Good Quotes (Not Necessarily from the Book)

[Marcus]

I'm sure Socrates never said anything like this, but it still has a nice moral message to it.

TRIPLE FILTER TEST

Keep this philosophy in mind the next time you either hear or are about to repeat a rumor.

In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates was widely lauded for his wisdom. One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance who ran up
to him excitedly and said, "Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students?"

"Wait a moment," Socrates replied. "Before you tell me I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the triple Filter Test."

"Triple filter?"

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my student let's take a moment to filter what you're going to say. The first filter is Truth.

"Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and ..."

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness."

"Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good?"

"No, on the contrary..."

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, even though you're not certain it's true?"
The man shrugged, a little embarrassed.

Socrates continued. "You may still pass the test though, because there is a third filter - the filter of Usefulness.
Is what you want to tell me about my student going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really..."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good nor even Useful, why tell it to me at all?"

The man was defeated and ashamed. This is the reason Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.

[Vesko]

"And unlike most people today, I will take all my treasures with me when I leave this world, tucked away in my heart...forever."

-Robert Bruce

[Kestrel]

Vesko, thats a great quote. I think it will help me.

[Vesko]

Yes, Kestrel, it's great. Marcus' "Triple Filter" is great, too!

Have a look at the "Disjecta Fragmenta" at
http://www.astraldynamics.com/tutorials ... etinID=211

One more quote from there:

So, next time you look into the eyes of a baby, have a little respect. You will never get any nearer to God in this lifetime.
-Robert Bruce

[Vesko]

Notice the bolded sentence:

Is there really the desire to know love, or to know the experience of someone having an emotion over self? Is it a desire to be itself expended in doing that which may be helpful or constructive? This can be done, but it will require the losing of self, as has been indicated, in service for others.
. . . But arise to that consciousness that if ye would have life, if ye would have friends, if ye would have love, these things ye must expend. For only that ye give away do ye possess.

Edgar Cayce Reading 1786-2

[bomohwkl]

The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate.... Returning violence for violence multiples violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

--Martin Luther King Jr.

[Vesko]

The emphasis in bold is mine:

As has been indicated, a little more patient, a little more tolerant, a little more humble. But . . .not a tolerance that becomes timid--this would make rebellion in self. Not a patience that is not positive. Not an humbleness that becomes morbid or lacking in beauty. For as orderliness is a part of thy being, so let consistency--as persistency--be a part of thy being.

Edgar Cayce Reading 1402-1

Faults in others are first reflected in self. When such conditions arise in the experience of an entity, there should be first those considerations of that in self that has produced such a reflection, so that the God shining through any activity is lost sight of by self in the fellow man; especially one that is seeking for the spiritual activities in a material plane, and he that would gain the world and lose self's own soul has lost all.

Edgar Cayce Reading 452-3

Know thy ideal, and live to that. For, each soul must give account for its own self.

Edgar Cayce Reading 2803-2

...each soul has a mission in the earth, and is in expression a manifestation of the thought of God, of the First Cause. Thus all stand upon an equal basis before Him.
Then, ye have no right to condemn self or to judge others.
Let all be done rather, then, as an appreciation of the love, the thought as may be expressed in appreciation to that Creative Force called God.
And the greater lessons may be learned from His manifested activity in the earth through Christ Jesus.

Edgar Cayce Reading 2683-1

The more and more each is impelled by that which is intuitive, or the relying upon the soul force within, the greater, the farther, the deeper, the broader, the more constructive may be the result.

Edgar Cayce Reading 792-2

That primarily needed is patience, persistence and consistence.
Then we would define for the entity what we mean by the entity having patience--in an active, positive manner and not merely as a passive thing.
Taking or enduring hardships, or censure, or idiosyncrasies of others, is not necessarily patience at all. It may become merely that of being a drudge not only to self but an outlet of expression from others that may never be quite satisfying because there is no resistance.
Passive patience, to be sure, has its place; but consider patience rather from the precepts of God's relationship to man: love unbounded is patience. Love manifested is patience. Endurance at times is patience, consistence ever is patience.

Edgar Cayce Reading 3161-1

... in thine own heart there come those things that would make
afraid. But fear is of the earth. The spirit of truth and righteousness
casteth out fear.

Edgar Cayce Reading 397-1

For he that contributes only to his own welfare soon finds little to work for. He that contributes only to the welfare of others soon finds too much of others and has lost the appreciation of self, or of its ideals.
. . . Know that the power or strength for any influence as related to the help of others must come from the universal source and not from self alone. For the individual may sow the seed, the Infinite must give the increase--it must do the multiplying. Man can detract, but he can add little to God's purpose in the earth save through the grace and mercy of God Himself.

Edgar Cayce Reading 3478-2

[Vesko]

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival."

-C.S. Lewis

[Robanan]

Regularly, take time to reflect on what has been happening in your life. Step back to work ON your life instead of IN it. See yourself as the C.E.O. of your own personal company, or as the captain of your own ship. Are you navigating the waves as well as you might?

Stepping back helps us see a bigger, more inclusive picture. Small events make more sense in the bigger scheme of things.

"Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action."

- James Levin

[Robanan]

ALL of our personal physical, psychological, and social problems arise from a lack of alignment between the body, emotions, mind and the soul. As a result, we are never victims of outside forces.

The soul challenges us to grow with problems, illnesses and/or injuries. These painful events trigger our subconscious blocks. This gives us the opportunity to SEE the blocks and release them.

"People who consider themselves victims of their circumstances will always remain victims unless they develop a greater vision for their lives."

-- Stedman Graham

"No matter how frustrated you may feel, there is Always a way out. In every situation that arises, we choose to be powerful or powerless. It may not always feel like it, but it is a choice. And there are consequences for these choices in terms of the results we get, and the subsequent increase or decrease in our power and influence. If we choose powerlessness, it is often because we doubt there is any other option."

-- Blaine Lee

[Vesko]

Blaine Lee's quote hugely rings true to me!

[Vesko]

For a person's life is not made secure by what he owns, even when he has more than he needs.

-Christ

[Zark]

For a person's life is not made secure by what he owns, even when he has more than he needs.
-Christ

Hi vesko, I searched the web for that quote and found some interesting discussion on the bible. That quote is from Luke XII: 15-18. A few preachers have realised that Christ spoke out against materialism (ie: 'earthly' or 'covetous' behaviour) and they discuss some interesting stuff here :

* Title: OUR ATTITUDE TO MATERIAL THINGS
http://www.sacredspace.ie/livingspace/S ... e/C-18.htm

and a sermon..
http://www.chapelofoursaviour.org/Sermo ... 080501.htm

* Title: Capitalism and Greed, by James Doti
Talks about the document 'The Wealth of Nations' by Adam Smith who is something like a father to modern capitalism. At first glance I though this document saw the harm in materialism, and later on he tries to present greed and self-interest as a virtue!!.
http://www.libertyhaven.com/theoretical ... reed.shtml

[Zark]

by the way that last picture was just for fun.. for those of you who have seen the movie 'Dogma'.

on a different not, this posting had me quite fascinated. It is from a guy who aparrently had a near deat experience not long ago:

posted by Russell Clay
http://www.nderf.org/forum/messages/9/2 ... 1106942887
My children don't have to "prove" me as their dad. I don't even have to "prove" myself, although I do tend to seek approval, which is sort of the same thing. I like the scene in "Mary Poppins" when Mr. Banks calls Mary to account for the way she's handling the children. "Explain yourself!" the grumpy father demands.

"Let me make one thing perfectly clear," Mary Poppins replies. "I never explain anything."

WOW, what joy fills me when I think of this as applied to God. God doesn't owe me anything -- not an explanation, not a proof, not a crumb of bread. But God, who loves me, gives me all sorts of wonderful things -- explanations, proofs, and provisions. The more I cease from demanding things of God, the more I receive.

I think the path to knowing is humility, not aggression or will. Knowing comes (for me) when I am least demanding and most quiet. Knowing comes when my heart and mind are open, not when I storm the heavens demanding answers, or buying answers from websites or books. Knowing is not about accepting the teachings of a guru, religion, or scroll; it's about receiving from someone who is a someone, a giving one; one who loves. For me, this is the source of joy, the place of peace.

My intellect is only a barrier and boundary as long as I stand behind it shouting to God to honor it. My fear is only an excuse as long as my heart cannot believe I am loved. My will is only a reason not to bow until I see the glory of God, which causes me to fill with so much joy, bowing is as sweet and natural as breathing. Finding my place in God is possible because God has a place for me.

[Robanan]

Appreciating the mystery

"The mystery of life is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced."

-- Aart Van Der Leeuw