optimizing each moment and even the future.

Many small people, who in many small places, do many small things, can alter the face of the world. Click here for the image

Many small people, who in many small places, do many small things, can alter the face of the world. Click here for the image

Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.

Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.

Little by little, we change the world we live in. Even the grand, earth-shaking events of history have their origins in individual thought.

Little by little, we change the world we live in. Even the grand, earth-shaking events of history have their origins in individual thought.

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You’re More Than You’re Cracked Up to Be

When self-centeredness comes to an end, we discover not that our “self” has ceased to exist but that the self is not what we thought. The self is no longer an inner sanctum of private experience or a narrow set of personal needs or expectations. Our world is our self, rather than our self being our world. Rather than constantly trying to impose our self onto life, we realize that all of life is who and what we are. Or, as Dogen put it: “To carry the self forward and illuminate myriad things is ...

- Barry Magid

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Experience

This is a blog post I wrote years ago. It’s interesting for me to go back and see where I was at different points in life.

I used to think that I was David experiencing life. Now I feel that I am Life experiencing David.

The more and more I sit back and witness the unfolding experience of this character named David, the less and less I am identified with his mind. For so long, my experience was the view that David’s mind projected on the day to day. I am starting to realize that this is a ...

- David

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