There is a moment in every life when a spark is felt—an undeniable pull toward something that excites, inspires, or deeply resonates. For some, it happens early, when they discover a love for music, writing, or working with their hands. For others, it comes later, after years of […]
Life rarely follows the neat trajectory we imagine in our youth. Instead, it twists, turns, loops back on itself, and sometimes plunges us into unexpected challenges. Although our culture often glorifies linear progress—where every milestone follows the last in neat succession—true growth unfolds more like a spiral. We […]
A wooden bridge stretches gently over a murmuring stream, framed by cherry trees in full bloom. The morning light filters through the delicate pink petals, casting a warm, golden glow over the path ahead. A couple walks hand in hand, their silhouettes softened by the dreamy haze of […]
Imagine a traditional Japanese tea house, simple and unadorned. There are no extravagant decorations, no excessive furniture—just a Tatami mat, a wooden table, and a single flower arranged in perfect harmony. The space is not empty; rather, it is full of intention, peace, and quiet beauty. This reflects […]
When we hear the word “mosaic,” we might picture a piece of art composed of small, diverse fragments—some smooth, some rough, each a different shape or hue. Separated, these pieces might look unremarkable or even flawed. But placed together with care, they form a pattern of surprising depth […]
From a young age, we learn to associate beauty with outward appearances: a pleasing face, a symmetrical figure, or a pristine landscape. Magazines, advertisements, and social media reinforce a narrow definition of aesthetics, celebrating airbrushed perfection. Yet, as we delve deeper into the Wabi-Sabi perspective, we discover that […]
The Cherry tree, adorned with gentle pink and white blossoms, has long been revered across many cultures for its breathtaking beauty and profound spiritual resonance. In particular, its symbolism holds deep roots in both Chinese and Japanese traditions, where it has been cherished for centuries. From glorious festivals […]
Miyamoto Musashi’s precept “The ultimate aim of martial arts is not having to use them” might initially sound paradoxical. Why devote years to mastering techniques you hope never to employ? Yet this principle, echoed in many warrior traditions, underscores that true mastery entails self-restraint, conflict resolution, and a […]
Trees have stood as silent sentinels across the ages, bearing witness to the rise and fall of civilizations. They are nature’s masterpieces, embodying life’s most profound truths: growth, interconnectedness, resilience, and renewal. From ancient mythology to modern science, trees carry a language of their own—a universal code that […]
Miyamoto Musashi was a legendary Japanese swordsman who lived during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He is celebrated not only for his unmatched prowess in duels, but also for the profound insights he left behind in his writing, especially in his masterwork, The Book of Five […]
“Yoga, an ancient practice that originated in India thousands of years ago, has evolved into a holistic lifestyle embraced by millions worldwide. While yoga is often associated with physical postures (asanas), it is far more than just a form of exercise; it is a transformative lifestyle that offers a […]
In the midst of the world,” the creator said to Adam, “I have placed thee, so thou couldst look around so much easier, and see all that is in it. I created thee as a being neither celestial nor earthly, neither mortal nor immortal alone, so that thou […]
“All human wisdom is contained in these two words: Wait and Hope.” “It’s necessary to have wished for death in order to know how good it is to live.” “Woman is sacred; the woman one loves is holy.” There is neither happiness nor misery in the world; there […]
“Peace of mind is that mental condition in which you have accepted the worst.” “To glorify the past and paint the future is easy, to survey the present and emerge with some light and understanding is difficult.” “The wise man reads both books and life itself.” We all […]
“A woman has to live her life, or live to repent not having lived it.” “A woman unsatisfied must have luxuries. But a woman who loves a man would sleep on a board.” “No man is a man unless to his woman he is a pioneer.” “…[like] being […]
“Your purpose is to Be Yourself.Life is precious as it is.All the elements for your happiness are already here.There is no need to run, strive, search, or struggle.Just be.” “Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.” “There is no enlightenment outside of daily life.” […]
“To live in the world without becoming aware of the meaning of the world is like wandering about in a great library without touching the books.” “Man’s status in the natural world is determined by the quality of his thinking.” “Perfect freedom of expression is the goal of […]
“People think of education as something they can finish.” “The day you stop learning is the day you begin decaying.” “All you have to do is take a close look at yourself and you will understand everyone else.” A library […] is a space ship that will take […]
“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” “When one has no real life, one lives by mirages.” “If you want to work on your art, work on your life.” Civilized people must, I believe, satisfy the following criteria: 1) […]
“We learn not in the school, but in life.” “Sometimes even to live is an act of courage.” “Begin at once to live, and count each separate day as a separate life.” As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it […]
“When two people relate to each other authentically and humanly, God is the electricity that surges between them.” “An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language.” “Solitude is the place of purification.” I do not accept any absolute formulas for living. No preconceived code can […]
“Man is not what he thinks he is, he is what he hides.” “What is Man? A miserable little pile of secrets.” “There is always a need for intoxication: China has opium, Islam has hashish, the West has woman.” Often the difference between a successful person and a […]
“Whoever wants music instead of noise, joy instead of pleasure, soul instead of gold, creative work instead of business, passion instead of foolery, finds no home in this trivial world of ours.” “People with courage and character always seem sinister to the rest.” “Your soul is the whole […]
Excellence Reporter: Carien, what is the meaning of life? Carien: Most people that ask themselves this question will start to think. When you go deeper into the question you will see that you still look as if you are separate to life. At first this question will seem […]
Excellence Reporter: Drake, what is the meaning of life? Drake Eastburn: I watch my dog licking herself. Over the past couple of years, she has had surgery after surgery after surgery, yet she doesn’t seem to question the fact that she’s been sedated, operated upon, and stitched back […]
“The pleasure of living and the pleasure of the orgasm are identical.” “The cry for freedom is a sign of suppression. It will not cease to ring as long as man feels himself captive.” “Today’s step is tomorrow’s life.” Love, work, and knowledge are the wellsprings of our […]
“To see a World in a Grain of SandAnd a Heaven in a Wild Flower,Hold Infinity in the palm of your handAnd Eternity in an hour.” “The naked woman’s body is a portion of eternity too great for the eye of man.” Imagination is the real and eternal […]
And Ego says, ‘Go get serious and write about the meaning of life. Sit in the library until you’re done.’ And Spirit says, ‘What will you find there? Go somewhere that inspires you to live.’ I followed her call to the beach.I’ve always been able to hear her […]
Excellence Reporter: Emily, what is the meaning of life? Emily Maroutian: As a philosopher, I hear this question a lot. I usually follow it up with questions of my own. What do you mean by meaning? Do you mean purpose for existence or the definition of existence? What […]
“All meanings, we know, depend on the key of interpretation.” —George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) Meditate, listen, trust. I received these words in meditation decades ago and since then, I’ve come to think of them as the three keys to life. Truly. These keys came to me at […]
“A first sign of the beginning of understanding is the wish to die.” “He is terribly afraid of dying because he hasn’t yet lived.” “The meaning of life is that it stops. Only the moment counts. It determines life.” The truth is always an abyss. One must — […]
“One family went on a trip to England to buy something from a beautiful antique shop, for the celebration of their 25th anniversary of marriage. The husband and wife liked antiques and clay products, ceramics, especially cups of tea. They observed an exceptional cup and asked: “Can we […]
“The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for.” “Life is paradise, and we are all in paradise, but we refuse to see it.” “Love life more than the meaning of it.” I have a longing for life, and […]
“To progress is always to begin, always to begin again.” “God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars.” “The fewer the words, the better the prayer.” This life therefore is not righteousness, but growth in righteousness, not health, […]
The first thing to be understood is what ego is. A child is born. A child is born without any knowledge, any consciousness of his own self. And when a child is born the first thing he becomes aware of is not himself; the first thing he becomes […]
Popularly attributed to Socrates, Know Thyself! has gripped the attention of the greatest seers, Sages and thinkers of all ages. It is the essential experience welling up from the heart of yearning souls belonging to every country of the world and giving expression to it, the terminologies, the […]
Let’s start with an elemental understanding of what the words “compassion,” and “compassionate,” mean to most people. According to Merriam-Webster, compassion is a noun, defined as: “sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.” Some synonyms for compassion are: commiseration, feeling, and sympathy. Compassionate is […]
“I think, therefore I am.” “It is not enough to have a good mind. The main thing is to use it well.” “Reason is nothing without imagination.” “Conquer yourself rather than the world.” The supreme good consists in virtue, which is a firm and constant resolution to use […]
“I can calculate the motion of heavenly bodies but not the madness of people.” “Live your life as an Exclamation rather than an Explanation.” “To arrive at the simplest truth requires years of contemplation.” I do not know what I may appear to the world, but to myself […]
“A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.” “The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.” “Much love much trial, but what an utter desert is life without love.” Nothing is easier than to […]
“All of us have life; few of us have an idea of it.” “What is important in life is life, and not the result of life.” “Life is the childhood of our immortality.” The important thing in life is to have a great aim, and the determination to […]
It can safely be said that the world is divided into three types of people – religious people, spiritual people, and atheists. Atheists don’t believe in any kind of higher power or religion. To them, life is all science and random events. A spiritual person believes in a […]
Excellence Reporter: Angel, what is the meaning of life? Angel Millar: It would seem self-evident that the meaning of life is to live life fully. And to live it without compromise so that we might, sooner or later, embody our true nature and become who we were meant […]
Excellence Reporter: Deep, what is the meaning of life? Deep: I guess the only appropriate way to start out writing an article discussing such an existential question is to also pose a question: Do you feel there is evidence of an inherent meaning or purpose in life objectively; […]
“The art of living well and the art of dying well are one.” “If a little is not enough for you, nothing is.” “Be moderate in order to taste the joys of life in abundance.” Happiness is man’s greatest aim in life. Tranquility and rationality are the cornerstones […]
“Keep a clear eye toward life’s end. Do not forget your purpose and destiny as God’s creature. What you are in his sight is what you are and nothing more. Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take nothing that you have received…but only what you […]
“Man’s purpose on Earth is to advance.” “In all things let reason be your guide.” “Learn to obey before you command.” Seek to learn constantly while you live; do not wait in the faith that old age by itself will bring wisdom. In giving advice seek to help, […]
“There is no religion higher than Truth.” “That cruelest of tyrants – public opinion.” “The Universe is worked and guided from within outwards.” Who is the great man? He who is strongest in patience. He who patiently endures injury, and maintains a blameless life–he is a man indeed! […]
“Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength which will always spring up if thou wilt always look.” “Life is neither good or evil, but only a place for good and evil.” “A person’s worth is measured by the worth of what he values.” Dwell on […]
Excellence Reporter: Isabeau, what is the meaning of life? Isabeau Maxwell: We are here for experiences. To say we are here to learn is to suggest our higher self doesn’t know everything already. However, the higher self does not exist in linear time. It already knows the beginning, […]
“The smallest thing in its rightful place can lead to the highest goals.” “Love starts when we push aside our ego and make room for someone else.” “For even the wisest can learn incalculably much from children.” Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings who […]
“Men ask for health in their prayers to the gods: they do not realize that the power to achieve it lies in themselves.” “To a wise and good man the whole earth is his fatherland.” By convention sweet and by convention bitter, by convention hot, by convention cold, […]
“The goal of life is living in agreement with Nature.” “Man conquers the world by conquering himself.” “Happiness is a good flow of life.” All things are parts of one single system, which is called Nature; the individual life is good when it is in harmony with Nature. […]
Excellence Reporter: Richard, what is the meaning of life? Richard Schooping: The question is the answer. We simply don’t know. Source doesn’t know as it has no source. If it did, it could not be a source. So one will search for the meaning of life eternally, only to find […]
“God, to know you is life. To serve You is freedom. To praise you is the soul’s joy and delight.” “The measure of love is to love without measure.” “Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first […]
“There’s a place in the soul where you’ve never been wounded.” “If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, “thank you,” that would suffice.” “Nobody at any time is cut off from God.” If anyone went on for a thousand years asking of life: “Why […]
“What are men? Mortal gods.What are gods? Immortal men.” “Everything flows, and nothing stands still.” “Because it is so unbelievable, the truth often escapes being known.” No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man. The […]
I have always said that the meaning of life is the aspiration toward God. But to be honest, I didn’t quite know what that meant. First of all, this does not mean suppressing love for your soul. It does not mean wishing harm upon others, harboring envy, or […]
Want to try sound healing? Well, then you’ve come to the right place. Sound healing is an ancient practice used to promote wellbeing, relaxation, and spirituality. It’s most commonly done using Tibetan singing bowls, but you can use various sound healing instruments. When performing this kind of meditation, […]
By following the teachings of Master Sha, Dr. Monique Giard is able to combine modern counselling techniques with Tao Hands and spirituality to help people heal. Keeping order in an increasingly disordered world is a challenge we all face. For some, the side effects of trying to maintain spiritual, emotional, […]
What is the meaning of life? Do you ever find yourself pondering this question? It seems like we only come to visit Earth for a very short period of time. We find ourselves working to acquire material wealth and pleasurable experiences, and hopefully leave our children with something […]
“Joy is not in things; it is in us.” “Music is the living God in our bosoms.” “The purpose of art is to make the unconscious conscious.” I believe in God, Mozart and Beethoven, and likewise their disciples and apostles; – I believe in the Holy Spirit and […]
“Most of us walk unseeing through the world, unaware alike of its beauties, its wonders, and the strange and sometimes terrible intensity of the lives that are being lived about us.” “For the first time in the history of the world, every human being is now subjected to […]
“No synonym for God is so perfect as Beauty.” “Beauty beyond thought everywhere, beneath, above, made and being made forever.” “The sun shines not on us but in us. The rivers flow not past, but through us. Thrilling, tingling, vibrating every fiber and cell of the substance of […]
“We are gods with anuses.” “We did not create ourselves, but we are stuck with ourselves.” “Guilt results from unused life, from the unlived in us.” “The urge to immortality is not a simple reflex of the death-anxiety but a reaching out by one’s whole being toward life.” […]
“Life is a constant process of dying.” “Change alone is eternal, perpetual, immortal.” “A sense of humour is the only divine quality of man.” “Human life must be some kind of mistake. The truth of this will be sufficiently obvious if we only remember that man is a […]
“The truth shall make you free, but first it shall make you angry.“ “Nothing but truth is immortal.” “Liberty is a word without which all other words are vain.” What light is to the eyes – what air is to the lungs – what love is to the […]
“People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.” “Knowledge isn’t power until it is applied.” “Life is too short to be little”. You can sing only what you are. You can paint only what you are. You must be what your experiences, your environment, […]
This open letter to humanity was written for inclusion in a forthcoming artbook by Aberjhani featuring literary dialogues in the form of letters, poetry, and original artwork reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a simple and absolute law that governs everything on this planet: the law of […]
Has anyone ever asked you if there is an animal that you feel closely connected to? This doesn’t need to be an individual animal but rather that animal as a whole. Animals have always been attached to spiritual attributes, so it’s no wonder why we feel close to […]
People are starting to lose the ability to distinguish between the digital and the real world. And the more advanced these technologies become, the harder it is to tell them apart. An entire generation has already grown up in the digital world. Unlike us, who used to write […]
“Master Sha has applied his own knowledge to the ancient art of Chinese Calligraphy to create Tao Calligraphy, art beyond art that has a positive effect on anyone in its presence.” Dr & Master Zhi Gang Sha is a world renowned teacher, author, and one of the most […]
“Love is a word of light, written by a hand of light, upon a page of light. “ “From a sensitive woman’s heart springs the happiness of mankind, and from the kindness of her noble spirit comes mankind’s affection.” “When a man’s hand touches the hand of a woman […]
“The more you learn, the harder the lessons get.” “Live, so you do not have to look back and say: ‘God, how I have wasted my life.’ “ “Consciously or not, we are all on a quest for answers, trying to learn the lessons of life. We grapple […]
“The supreme bliss that pulsates in the wake of meditation is your pure essence.” “You can’t stop the waves but you can learn how to surf.” “Love is our only reason for living and the only purpose of life. We live for the sake of love, and we […]
“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.” “Man has made a discovery… the way to make life easy is to make it meaningless.” “Faith is the highest passion in a man.” “To be human, is not a fact, but a task.” […]
“If you want to be more alive, love is the truest health.” “What you seek is seeking you.“ “Silence is the language of God,all else is poor translation.” “Woman is the light of God.“ “This is love: to fly toward a secret sky, to cause a hundred veils […]
Excellence Reporter: Sharon, what is the meaning of life? Sharon Gannon: The meaning of life is to drop all the meanness. When meanness drops away—what remains is kindness. To choose kindness over meanness is to live a meaningful life. The purpose of our lives is to remember who […]
“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.“ “Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of man.“ “Silence is a true friend who never betrays.“ “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. We have two lives, and the second begins […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Gerlach, what is the meaning of life? Or the purpose of life if you will… Dr. Derek Gerlach: I believe the purpose of life is to learn, grow, and evolve as spiritual beings. In brief, to find our true selves. To explain why growth gives […]
“There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.” “You must examine all this well.“ “When your spirit is no longer foggy, when the clouds of bewilderment clear […]
There is nothing we should be quite so grateful for as the last line of the poem that goes, “When your own heart asks.” “I do not know how to defeat others. All I know is the path to defeat myself.“ “Singlemindedness is all-powerful.“ “There is surely nothing […]
The Dalai Lama once said, “When there is too much stress or worry, look within.” 2020 has been a very tumultuous year so far, with countless individuals experiencing more frequent (and more severe) bouts of anxiety. Although meditation has been practiced for centuries to calm the mind, it has been […]
“No one is free who has not obtained the empire of himself. No man is free who cannot command himself.“ “The most momentous thing in human life is the art of winning the soul to good or evil.“ “Be silent or let thy words be worth more than […]
“Soli Deo Gloria“ “Where there is devotional music, God is always at hand with His gracious presence.“ “Music is an agreeable harmony for the honor of God and the permissible delights of the soul. Harmony is next to Godliness. It is the special province of music to move […]
Life is after all a form of affirmation. However insistently the blind may deny the existence of the sun, they cannot annihilate it. Life as it is lived suffices. It is only when the disquieting intellect steps in and tries to murder it that we stop to live […]
“Walking is man’s best medicine.“ “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.“ “The greatest medicine of all is teaching people how not to need it.“ “A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings, and learn how by his own thought […]
“The kingdom of heaven is not a placebut a state of mind.” “Every walk to the woods is a religious rite, every bath in the stream is a saving ordinance. Communion service is at all hours, and the bread and wine are from the heart and marrow of […]
There was once a monk who was meditating beside the road, and he apparently had been there for many, many years, for his hair had grown out into the ground, birds had made nests in his hair. He was sitting there meditating. All of a sudden he felt […]
Do you believe in psychic phenomena? About 57% of Americans are certain that psychic occurrences exist. However, 8 out of every 10 people surveyed admit they’ve never personally had a psychic experience. Instead, it seems that only psychics and mediums can harness the supernatural powers that so many […]
This weekend we are very fortunate in that we have the opportunity to cultivate bodhicitta and put the actions of our body, speech and mind into the path to liberation, the path of control. This is so worthwhile. Despite having had many previous lives and having lived many […]
Have you just opened up your own church? One of the first things you have to decide on besides gathering a fellowship is your lighting. Church lighting can cast a certain mood that will either make or break your services. If you plan to have your sermons recorded, […]
The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most popular and well-read books of wisdom in the history of humankind. Known also as the Song of God, it is a conversation between the Supreme Lord Shri Krishna and his devotee Arjuna, on the verge of the Mahabharata war. The […]
Excellence Reporter: Bonny, what is the meaning of life? Bonny Meyer: The meaning of life is to love and what gives meaning to life is love. Love is the essence of our being. We are born lovers. If you don’t believe me, just look at the way a […]
Excellence Reporter: David, what is the meaning of life? David Richards: This seems like such an easy question to answer, in finding a meaning to life. It is the stuff quips are made of; “the meaning of life is to live a life of meaning.” But how? How to […]
Excellence Reporter: Philip, what is the meaning of life? Philip Goldberg: This is a multileveled question. Let’s start with the ultimate level: Is there meaning inherent in life as such? Or, asked another way: Does existence itself have meaning? To this, my answer must be “I don’t know. […]
“Independence is my happiness, and I view things as they are, without regard to place or person; my country is the world, and my religion is to do good.“ “Give me liberty, or give me death.“ “When it can be said by any country in the world, my […]
Bee Daoist: If you have the Dao in your heart you are the man of the Dao. We carry these clothes, these shoes, this hat… if we do not see the Dao in our heart, we are no Daoists at all. To carry the Dao in our hearts […]
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” “Be courageous. I have seen many depressions in business.Always America has emerged from these stronger and more prosperous.Be brave as your fathers before you.Have faith!Go forward!“ “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize […]
Excellence Reporter: Master Winn, what is the meaning of life? Michael Winn: From my Taoist view, “meaning” is a culturally or linguistically constructed CONCEPT. “Life” is the important part of the question. The underlying question is really “what does it mean to be fully alive?”. Life is the […]
