Joseph Campbell on Coping Skills

As you proceed through life following your own path, birds will shit on you. Don't bother to brush it off. Getting a comedic view of your situation gives you spiritual distance. Having a sense of humor saves you.

Joseph Campbell
A Joseph Campbell Companion: Reflections on the Art of Living

Source: Joseph Campbell on facebook

Earth Day Wisdom

Humankind must be a steward of the Earth;
Caretakers for all that dwells upon it;
To be of one heart with all things.

Human beings must learn to share
the tears of every living thing,
To feel in our hearts the pain
of the wounded animal,
each crushed blade of grass;

Mother Earth is our flesh;
the rocks, our bones;
The rivers are the blood of our veins.

We are all children of God.
Traditions are open to anyone
who wants to learn.

Huichol Holy Man

Source: Tieroana Low Dog, M.D. on facebook

John Stortz on Expectations

Good people, a good view and a half obedient mutt are about all you could ever ask for. 

John Stortz
Photographer

johnstortz on instagram

Source: instagram.com

Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee on Nature

There are so many ways to pray for and with creation, to listen within and include the earth in our spiritual practice. Watching the simple wonder of a dawn can be a prayer in itself. Or when we hear the chorus of birds in the morning we may sense that deeper joy of life and awake to its divine nature. At night the stars can remind us of what is infinite and eternal within us and within the world. Whatever way we are drawn to wonder or pray, what matters is always the attitude we bring to this intimate exchange, whether our prayers are heartfelt rather than just a mental repetition.

Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee 

Source: Spiritual Ecology on facebook 

Jeff Brown on Heroism

There are heroes everywhere on this planet. EVERYWHERE. If we only listen to the unconscious media and manipulative marketers, we will only recognize a small few. It serves those systems to focus our energies away from our own heroic nature. But if we look beyond those agendas, we will see heroes everywhere we look: parents who sacrifice so their children will have better lives, individuals who courageously challenge inhumane paradigms, brave folk who steadily overcome their emotional debris and find the faith to go on, homeless people who find their optimism again after a night on the streets. Simply overcoming the distracting and repressive weight of the world is a heroic gesture, seldom acknowledged. It takes a hero to brave this life. It takes a hero to live authentically. It takes a hero to keep their heart open after a lifetime of disappointment. Let's expand our definition of heroism. Let's look for heroes in unexpected places. Let's look for them in quiet corners. Let's even look for them in the mirror. There are heroes everywhere on this planet.

Jeff Brown

Source: Jeff Brown on facebook.

Les Brown on Forgiveness

Forgive anyone who caused you pain or harm.  Keep in mind that forgiving is not for others, it is for you. Forgiving is not forgetting.  It is remembering without anger. It frees up your power, heals your body, mind, and spirit. Forgiveness opens up a pathway to new places of peace where you can thrive despite what has happened to you.

Les Brown

Source: The Healing Feather and Watching Whales on facebook.

Leo Buscgalia on Love

Find the person who will love you because of your differences and not in spite of them and you have found a lover for life.

Leo Buscaglia

Source: goodreads.com

Movie Wisdom: We Bought A Zoo

Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon): You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.

Benjamin Mee, book
Aline Brosh McKenna and Cameron Crowe, screenplay
We Bought A Zoo
2011, Twentieth Century Fox

Source: imdb.com

Zelda Fitzgerald on Love

Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the heart can hold.

Zelda Fitzgerald

Source: goodreads.com

Elie Wiesel on Indifference

The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.

Elie Wiesel

Source: goodreads.com

Lissa Rankin on Nature

There is a Oneness and a peace and a communion that is unique to connecting to Mother Earth.

Walk in the forest and touch the rough bark of the trees. Let them breathe their essence into you.

Sit on the beach with your bare feet in the sand and then skip through the crashing waves. Let them course their energy through you.

There is a sacredness sitting atop a mountain peak listening to the wind or reveling in the raw force and beauty of the coyote's call. 

Take time daily for core infusions of the gift that is this Earth and give back the best that is within you.

Lissa Rankin

Source: The Inner Flame

TV Show Wisdom: Make Room for Daddy

Danny Williams (Danny Thomas) to teenage singing discovery Janine Poloka (Brenda Lee): Look, Janine, you have a wonderful voice, you sing great. How many hours in a day can you sing? One hour? Two hours a day? The rest of the time, when you open your mouth, it will be to speak. In the years to come, it will be to speak to your husband, perhaps, or your children, your neighbors, members of your community. And, when you do speak, it better make sense, what you say; the sense that comes from learning.

Darling, an education is a very important thing; especially in these progressive times. There is room only for the educated today. Never before, in the history of the world, has education been so important than it is now. And, the entire fate of the world depends upon the education of our young people.

Now, I'm not saying all you kids are going to become nuclear physicists, but you shouldn't throw away the opportunity to learn. This chance may not come your way again, and your voice, your talent, is God-given; you'll always have that.  And, even if you decide, after it's all over, you want to be in show business, an education isn't necessarily a handicap. Don't throw away this chance, honey. Give your brain the opportunity to grow to the size of your voice.

Now, you can still take this contract if you want, but before you do, I'd like to call your attention to another contract.

This one is between two people, just you and me, And, in it, I guarantee to finance your education, all through college on the condition that, after you graduate, if you still decide you want to be in show business, you have to come back to Mr. Halper and me.

Now the choice is yours. Take whichever contract you want.

[Janine chooses the second contract.]

Mrs. Poloka (Naomi Stevens): Mr. Williams, you are a good man.

Charley Halper (Sid Melton) heads to the door, appearing shaken: Whew.

Kathy Williams (Marjorie Lord): Oh, Charlie, what's the matter with you? Don't be a sore head.

Charley Halper: Who's sore? After that talk, I'm so ashamed of myself, I'm going to sign up for night school!

Danny Williams discovers immigrant house cleaner, Mrs. Poloka's teenage daughter, Janine, is a tremendous singing talent (No kidding, Janine is played by singer Brenda Lee!) and wants to sign her to sing at his night club. Staring financial security for her mother and her dream to sing in the face, Janine considers dropping out of high school, smashing her mother's dreams for her daughter to have an education and security in America, to take the job. Once Mrs. Poloka reluctantly tells the unwitting Danny Williams her story, he realizes how short-sighted he may have been in his desire to sign a new discovery, and finds another way.

Make Room for Daddy
Teenage Thrush, 1961
Written by Jack Elinson and Charles Stewart
Marterto Productions

Source: imdb.com and youtube.com

Damon Throop on Attributes

It is easy to tell confidence from pride. Confidence lifts, encourages, helps, and is full of gratitude. Pride demeans, mocks, destroys, and is bitter and resentful. 

Damon Throop

Source: The Power of Change on facebook

Socrates on Knowing

The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing.

Socrates

Source: New I Ching on facebook

David Deida on Wisdom

Spiritual practice is the capacity to offer your love even when you feel hurt, closed down, tense, angry, misunderstood, or hated.

David Deida

Source: peaceful daily on facebook