"Anger ... it's a paralyzing emotion ... you can't get anything done. People sort of think it's an interesting, passionate, and igniting feeling — I don't think it's any of that — it's helpless ... it's absence of control — and I need all of my skills, all of the control, all of my powers ... and anger doesn't provide any of that — I have no use for it whatsoever." ~ Toni Morrison
​
For decades anger was my constant companion. I was angry at everyone and everything. The strange thing is that it gave me a false sense of strength. My anger was always justified, righteous. Then, when I began my forgiveness work, I realized that anger was nothing more than a sad attempt to create some illusion of power. I chose anger as a response to a belief that I had no power or worth. Worse, I realized that I was severely addicted. I was addicted to the FEELINGS associated with anger. It had absolutely nothing to do with ‘reasons’, it was an addiction. Now, years after detoxing, I still have momentary flares of anger but they are rare and quickly intercepted. Piece of cake...
Love, Diederik

"Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing." ~ August Wilson
 
I am curious as to why I would ‘wrestle’ with my demons since ‘banishing them with illumination and forgiveness’ did the trick. Oh, well, I guess the human mind seeks to ‘wrestle’ where ease would do nicely.
Love, Diederik

"All Birds find shelter during a rain. But Eagle avoids rain by flying above the Clouds. Problems are common, but attitude makes the difference!" ~ A.P.J.Abdul Kalam
 
When I experience a challenge or an upset I have a choice: run from it, find shelter, or look at it with Love and appreciation for what is being offered. Looking at anything with love is the soaring above the clouds the eagle teaches me to do. How do I change my attitude? By recognizing that it is a choice I made. Who is the one that chooses? That ‘who’, that sparrow, can at any time be transformed into an eagle.
Love, Diederik
​

“We have two ears and one mouth so we should listen more than we say.” ~ Zeno of Citium
Sage advice for the dinner table, especially when it comes to the holiday season. If I can learn to be the host in conversation, I will always be in good company.
​Love, Dave

“Keeping an old troublesome habit is like keeping poisonous snakes in your arms.
Now is the time to hold this snake and throw it out.” ~ Poonja
 
These ‘troublesome’ habits are the result of mistaken core beliefs, a mistaken identity. Throwing the snake out will be a start but quickly turns into behaviour modification, a tiring and often futile process. Transform the belief and the snake is nowhere to be seen. The habits will then gradually cease to be a challenge. 
Love, Diederik

“Trying to understand is just indulging in mental acrobatics.
Whatever you have understood, you are not. Spit it all out.
Whatever you understand is not the truth. Throw it overboard.
Do not try to catch hold of any concepts and cling to them.” ~ Nisargadatta
 
Since our ‘work’ is about Love and Oneness, and neither can be 'understood', my focus will not be on understanding but on surrender. One definition of love is: “Joyful acceptance”. There is no need for any understanding in acceptance and surrender to what Is.   
Love, Diederik

“Until you are free of the drug of self-identification, all your religions and sciences, prayers and yogas are of no use to you, for, based on a mistake, they strengthen it.” ~ Nisargadatta
 
No shit.
Love, Diederik