Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Keys to Successful Living Part 1
Keys to Successful Living
Part 1
Everyone wants to be
successful in life, but where are the keys to success? Do we have to go out and
search for those keys, or do we have those potentials already within ourselves?
When we begin to examine life, we can see that it is divided into two aspects –
life within and life without; internal life and external life – and we can see
that these aspects are of equal importance. Even if we have renounced the
world, gone far away from civilization, and we live in the wilderness doing
nothing but meditation, we cannot ignore external life. We still have to see
that we eat, do our ablutions, and perform our practices on time. So life in
the external world is as important as life in the internal world.
Even one who has
renounced the world has to understand the word relationship properly, because life itself is actually
relationship. The body is related to the breath, and the breath is related to
the mind. The body, breath, senses, and mind all function together as a unit. So
life virtually means relationship, and thus the art of living and being
requires an understanding of one’s relationship to the external world and the
relationships within oneself.
Choose The Right!!
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Benjamin's Virtues
The
Benjamin 13-Week Self-Improvement Challenge
Energy and persistence
conquer all things.
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin
Franklin’s 13 Virtues
Franklin
tracked his progress on charts he created. The first letter of each day was
listed on top and the first letter of each virtue was indicated down the left
side. He would add a dot if he felt he fell short of meeting that virtue on a
given day. Benjamin Franklin carried these charts with him as a reminder of his
personal plan of conduct.
The
following 13 virtues continue to be relevant today. Next to each virtue is
Franklin’s definition.
1. Temperance
“Eat not to dullness”
2. Silence
“Speak not but what may benefit others or
yourself. Avoid trifling conversation”
3. Order
“Let all your things have their places. Let
each part of your business have its time.”
4. Resolution
“Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform
without fail what you resolve.”
5. Frugality
“Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself;
i.e. Waste nothing.”
6. Industry
“Lose no time. Be always employed in
something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions.”
7. Sincerity
“Use no hurtful deceit. Think innocently and
justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly.”
8. Justice
“Wrong none, by doing injuries or omitting
the benefits that are your duty.”
9. Moderation
“Avoid extremes. Forebear resenting injuries
so much as you think they deserve.”
10. Cleanliness
“Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or
habitation.”
11. Chastity
“I would never do anything that would
disrespect my wife.”
12. Tranquility
“Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents
common or unavoidable.”
13. Humility
Like “Socrates.”
Choose
The Right!!
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