the group imperative takes precedence

“They will have to expand their minds and embrace a vision in which the group imperative takes precedence over individual glory, and success comes from being awake, aware, and in tune with others.”

- Phil Jackson. “Sacred Hoops.” Hyperion.

get out of our own way

"We are born with all the wisdom, playfulness, and imagination we need; we just sometimes need a reminder to return to our senses and get out of our own way. Let go of whatever fears, assumptions, distractions, resistance, and busyness may be hampering you. Allow yourself to think and feel and live that way."

- Marc Lesser, "Do Less, Accomplish More", tricycle.com

a clear mind and open heart

“The trick is to experience each moment with a clear mind and open heart. When you do that, the game—and life—will take care of itself.”

- Phil Jackson. “Sacred Hoops.” Hyperion.

true joy comes from being fully present

“In basketball—as in life—true joy comes from being fully present in each and every moment, not just when things are going your way.”

- Phil Jackson. “Sacred Hoops.” Hyperion.

patience is peaceful awareness

“Patience is peaceful awareness in the midst of weathering life’s storms, giving us the ability to go on in the face of adversity.”

- Sharon Salzberg. “Love Your Enemies.” Hay House, 2013-09-11.

the ego is a bottomless pit of suckiness

"Spiritual change is precisely a process that is bigger than you. You don’t control it. You surrender to it. You don’t reinvent yourself through spiritual work. You face yourself, and then you must let go of all the ghastly things you find. But there is no end to these ghastly things. They keep coming. The ego is a bottomless pit of suckiness. And so you finally let go of the self that clings to itself (one definition of ego). True freedom comes when ego goes."

- Shozan Jack Haubner, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Enlightenment", tricycle.com

part of the truth

"There are times, when part of the truth, so long as that part is not a lie in and of itself, is better than the whole truth...But, if you do not tell the entire truth, you must always remember that you did not tell the entire truth, and each time you are tempted not to, you should ask whether you do so to make your path easier, or to aid others...or whether you do so for your own interests. If you find you are too often 'helping' others in that fashion, then you are deceiving yourself."

- L. E. Modesitt, Jr. “Princeps: A Novel in the Imager Portfolio.” Tom Doherty Associates.

our engagement with discord

"We made need to relinquish the hopeful images of ourselves as remaining serene under all circumstances, like sitting buddhas carved from wood or stone. We have to expect our composure to be compromised as we learn about the possibilities and creative solutions of working directly with the conflict in our relationships. Even, and maybe especially, when things don't turn out as we want, our engagement with discord refines and teaches us something, altering our life's very course."

- Diane Musho Hamilton, "Transforming Conflict," Tricycle Magazine, Winter 2013

there would be peace

"Peace is possible, here and now. If peace were as much a priority as, say, economic expansion, there would be peace. There’s no lofty Buddhist philosophy that’s necessary to explain it. It’s very simple. Peace is absolutely possible if you stop listening to people who would have you believe otherwise, and if we truly wish it."

- Samdhong Rinpoche, “Democracy in Exile”, tricycle.com

you can’t imitate someone else’s trip

“Each of us has our own path to follow, our own karma. You have to honor your own unique path. You can’t imitate someone else’s trip. Listen to your heart to hear what you yourself need, take what you can use from these practices, and leave the rest.”

- Ram Dass & Rameshwar Das. “Polishing the Mirror.” Sounds True.

the power of the comparative lens

"The biggest mistake people make when first beginning to look at unfamiliar perspectives is immediately to make comparisons between the familiar and the unfamiliar. The power of the comparative lens comes not from making positive and negative comparisons; rather, it comes from seeing each perspective clearly, in its own right. In other words, one gets a deeper understanding of one’s own perspective by understanding how others understand their own perspective."

- Rita Gross, “Buddhist to Buddhist”, tricycle.com

I would teach it to each and every person

“Tam sniffed. “The flame and the void aren’t about archery.” 

“Yes, I know. They are a swordsman’s technique.” 

“They’re not about swords either,” Tam said, strapping the sword onto his belt. 

“But—" 

"The flame and the void are about center,” Tam said. “And about peace. I would teach it to each and every person in this land, soldier or not, if I could.” 

- Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson. “A Memory of Light.” Tom Doherty Associates.

wish true happiness for your enemy

“it is worth considering that it is in fact eminently possible and practical to wish true happiness for your enemy”

- Sharon Salzberg. “Love Your Enemies.” Hay House, 2013-09-11.

willing to be intimate with fear

"If we’re afraid of who we are, we continually feel frantic about filling that space, anything to avoid that persistent unease beneath the surface of our lives. The fearlessness of the warrior comes from stepping again and again into open space, with body, breath, and heart exposed. It is the fearlessness that is willing to be intimate with fear."

- Aura Glaser, “Into the Demon’s Mouth”, tricycle.com

the past is past

"You see, the past is past, and the future is yet to come. That means the future is in your hands—the future entirely depends on the present. That realization gives you a great responsibility."

- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "The Experience of Change", tricycle.com