SparkleShan

"Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a stroke of good luck."

"If through practice of insight you develop a sense of ease, then time has no relevance. If you're miserable, time does matter. It's so unbearable, so enormous; you want to get out of it as soon as possible."

"When you engage in fulfilling the needs of others, your own needs are fulfilled as a by-product."

Happiness is a state of mind. With physical comforts... if your mind is still in a state of confusion and agitation, it is not happiness. Happiness means calmness of mind."

"What irritates us in the first place us that our wishes are not fulfilled. But remaining upset does nothing to help fulfill those wishes. So we neither fulfill our wishes nor regain our cheerfulness. This disconcerted state, from which anger can grow, is most dangerous. We should never try to let our happy frame of mind be disturbed. Whether we are suffering at present or have suffered in the past, there is no reason to be unhappy."

"If the mind is tranquil and occupied with positive thoughts, the body will not easily fall prey to disease."

"I always believe that it is much better to have a variety of religions, a variety of philosophy. This is necessary because of the different mental dispositions of each human being. Each religion has certain unique ideas or techniques, and learning about them can only enrich one's own faith."

"All religions are essentially the same in their goal of developing a good human heart so that we may become better human beings."

If the mind is dominated by hatred, the best part of the brain, which is used to judge right and wrong, does not function properly."

"One aspect of compassion is to respect others' rights and to respect others' views. That is the basis of reconciliation. The human spirit of reconciliation based on compassion is working deep down, whether the person really knows it or not. Our basic human nature is gentleness; therefore, no matter how much we go through violence and other bad things, ultimately the proper solution is to return to human feeling and affection. So affection or compassion is not only a religious matter, but in our day-to-day life it is quite indispensable."

"On a daily basis, you must take more care of your mind than just money, money, money!

"It is our enemies qho provide us with the challenge we need to develop the qualities of tolerance, patience, and compassion."

"To develop genuine devotion, you must know the meaning of teachings. The main emphasis in Buddhism is to transform the mind, and this transformation depends upon meditation. In order to meditate correctly, you must have knowledge."

"Human potential is the same for all. Your feeling. "I am not of value," is wrong, Absolutely wrong. You are deceiving yourself. We all have the power of thought-so what are you lacking? If you have willpower, then you can do anything. It is usually said that you are your own master."

I have a desk calendar that has a new quote from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama for every day, I should have started this January 1st but didn't think about it. Reading over these quotes the last few days I find them to inspire me in my Buddhist Practice every day and for life in general. SO every day starting today I am going to post the quote of the Day on my blog. "What science finds to be nonexistent, we must accept as nonexistent, but what science merely does not find is a completely different matter. ...It is quite clear that there are many, many, mysterious things."

There are a few things that I have been very passionate about lately my family, my knitting and the environment and helping the people of Tibet. I always try to send out emails or talk to different people about such issues as the environment and human rights. But sometimes I don't feel like talking! So in the past few months I have been getting the word on such issues out there, by wearing it!

In another way to show my support for the Tibetan crisis, I have decided not to buy any products made in China. And for another reason why should we Americans give them anymore of our hard earned money?! We are already in debt to them billions of dollars for the Iraq war! Its kind of weird because in a way we are supporting communism, by giving them our money and borrowing money from them! The other day I was going to buy a Tibetan prayer bracelet, when I looked at the tag it said Made in China! Needless to say it went back on the shelf. And even though I'll be in the Middle East at the time I also am boycotting the 2008 Winter Olympics, I refuse to watch them.