Author of quotes: Anthony de Mello

Wakefulness, happiness — call it whatever you like — is a release from illusion; in this state a person, as far as it is possible for a person in general, perceives the world not as the person himself is, but as the world is. Get rid of illusions, see the world, see reality. Whenever you feel unhappy, you add a touch to the already existing world. It is this touch that makes you unhappy. I repeat: you added something - you added a negative emotion. From the world around you emanate stimuli, from you - reactions. If you analyze what you add to reality, you will always find at least some kind of illusion, some kind of demand or claim, addiction or expectation.

As soon as you begin to look at the world through the prism of ideology, your life is cut short. No ideology can contain a living reality. Life is beyond ideology.

We see people and the whole world not as they are, but as we are. Therefore, people perceive the same phenomenon, the same person in different ways. We see the world not as it is, but as we ourselves are.

Only one reason can explain why at the moment you are not experiencing what in India is called ananda (bliss, happiness): your thoughts are occupied with what you do not have. Otherwise you would be happy. You're focused on what you don't have.

But what I really see is that you want to be claimed. You want to be applauded, you want to be attractive and watch how worthless monkeys follow you. You are wasting your life. Wake up! You don't need all this. You can be fabulously happy without all this. Society assesses my words negatively, because anyone who is able to understand them experiences wild horror. How to manage such a person? He does not need you at all, does not react to reproaches; he doesn't care what you say or think about him. He is completely free; he ceased to be a puppet. And this is awful. Hence, we must get rid of it. He speaks the truth; he ceased to be afraid and ceased to be human. Human! Here it is! Finally we started talking about the person! Man escaped from slavery, escaped from prison.

Saying "no" to people is quite natural, it is an element of the awakening process: you build your life the way you want. And remember: this is not selfishness. Selfishness is when you require a person to do what YOU want. That's where selfishness is – it's not about living as you like. To be selfish is to demand that the other proceed from your preferences or pride, so that he lives for your benefit or pleasure. That's what selfishness is. So I'm going to defend myself. I don't have to be with you, I don't have to agree with you. If I like your company, I share it without clinging to you. But now I will not avoid you because you cause negative emotions in me. From now on, you have no control over me.

If you stab the water with a knife, it won't hurt; if you hit something hard, it will break. Inside you are firm convictions and indestructible illusions. It is they who are smashing into reality with all sorts of things, it is they who cause you so much pain and suffering.

Love and fear are the only things in the world. Fear is the only evil on earth; love is the only good beginning. Love has many names: happiness, freedom, peace, joy, God ... The name does not matter. And there is no evil on earth that is not based on fear. There is no such evil.

A small businessman of fifty-five years sits in a bar over a mug of beer and says: "Just look at my classmates! They've been successful." Idiot! What does he call success? They got their names on the newspaper pages. Do you call it success? One heads a corporation; another became the chairman of the court, the third became someone else. Monkeys, and only. Who decided that all this is success? Our stupid society!... To lead a corporation does not mean to succeed in life. To succeed is to wake up. When you wake up, you will not need to apologize to anyone, nor to make excuses to anyone, you will not care what others say or think about you. No sorrows; you're happy. That's what I call success. Prestigious work, fame and fame have nothing to do with success and happiness - absolutely nothing! These are completely useless things. Here is a list of the worries of an ordinary person: what his children will think of him, what his neighbors will think about him, what his wife will think about him. We need to find a way to become famous. Society and traditional culture are chopting this into our heads day and night. The man has succeeded! Succeeded in what?! That he fooled himself. After all, he spent all his strength on something that in fact was not worth a penny. He's embarrassed and scared; he's a puppet like everyone else. How pompously he plays his part! How upset he is if he notices a stain on his shirt! Do you call it success?
And how afraid that "he will not be re-elected for a second term"! Do you call it success? Yes, he is just a puppet - a pathetic and unhappy person. He doesn't enjoy life. He's constantly tense and irritated. In your opinion, this is the main property of a person? Did you know that all this happens to people for one simple reason: they have identified themselves with all sorts of labels. They identified their "I" with money, work, with the received specialty. That's their mistake.

The great Chinese sage once said (I tried to learn this great saying by heart): "If Archer shoots just like that, not for the sake of reward, he calmly uses his ability. If he wants to win a brass buckle, he is already noticeable worry. When the Archer knows that if successful he will be awarded the gold prize, he goes blind, is one target sees two and generally going crazy. His skill remains the same, but the idea of reward prevents him to concentrate". He's worried! His thoughts are not shooting, and victory. The desire to win deprive the Archer force. Don't most of us - not these archers? If you do not put any goals, you fully realize your abilities, freely dispose of their energy, you are a natural, you don't worry about whether you win or lose, you is absolutely indifferent.

When I talk with the woman of easy virtue, she speaks only about God. Said that her way of life she was tired, she wanted to find God. But when comes to me a Catholic priest, he speaks only about sex. We have to admit: giving up something, you are bound to it forever.

Recognize the true nature of a thing, and you don't have to give up on her; she will slip from the hands. But if you don't know if you hypnotized the idea that without this or that thing or person you'll be unhappy, then, undoubtedly, you are stuck very deeply.

The only way to get rid of a phenomenon is to look through it. Don't deny - just look through it.

Trying something to overcome, you are stronger get tangled up in it. Your resistance turns against you.