Words of Wisdom

 

We’ve collected our favorite words of wisdom from Mendek Rubin and authors and teachers everywhere.

What resonates with you? 

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Myra’s Blog Posts Featuring Words of Wisdom

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Why Are We Here?
Why Are We Here?

I’ve pondered the meaning of life since I was a young girl. I remember being outside in the countryside on a moonless night when I was eight. Looking up at the countless bright stars in the dark sky, I felt full to bursting with a fierce longing to comprehend the vastness of the universe and the meaning of life. I found my father and with great hope asked, “Daddy, why are we here?”

Wisdom
Wisdom

What is wisdom? It definitely goes beyond the information our brain is constantly accumulating. Wisdom is somehow recognized by our entire body and soul as right, healthy and helpful—something that aligns us with a deeper, more timeless truth that helps us live with more peace and ease. I found the following description of wisdom by Yung Pueblo beautiful, so I wanted to share it with you.

Stop Running from Pain
Stop Running from Pain

A huge part of my personal healing journey has been about developing the ability to fully embrace difficult emotions instead of trying to run away or suppress them, which is why I greatly appreciate the following wise words from Glennon Doyle on why we should stop resisting pain.

Rest
Rest

Today’s Pause to Ponder post was excerpted from a chapter titled “Rest” from “Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words,” by poet and philosopher, David Whyte. In this gem of a book, Whyte dives into the meaning of 52 different words as he explores and illuminates the complex experience of being human.

Setting Our Children Free
Setting Our Children Free

Today’s short Pause to Ponder post features a poem by the wise Lebanese-American writer, poet and artist, Kahlil Gibran. It’s from his book “The Prophet,” which was published in 1923 and has sold over 100 million copies worldwide.

The Energy of Peace
The Energy of Peace

Today I’m sharing some wisdom from Diego Perez’s newest book, The Way Forward. Diego writes under the pen name Yung Pueblo, which means “young people.” The name is meant to convey an optimistic outlook for humanity—that we’re entering an era where many of us will experience expanded self-awareness, growth and healing.

Turning People Into Trees
Turning People Into Trees

Today’s short Pause to Ponder post features beautiful wisdom about acceptance from the spiritual teacher Ram Dass, excerpted from one of his teachings shared by the Love Serve Remember Foundation.

What Are Your Feelings Telling You?
What Are Your Feelings Telling You?

Real emotional maturity is how thoroughly you let yourself feel anything. Everything. Whatever comes… What you have to know is that suffering is just the refusal to accept what is. That’s it. Etymologically, it comes from the Latin word to “from below to bear.” Or, to “resist, endure, put under.”  So healing is really just letting yourself feel. 

What is Your Envy Telling You?
What is Your Envy Telling You?

“People don’t like to feel envy. They feel like it’s kind of like a taboo. They don’t want to feel that. They think that they’re a bad person for feeling that. But actually, envy is very instructive, because envy tells us something about desire. I always say to people: Follow your envy. It tells you what you want.” —Lori Gottlieb

Patience
Patience

“‘Expect anything worthwhile to take a long time.” This is borrowed from the wise and wonderful Debbie Millman, for it’s hard to better capture something so fundamental yet so impatiently overlooked in our culture of immediacy.” —Maria Popova’s blog, The Marginalian

Prioritizing Our Own Happiness
Prioritizing Our Own Happiness

“If your happiness depends on your children being happy, that makes them your hostages. So stay out of their business, stop using them for your happiness, and be your own happiness. And that way you are the teacher for your children: someone who knows how to live a happy life.” —Byron Katie, from "Question Your Thinking, Change the World: Quotations from Byron Katie"

The Power of Presence
The Power of Presence

“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present moment. This is the beginning and the end of spiritual practice. Only in this moment can we discover that which is timeless. Only here can we find the love that we seek. Love in the past is simply memory, and love in the future is fantasy. Only in the reality of the present can we love, can we awaken, can we find peace and understanding and connection with ourselves and the world.” —Jack Kornfield, from A Path with Heart: A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life

An Expanded Universe
An Expanded Universe

“The spiritual world provides a sense of wonder and a degree of open-mindedness not always found within the confines of science. The world of reason can be narrow and filled with dead ends, while a spiritual viewpoint is limitless and invites fantastic possibilities. The unseen world is boundless…“ —Rick Rubin, From The Creative Act: A Way of Being

Loyalty to Ourselves
Loyalty to Ourselves

“Every time you’re given a choice between disappointing someone else and disappointing yourself, your duty is to disappoint that someone else. Your job, throughout your entire life, is to disappoint as many people as it takes to avoid disappointing yourself.” — Glennon Doyle, from Untamed

Saying “Yes” to Life
Saying “Yes” to Life

“Always say “yes” to the present moment. What could be more futile, more insane, than to create inner resistance to what already is? What could be more insane than to oppose life itself, which is now and always now? Surrender to what is. Say “yes” to life — and see how life suddenly starts working for you rather than against you.” ― Eckhart Tolle

Is Free-Thinking an Oxymoron?
Is Free-Thinking an Oxymoron?

“We seldom realize, for example, that our most private thoughts and emotions are not actually our own. For we think in terms of languages and images which we did not invent, but which were given to us by our society…” —Alan Watts, from The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are

The Gift of Deep Listening
The Gift of Deep Listening

“I suspect that the most basic and powerful way to connect with another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention. And especially if it's from the heart. When people are talking, there's no need to do anything but receive them. Just take them in. Listen to what they're saying. Care about it. Most times caring about it is even more important than understanding it.” — Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D, from Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories that Heal

A Passion for Proverbs
A Passion for Proverbs

I recently learned about a field of study dedicated to the collection and study of proverbs: Paremiology. As someone who greatly appreciates cleverly conveyed wisdom, this discovery made me both curious and happy.

Choosing Joy
Choosing Joy

This week, I feel moved to share three quotes that get me thinking and smiling. They remind me of my father because he lived as if happiness was his North Star. When something got in the way of his ability to truly enjoy and savor his life, he applied his inventor’s mind to investigating the problem, and always started by looking within with courage and honesty.

Fault-Finding Mind
Fault-Finding Mind

Many months ago, I saw a powerful quote in a magazine that has continued to stay with me: “Instead of having a fault-finding mind, develop the beautiful attitude of gratitude.” This wise advice was written by a British-Australian Theravada Buddhist monk named Ajahn Brahm, author of a number of books, including, Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung?—Inspiring Stories for Welcoming Life’s Difficulties.

Wisdom from Martha Beck
Wisdom from Martha Beck

As a best-selling author, speaker and life coach, Martha Beck helps countless people by unveiling the most intimate details of her life and healing journey as she shares the powerful lessons she’s gleaned with honesty, bravery, pragmatism and humor.