It is man's foremost duty to awaken the understanding of the inner Self and to know his own real inner greatness.  Once he knows his true worth, he can know the worth of others.

          --Swami Muktananda

True happiness, we are told, consists in getting out of one's self, but the point is not only to get out--we must stay out; and to stay out one must have some absorbing errand.

          --William James

From the great doctor Gordon Livingston, M.D.

Pithy thought for the New Year.

"To the degree that one's choices become constrained by the need to avoid anxiety, one's life shrinks."

Dr. Livingston's other writings include the books Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart (which I plan to re-read in January) and And Never Stop Dancing:  Thirty More True Things You Need to Know Now.  Visit his website at www.gordonlivingston.com

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.

          --Calvin Coolidge

We are not alone.
The spirits of those gone before guide our
     steps, our traditions, our beliefs.
We are not alone.
The care of those around us leads us to
     healing and wholeness and comfort.
We are not alone.

          --Mohawk/Onondaga Healer

The Seven Great Prayers

I Love You God
Thank You God
God you Are within Me
God Bless Me
God, I See You Everywhere
God Bless and I Love
God, Help Me Help You

From Paul & Tracey McManus, The 7 Great Prayers: For a Lifetime of Hope and Blessings (Fairfield, CT:  Vanguard Press, 2009).

Let us be grateful for the people who make us happy;
they are charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.

          --Marcel Proust