It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great person is one who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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{Photography by Luisvilla}

“I am going to pose a question,” King Milinda said to Venerable Nagasena. “Can you answer?”

Nagasena said: “Please ask your question.”
The King said: “I have already asked.”
Nagasena said: “I have already answered.”
The King said: “What did you answer?”
Nagasena said: “What did you ask?”
The King said: “I asked nothing”
Nagasena said: “I answered nothing”

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{Photography by Natalie Maynor}

Buddhism: Look within, you are the Buddha
Christianity: The kingdom of heaven is within you
Confucianism: Heaven, earth and human are of one body
Yoga: God dwells within you as you
Upanishads: By understanding the self, all this universe is known

(Photography by Tambako the Jaguar}

There was once a samurai who wanted to learn the difference between heaven and hell. He sought until he found a master from whom he thought he could learn. He stood before the Master and asked him what was the difference between heaven and hell. The Master took the samurai’s sword and, turning it to the flat of the blade, struck the samurai on the head. The samurai was surprised at this but chose to ignore it. He thought that the Master had failed to understand his question. He once again asked the Master about the difference between heaven and hell. Again the Master struck the samurai on the head. The samurai staggered back and puzzled over this. He approached with his question for a third time and, before he could utter a word, the Master struck him a third time. The samurai was now so enraged at this behaviour that he grabbed his sword from the Master, raised it over his head and was prepared to bring it down on the Master’s head when the Master raised one finger and the samurai paused.

“That is hell,” said the Master.

The samurai was instantly so overcome by the courage of this frail old man – to have risked his life for the sake of a stranger’s question – that he fell to his knees and bowed before the Master.

“That is heaven,” said the Master.

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{Photography by Zonabar}

Wikipedia: John Cage

Death is not an event in life: we do not live to experience death. If we take eternity to mean not infinite temporal duration but timelessness, then eternal life belongs to those who live in the present.

Ludwig Wittgenstein

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{Photography by Col Adamson}

Mindful eating is a practice that engages all parts of us—our body, our heart, and our mind—in choosing, preparing, and eating food. It immerses us in the colors, textures, scents, tastes, and even sounds of drinking and eating. It allows us to be curious and even playful as we investigate our responses to food and our inner cues to hunger and satisfaction.

Mindful eating is not based on anxiety about the future but directed by the actual choices that are in front of you and by your direct experiences of health while eating and drinking. Mindful eating replaces self-criticism with self-nurturing. It replaces shame with respect for your own inner wisdom.

- Jan Chozen Bays, “Mindful Eating” (Summer 2009)

Related Links: Smart SuperFoods

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{Photography by Special KRB}

In a state of mindfulness, you see yourself exactly as you are. You see your own selfish behavlor. You see your own suffering. And you see how you create that suffering. You see how you hurt others. You pierce right through the layer of lies that you normally tell yourself, and you see what is really there. Mindfulness leads to wisdom.

- Bhante Henepola Gunaratana

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{Photography by Mindfulness}