Paradoxes

"Heaven and earth do nothing
Yet there is nothing they do not do."
-Chuang-Tzu (369-286 B.C.)

This week our topic is "paradoxes." There is a spiritual principle that opposites are found together - and this can be so profound! These paradoxes make us take pause, and think. Isn't life interesting?
-Lissa Coffey

Passion

“Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark.”
-Henri Amiel (1821-1881)

Passion is such a primal human trait. We all know what it is, what it feels like. Whether it is passion for a person, place, or activity, passion is what carries us forward to new and greater heights of life experiences. And it is through these experiences that we learn more about ourselves, and are able to express ourselves. Our passions show us who we are, and what we can do.
-Lissa Coffey

Patience

“Patience is necessary, and one cannot reap immediately where one has sown.”
-Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)

It is easy to understand that patience is important, and even necessary – but why is being patient such a hard thing to do?! It seems so contradictory to what we have learned about taking action… and yet, it is equally as essential. There is a time when we must sit back and do nothing, when we must allow nature to take its course and not impose our human conditions and expectations upon it. Being patient involves having faith, that inner knowingness that all is as it is because it is.
-Lissa Coffey

Peace

"Love is not a doctrine. Peace is not an international agreement. Love and Peace are beings who live as possibilities in us."
-Mary Caroline Richards, (Centering, 1964)

This time of year, and particularly this year, I find myself thinking more about peace, and about peace on earth. If we are correct, and it all begins with each of us, then it is more important than ever to find peace within ourselves. We all know how to find that peace through our spiritual practices. So, practice, practice, practice! And then bring that beautiful peace out into the world where it is so needed.
-Lissa Coffey

Perception

"Life does not consist mainly, or even largely, of facts and happenings. It consists mainly of the storm of thoughts that are forever blowing through one's mind."
-Mark Twain

Isn't it amazing how we can each see the same thing in an entirely different way? It's because of our perceptions. Our past experiences help us to formulate some kind of definition to our current experiences. Yet we can change the way we look at things. We can choose a different perspective, see things from someone else's point of view, or from a higher vantage point. And when we broaden our scope and look at the "big picture" then we can see more clearly what is real.
-Lissa Coffey

Perfection

“Perhaps the crescent moon smiles in doubt
at being told that it is a fragment
awaiting perfection.”
-Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941)

I love this! Tagore has such a way with words. Imagine that moon, shining so brightly and proudly – knowing that it is what it is and that it is absolutely perfect just the way it is. Is there anything missing? Not a chance! Can we see our lives in the same light? They are perfect just the way they are right here and right now.
-Lissa Coffey

Practice

"We must be the change we wish to see in the world."
-Mahatma Gandhi

Our spiritual practice has purpose. It helps us to learn and grow and feel our connection with the Divine. And it also helps to lift the spiritual energy of the whole planet! The more people who devote time to spiritual practice, the better off our world will be. So, there are two things we can each do, every day, to help ourselves and each other. 1. Continue regular spiritual practices. This includes prayer, meditation, reading spiritual works, serving others, and giving of our time and talents.
2. Encourage others to spend time pursuing their own spiritual practices. This may mean babysitting some youngsters so their mother can spend some time in silence, or sending enlightening e-mails on to friends!
-Lissa Coffey

Praise

“When you do well, do not praise yourself but the gods.”
-Bias (6th cent B.C.) One of the Seven Sages of Greece

We can keep praise in check by understanding that the gifts that we bring to the world do not really come from ourselves, but from God. The good that we do, the light that shines through, is pure Spirit.
-Lissa Coffey

Prayer

“ Prayer is something deeper than words. It is present in the soul before it has been formulated in words. And it abides in the soul after the last words of prayer have passed over our lips.”
-O. Hallesby

We feel our prayers more than we really say our prayers. Prayers become real to us when the emotion behind them, within them, is so strong that the prayer becomes animated – it has life. Our soul houses these prayers before our minds even figure out how to articulate them. Prayers can be silent, yet heart-felt.
-Lissa Coffey

Present

“No mind is much employed upon the present: recollection and anticipation fill up almost all our moments.”
-Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)

Most of the time, the way our minds work, we’re either thinking about something that happened in the past, or thinking about something that is going to happen in the future. Meanwhile, we’re missing the present moment, the here and now. We’re taking away from the juy that exists only in present moment awareness. It’s almost like we need a little alarm to keep us awake. I saw this watch with a great reminder written right on the face: ONE – Only Now Exists!
-Lissa Coffey

Progress

“Frozen food is not progress.”
-Russell Baker (1925- )

Technology has offered us some amazing conveniences – but at what expense? Do we hole up with our computers rather than socialize with our fellow travelers? Do we make a habit of eating fast food rather than enjoying the wholesomeness of something freshly prepared at home? Where, for the sake of “progress,” have we gone awry? When we remember the lessons we have learned in the past and build on them, then we make progress. It’s not necessarily about making life “easier” but about experiencing the beauty that is already there.
-Lissa Coffey

Purpose

“ Not only to see and find the Divine in oneself, but to see and find the Divine in all, not only to seek one’s own individual liberation and perfection, but to seek the liberation and perfection of others is the complete law of the spiritual being.”
-Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950)

The more we grow spiritually, the more we realize how we fit into the bigger picture. We’re never alone on this journey. We’re all in it together. The closer we find ourselves to spirit, the closer we see that we are to each other.
-Lissa Coffey

Paradoxes

" All cases are unique, and very similar to others."
-T.S. Eliot (1888-1965)

I find this to be true every day of my life. We're each living our individual lives, going about our business, and our families- and when we take time to connect with each other, we find out that so often we're going through the same things! We can relate to each other, because in a way we're living out the same scenarios. It helps to share our experiences, rather than to feel that we're in it alone.
-Lissa Coffey

Paradoxes

" God hides things by putting them near us."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Isn't this so true? It's one of those "forest for the trees" examples. There is joy and love and beauty all around us, and right inside of us… and yet where do we look? Many of the great spiritual teachers answer every question they are asked with the same statement: "Look within." They might say it in hundreds of different ways, but the meaning is the same. It's so simple, and yet so complex- what a paradox!
-Lissa Coffey

Paradoxes

" Almost anything you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."
-Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948)

If you look at the universe from the beginning of time - (and yet was there a beginning?) until as far as we can imagine into the future - each little action we take may be considered insignificant. And yet, it's not. Every action we take has some impact on our spiritual growth. It might seem like little tiny baby steps when we're wanting to take great leaps and bounds- but each step, large or small, is significant nonetheless. We've got to keep going.
-Lissa Coffey

Paradoxes

"There is a Law of Reversed Effort. The harder we try with the conscious will to do something, the less we shall succeed. Proficiency and the results of proficiency come only to those who have learned the paradoxical art of doing and not doing, or combining relaxation with activity, of letting go as a person in order that the immanent and transcendent Unknown Quantity may take hold. We cannot make ourselves understand; the most we can do is to foster a state of mind, in which understanding may come to us."
-Aldous Huxley (1894-1963)

In "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" Deepak Chopra writes about "The Law of Least Effort" and tells us that we can actually do less, and accomplish more. He talks about working with the natural intelligence of nature, going with the flow. If you haven't read the book before, I recommend it- it's one of those books you can read over and over again and get something different out of it each time. Nature is a great example for us - it doesn't struggle, it just is. Eagles don't wish to be tigers, tigers don't try to fly.
-Lissa Coffey

Passion

“ It is the soul’s duty to be loyal to its own desires. It must abandon itself to its master passion.”
-Rebecca West (1985)

Something within us helps us to find our passions. It’s not like a conscious choice, like looking through a catalog and picking a hobby or something. We are drawn to things that we feel passionate about. We can’t help but move towards things that give us that drive, that energy, that life force that is so all-encompassing. We have the desires, and the passions that we have for a reason. And pursuing our passions is one of the most important things we can do while we're living our lives.
-Lissa Coffey

Passion

“The fiery moments of passionate experience are the moments of wholeness and totality of the personality.”
-Anais Nin (1968)

Passion is often associated with fire. It feels “hot.” It feels like it could consume us. We need to pay attention to the things that we feel passionate about. Our passions are tools which help us to learn and grow. When we are pursuing our passions we feel alive, we are living in the moment, taking it all in and savoring each experience. The are the times when we are more of who we really are, and we know it.
-Lissa Coffey

Passion

“How little do they know human nature, who think they can say to passion, so far shalt thou go, and no farther!”
-Sarah Scott (1750)

It’s probably a very good thing that we can’t stop our true passions! Passion is exactly what drove Einstein, Madame Curie, Mother Teresa, and many more people who have had a positive impact on our world! Passion helps us to progress; it keeps us going despite the invariable obstacles. Every great achievement began with someone’s passion, and was carried forward by that momentum.
-Lissa Coffey

Passion

“Passion is what the sun feels for the earth
When harvests ripen into golden birth.”
-Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1888)

This is so beautifully said. That’s one of the things that makes poetry so amazing – that with just a few words you can get an image, or a feeling across. We can imagine the sun’s feelings, and recognize them as our own. This passion is fiery like the sun, but also strong and proud and everlasting.
-Lissa Coffey

Patience

“ What is your need to eat the seed,
When growth might be so sweet?”
-Ann Wickham, 1915

Ah, this sounds almost like an offer, doesn’t it? Maybe we have a choice – instant, yet temporary satisfaction now – or a more long-lasting and genuine appreciation if we but wait a little bit. Patience brings its own rewards. When we are children, we want everything NOW! It is difficult for us to sit still and wait for anything. But as the years go by, we understand that some things are worth the wait. We begin to put great value on patience.
-Lissa Coffey

Patience

“How poor are they that have not patience!
What wound did ever heal but by degrees?”
-Shakespeare, Othello

Sometimes we need to just get out of our own way and let nature do its thing. The seasons know how to change. It does no good to try to “hurry things up” so we can fit in one more vacation or whatever! So many things in this world just take care of themselves. There is an organizing power to the universe. Shouldn’t we allow this power to work for us? All we have to do is be patient. Everything will work out the way that it is supposed to.
-Lissa Coffey

Patience

“Patience is not passive: on the contrary it is active; it is concentrated strength.”
-Edward George Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873) English novelist

Look at people who are patient. Along with patience comes a kind of calm, a deep faith, a beautiful presence. Compared with people who are impatient – who seem stressed out, angry, and hurried. Who has more strength? The patient person can do anything because that person recognizes his or her connection with the Universe. Patience can move mountains!
-Lissa Coffey

Patience

“Steady, patient, persevering thinking, will generally surmount every obstacle in the search after truth.”
-Nathaniel Emmons (1745-1840)

Aren’t we all together in this search for Truth? Our quest for spiritual growth is impressive! And that’s what will get us there – the way that we surmount those obstacles and continue on. We know that we must be patient with our journey, and patient with ourselves. We know that there is no “instant” answer, but that answers unfold before us with wisdom and grace. We know that our patience is rewarded continually as we grow and experience more of who we really are.
-Lissa Coffey

Peace

"Our goal must be not peace in our time but peace for all time."
-Harry S. Truman (1884-1972) Informal remarks, Galesberg, Illinois, 1950

In turbulent times, where is our attention? On the problem? Or on the desired outcome? What can we do to help the world situation, while we are here comfortable in our homes and we know that others are suffering? We can't all go out and battle, nor would that help even if we could. We must think peace. We must bring our attention to peace. We must create a unified consciousness of PEACE ON EARTH, GOODWILL TO ALL. We must build a class consciousness of love and caring. Starting right here and right now, with each one of us.
-Lissa Coffey

Peace

"Speak, move, act in peace, as if you were in prayer. In truth, this is prayer."
-Francis de S. Fenelon (1651-1715), Fr. archbishop

It is wonderful to think of peace as a prayer. Peace is one of those amazing things that grows when it is out in the light. Share peace, distribute it freely, be generous with your portions and there will be lots more to go around!
-Lissa Coffey

Peace

"I have found that life persists in the midst of destruction and therefore must be a higher law than that of destruction. Only under that law would a well-ordered society be intelligible and life worth living."
-Mahatma Gandhi

With everything we've been through these past few months, these words ring true, loud and clear. Peace is a process, an ongoing movement that doesn't stand still. We are all a part of this process, and our contributions to a peaceful society make a difference.
-Lissa Coffey

Peace

"Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures."
-John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) United Nations address, Sept 1961

What I like about this quote is that while President Kennedy was obviously talking about the world situation, about establishing world peace, it also works really well if you apply the worlds toward INNER peace. Isn't this the process that we all go through to attain higher states of consciousness and become at peace with ourselves? We change our minds, and our thoughts, to reflect what we learn and experience. We gently and quietly build new patterns and practices that help to bring peace to both our inner and outer worlds.
-Lissa Coffey

Peace

Sublime is the moment
When the world is at peace
And the limitless deep
Lies bathed in the morning sun.
-Hirohito (1901-1989) Untitled poem.

This is something we can all visualize. We've all had glimpses of what peace feels like. Imagine if everyone in the whole world could have that feeling all at the same time. Possible? As an optimist, I have to say yes. Peace is real, it is inherent in each one of us. And there are an infinite number of possibilities that could lead to world peace. One by one we are creating a world where peace comes naturally, and stays.
-Lissa Coffey

Perception

"Life does not consist mainly, or even largely, of facts and happenings. It consists mainly of the storm of thoughts that are forever blowing through one's mind."
-Mark Twain

Isn't it amazing how we can each see the same thing in an entirely different way? It's because of our perceptions. Our past experiences help us to formulate some kind of definition to our current experiences. Yet we can change the way we look at things. We can choose a different perspective, see things from someone else's point of view, or from a higher vantage point. And when we broaden our scope and look at the "big picture" then we can see more clearly what is real.
-Lissa Coffey

Perception

"We do not see things as they are. We see them as we are."
-The Talmud

We're each looking through different eyes, bringing our own experiences and emotions to whatever it is we're looking at. This is perception. Perception can change. The TRUTH remains the same... but do we see it? Do we see spirit in everything and everyone? We must recognize the spirit within ourselves and then we will see it reflected back at us everywhere we go!
-Lissa Coffey

Perception

To a large degree "reality" is whatever the people who are around at the time agree to."
-Milton H. Miller

Basically, the consensus of social perception is what shapes our "reality." What we see in the media is a reflection of what the general population has "agreed" is "the way things are." But... things are changing! There is a subtle shift towards a more spiritual life. Sociologists have recognized a growing number of people as "Cultural Creatives" who are leaders in developing all kinds of trends. All of us out there reading spiritual books, doing yoga, serving the community, showing kindness and pursuing our own spiritual growth - we are the cultural creatives! By sharing ourselves and our experiences, we are making a difference in the world... and the difference is good!
-Lissa Coffey

Perception

"Change your thoughts, and in the twinkling of an eye, all your conditions change. Your world is a world of crystallized ideas, crystallized words. Sooner or later, you reap the fruits of your words and thoughts."
-Florence Scovel Shinn

Our perceptions are all in our mind. So it makes sense that if we change our mind, we change our perceptions. And when we change our perceptions, we change our reality! We can experience more of the Truth of this wonderful world, the beauty, the peace, the prosperity, the abundance, the clarity. Choose to see it. Choose to live it!
-Lissa Coffey

Perception

"If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change."
-Buddha

Our perception tends to be that growth is hard, that it is a struggle, that it is work. But the truth is that we are only making it hard on ourselves. We cling to the past, try to control our futures. Are we willing to get out of our own way and just let it be? It could be so simple! Look at the flower. Learn from the flower. We can bloom just as easily.
-Lissa Coffey

Perfection

“ Ring the bells that still can ring,
forget your perfect offering.
There’s a hole in everything,
That’s how the light comes thru.”
-Leonard Cohen (1934- )

A big trend in decorating right now is making things looked aged, worn, or imperfect. This adds a sense of history and comfort to a room. The theory is that when everything is new and perfect, it isn’t as relaxing to be in that space. Here we are, living in the space of our imperfect human form – let us see the beauty in our imperfections, that is where our souls shine through!
-Lissa Coffey

Perfection

“Everything, by an impulse of its own nature, tends towards its perfection.”
-Dante (A.D. 1265-1321)

Is it our nature to seek perfection? Or can we understand that it is our imperfections that make us perfect! We are here on this earth to learn and grow and experience. If we were already “perfect” what would be the point? If we were already perfect wouldn’t we be bored? We can always strive towards being the best that we can possibly be as human beings – knowing that a perfect human being is must by design be imperfect in some beautiful way.
-Lissa Coffey

Perfection

“The true perfection of man lies, not in what man has, but in what man is.”
-Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

What man is. Not what man does, says, earns, drives, etc! Each of us, each man, woman and child, IS perfect, simply because we are. How cool is that? When we know the truth, and live it, then we know how cool it is, and how cool we are!
-Lissa Coffey

Perfection

“ Perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things, but in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. Neglect nothing; the most trivial action may be performed to God.”
-Angelique Arnauld

Perfection is sometimes given a ranking – like a perfect “10” in gymnastics, or a 6.0 in a figure skating competition. But think about it. A lot of people can do a cartwheel, a lot of people can ice skate. These are not extraordinary things. But the way that they are executed in these world championships are! That’s how we can have something to aspire to. Those athletes are the role models for “perfection” in that sport. And yet, those athletes always see room for improvement in some way or another. So, in life, as we aspire to perfection in our spiritual world – we have role models, too. We’d probably give Gandhi or Mother Teresa a “10” – but, they would be the first to say that they were not perfect! Part of our spiritual growth is recognizing that there’s always more to learn.
-Lissa Coffey

Practice

"Whoever perseveres will be crowned."
-Johann Gottfried von Herder (German author, 1744-1803)

Remember the old joke, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" The punchline is "Practice, practice, practice!" Funny, but oh, so true! How do we reach that peace of mind, how do we get to that spiritual place that we're looking for? The answer is the same: Practice, practice, practice! We're going to get better at seeing ourselves as who we really are the more we practice actually being it. Whatever practice you choose, practice on a regular basis, practice every day, twice a day or more so.
-Lissa Coffey

Practice

"We call prayer... that speech of man to God which, whatever else is asked, ultimately asks for the manifestation of the divine Presence."
-Martin Buber (1878-1965) Eclipse of God: Studies in the Relation between Religion and Philosophy

The divine Presence is with us always. Here, now and always. It's just that we are not always aware of that presence. We're so busy getting things done and just handling life that our attention is elsewhere. That's why it is so important to spend time on our spiritual practices. During that time, we remind ourselves of who we really are, and of what is really important. Taking some time to center ourselves with spiritual practice helps everything in our lives flow more smoothly.
-Lissa Coffey

Practice

"Never bring the car home without gas in the tank."
-Ron Shelton

Our spiritual practice is as essential to our soul as food is to our body. Practice provides us with the fuel which gets us through those difficult times. It leads us to peace, clarity, wisdom, and so much more. And just like a car, we can run out of "gas" when we're stressed out from going for a lot of miles without a break. Make it a point to incorporate your spiritual practices into your day every day, and watch the difference in how you feel.
-Lissa Coffey

Practice

"Educate the heart - educate the heart."
-Hiram Powers

We know, conclusively and scientifically now, thanks to Dr. Paul Pearsall, that the heart has intelligence. Our hearts can literally "think!" We can listen to our hearts, we can follow our hearts. The best way to become sensitive to the heart's messages is through our spiritual practices. Take time to connect, to settle in and be peaceful. Allow your heart the time and space it needs to communicate! Rather than merely educating our hearts, which intuitively know what is best for us, spiritual practice is about educating ourselves to tune in to that intelligence.
-Lissa Coffey

Praise

“ The advantage of doing one’s praising for oneself is that one can lay it on so thick and exactly in the right places.”
-Samuel Butler (1835-1902)

Every once in awhile we need to give ourselves a pat on the back. We’re each working so hard, doing our thing, and making our way. Too often we don’t get the praise we think we deserve. But that’s okay – because we can recognize our accomplishments and praise ourselves! And we ARE doing pretty well with all we’ve got going on. Kudos to you, dear friend!
-Lissa Coffey

Praise

“The house praises the carpenter.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

I guess this is another way of saying that your work speaks for itself. But I think it means more than that, too. It means that when we put the best of ourselves into something, we know it – it shows. And even if no one else can see it, we can be proud of our efforts.
-Lissa Coffey

Praise

“ My soul preached to me and said, “Do not be delighted because of praise, and do not be distressed because of blame.’”
-Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931)

We must not get too caught up in the teeter-totter of outside commentary on our works. There will always be some who appreciate what we do and others who disparage it. The ego is what gets caught up in this game of needing approval. The soul is wise, and knows that life is a balance of opposites. The soul itself can’t be affected by praise or blame.
-Lissa Coffey

Praise

“ I do the very best I know how – the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won’t amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference.”
-Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

We’re bound to receive criticism, either positive or negative, no matter what we do in this lifetime. It’s inevitable. So whom do we answer to? Only ourselves! We have to decide what is right, and what is right for us. We’re all doing the best we can.
-Lissa Coffey

Prayer

“ You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might also pray in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance.”
-Kahlil Gibran

There is no “right way” to pray. There is no “right time” to pray. Prayer is an ongoing dialogue, a soul connection with spirit, a fusion of physics and metaphysics. Prayer is our expression of gratitude, despair, longing, appreciation. It is one means of communication and communion with All That Is. Sometimes we’re praying and we don’t even realize it. Our actions reflect our thoughts; our thoughts are prayers. What are we thinking? What are we doing about it?
-Lissa Coffey

Prayer

“ Tomorrow I plan to work, work, from early until late. In fact I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”
-Martin Luther

Martin Luther knew that with so much work to do that he needed help. And he knew where to go for help and guidance. The more clear our thoughts, the more direction we allow ourselves to receive, then the faster and easier we will get there, and the more we will accomplish with the least amount of effort.
-Lissa Coffey

Prayer

“Time spent on the knees in prayer will do more to remedy heart strain and nerve worry than anything else.”
-George David Stewart

Long before Prozac, there was prayer. Can you see the prescription now? “Pray two prayers, twice a day until symptoms subside. Then continue the treatment over the course of a lifetime to prevent symptoms from recurring.” Prayer is a remedy. We can turn our burdens over to God and feel the weight drop from our shoulders. Why do we feel the need to carry around all that heaviness? Pray. And then pray some more. And then keep praying. And feel the lightness return.
-Lissa Coffey

Prayer

“ The purpose of prayer is to reveal the presence of God equally present, all the time, in every condition.”
-Oswald Chambers

We have learned, over and over again, that whatever we pay attention to becomes more important in our lives. When we pray, we are paying attention to our relationship with God. With our attention on the Divine, we see the infinite possibilities, the presence of the God, everywhere we go – because God IS everywhere and everything! We feel that presence, and it comforts us, and enlightens us.
-Lissa Coffey

Present

“The present is the future of the past.”
-Karl Popper (1902-1994)

“We are tomorrow’s past.”
-Mary Webb, Precious Bane, 1924

We can’t change what has happened in the past. We can learn from it, and grow from it, and ultimately go on from where we are now. we cannot predict the future – it is filled with infinite possibilities. the best we can do is to live, and love, the moment we’re in. Life is like Disneyland – if we are thinking about the next ride and how we’re getting there, we can’t enjoy the ride we’re on right here and now!
-Lissa Coffey

Present

“ Now or never! You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.”
-Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

This is such a powerful concept that entire books have been written on this very topic – Eckhart Tolle’s “The Power of Now” is just one example. Now is the only time there is, and when we live in this very moment, all of our potential can be realized.
-Lissa Coffey

Present

“The present is the necessary product of all the past, the necessary cause of all the future.”
-Robert G. Ingersoll, 1899

I love it when I go to a large shopping mall or an amusement park, and there’s this big directory to help us find our way around. It’s like a map, and to help us get our bearings, there’s a big arrow that says “You Are Here!” How true is that?! Everything we’ve done in the past, every decision we’ve made, has led us exactly to this place and time. And from here, we go on. The choices we make now affect our future. When we live in the present moment, we make better decisions, we know where we are and where we are headed.
-Lissa Coffey

Present

“The older one gets the more one feels that the present must be enjoyed: it is a precious gift, comparable to a state of grace.”
-Madame Curie, 1928

We do become more wise as we get older – and part of that is understanding the precious value of the present moment. Maybe it is because we have more of a past to look back on, so we can see just where and when we experienced the most beautiful times of our lives. And maybe it is because we have had more time to enjoy the moments, and we know how good that feels.
-Lissa Coffey

Progress

“ Our moral progress may be measured by the degree in which we sympathize with individual suffering and individual joy.”
-George Eliot (1819-1880)

Progress is learning more about who we are. Progress is understanding and relating and empathizing with other people because we realize that we are all in this together. There is no separation between us. When we can truly experience that Oneness, we will have made real progress!
-Lissa Coffey

Progress

“ Each step upward makes me feel stronger and fit for the next step.”
-Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948)

One day at a time. One step at a time. Sometimes this journey is a struggle, like we’re trying to conquer some huge mountain. But as long as we keep going, we make progress. And our progress encourages us to keep going. We’re flexing our spiritual muscles, and getting stronger all the time.
-Lissa Coffey

Progress

“ Progress has not followed a straight ascending line, but a spiral with rhythms of progress and regression, of evolution and dissolution.”
-Goethe (1749-1832)

Sometimes we need to take a few steps back in order to get a running start. We make mistakes, and as long as we learn from those mistakes, we progress, we grow. Eventually we get to a point where we can look back and see how far we’ve come. Then we can turn back around and see how far we have to go!
-Lissa Coffey

Progress

“ I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it – but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor.”
-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809-1984)

To progress we must make the effort. We must forge ahead. We must put ourselves out there and be open to experiences that challenge us. We can start right where we are, by knowing where we want to go.
-Lissa Coffey

Purpose

“The human soul, the world, the universe are laboring on to their magnificent consummation. We are not fashioned… marvelously for nought.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

There is a divine organization, an intelligence to all of creation – and here was are, a part of it all. It makes sense that we are here for a purpose. Life has meaning, and each life is meaningful.
-Lissa Coffey

Purpose

“ The purpose of life on earth is that the soul should grow –
So grow! By doing what is right.”
-Zelda Fitzgerald (1900-1948)

We have discovered the truth in this statement. We are actively pursuing our spiritual growth and consciously living our lives in such a way to accelerate that process. We know the importance of prayer, meditation, silence, and wisdom. And we have experienced the growth that comes with doing “what is right.” This is our purpose, and we can do nothing less.
-Lissa Coffey

Purpose

“ Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each tomorrow
Find us farther than today.”
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)

This is from my favorite poem, “The Psalm of Life” which starts “Lives of great men remind us, we can make our lives sublime, and departing leave behind us, footprints in the sands of time.” It’s about following the examples laid before us, and at the same time, making our own way – becoming a new example, a new light to guide others. Longfellow understood that we need to keep going, to keep pursuing our spiritual growth, because that is our ultimate purpose.
-Lissa Coffey

Purpose

“Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence.”
-Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

We each make our own way, even though it might seem like a crazy way around to others! But as long as we’re learning and growing and having a good time, that’s all that is important. We all ultimately “get there” and realize that our own unique journey was the perfect one for us. We learn to go along purposefully and experience what we need to as we grow.
-Lissa Coffey