Rumi
-
Self-imposed limitations
“Why do you stay in prison, when the door is so wide open?” ~Rumi, Sufi poet As my late parents used to remind me, sometimes we’re responsible for creating our own obstacles. The good news is that we also have the power to move past them. Throughout my life, I’ve found this to be true. How often do we limit ourselves when opportunities are wide open to us? How often do we deceive ourselves into thinking we don’t have the ability to achieve a particular goal? How often do we think a door is closed to us when it really isn’t? ~CL Subscribers: Did you miss any posts last week?…
-
Luminosity
“Look carefully around you and recognize the luminosity of souls. Sit beside those who draw you to that.” ~Rumi Other people’s moods and opinions are contagious. In fact, there’s a clinical study suggesting that we become like the five people with whom we spend most of our time. (Have you ever noticed how so many married couples and best friends actually resemble each other?) According to this theory, if your spouse, peer group, and coworkers are serial pessimists and complainers, you might be one too. Psychological studies aside, I’m drawn to folks who spread their sunshine and beam me out of the shadows when I’m down. The world is dark…
-
Inner peace
“Remember: The entrance door to the sanctuary is always inside you.” ~Rumi Whenever I’m under stress, my first impulse is to look outside myself for relief. I might reach for an easy distraction — say, snacking on something I shouldn’t eat, surfing the web, or watching a mindless program on television. But as the poet Rumi reminds us, the key to serenity is within us. We won’t find it elsewhere. The challenge is learning how to unlock the door to our own place of peace and comfort. ~CL Photo by Cindy La Ferle
-
Changing for the better
Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself. ~Rumi
-
Kindness
“Be generous. Be grateful. Confess when you’re not.” ~Rumi (translated by Coleman Barks)