“The people you meet are all here to teach you something. Perhaps the obnoxious driver or disrespectful teenager is here to teach you about patience, the punk rocker may be here to teach you to be less judgmental.

Your job is to try to determine what the people in your life are trying to teach you. You’ll find that if you do this, you’ll be far less annoyed, bothered, and frustrated by the actions and imperfections of other people. You can actually get yourself in the habit of approaching life in this manner and, if you do, you’ll be glad you did. Often, once you discover what someone is trying to teach you, it’s easy to let go of your frustration…..

You may be surprised at how fun and easy this is. All you’re really doing is changing your perception from, “Why are they doing this?” to “What are they trying to teach me?”

Richard Carlson, PH.D., in “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff”

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Jeff Maziarek, author of Spirituality Simplified and Codi’s Journey, launched Pondercentral.com in April 2007 as a Web-based forum for “PONDER on THIS,” a series of weekday inspirational email messages he began sending to subscribers in March 1999. A FREE service since its inception, “PONDER on THIS” provides subscribers with meaningful content to assist them on their individual paths of spiritual growth. In addition, it benefits subscribers, authors, and publishers by including links to Amazon.com where subscribers can learn more about the book being quoted, and also purchase it.

“When we lose someone we love, we should remember that the person has not become nothing. “Something” cannot become “nothing,” and “nothing” cannot become “something.” Science can help us understand this, because matter cannot be destroyed – it can become energy. And energy can become matter, but it cannot be destroyed. In the same way, our beloved was not destroyed; she has just taken on another form. That form may be a cloud, a child or the breeze. We can see our loved one in everything. And smiling, we can say, “Dear one, I know you are there very close to me. I know that your nature is the nature of no birth and no death. I know that I have not lost you; you are always with me.”

If you look deeply at every moment of your daily life, you will see that person. Practicing like this, you will be able to overcome your grief. The same is true with your mother or your father. Their true nature is the nature of not born, not dying, not arriving and not departing. In reality, you have not lost anyone who has died.”

Thich Nhat Hanh, in “No Fear, No Death”

For more information about this book, visit Amazon.

Jeff Maziarek, author of Spirituality Simplified and Codi’s Journey, launched Pondercentral.com in April 2007 as a Web-based forum for “PONDER on THIS,” a series of weekday inspirational email messages he began sending to subscribers in March 1999. A FREE service since its inception, “PONDER on THIS” provides subscribers with meaningful content to assist them on their individual paths of spiritual growth. In addition, it benefits subscribers, authors, and publishers by including links to Amazon.com where subscribers can learn more about the book being quoted, and also purchase it.

“If you do not know what you want and have no set purpose, your subconscious mind just produces a conglomeration of circumstances. This is why there is so much confusion in the lives of passive people. Concentrate on one thing long enough, and you are sure to get it. Always have a definite goal in mind and write it down. Never let yourself drift…

There is a specific reason why you should get definite about what you want. The word desire, in its root, means “of the father.” It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom, and it should be your good pleasure to receive it here and now.”

Catherine Ponder, in “Open Your Mind to Prosperity”

For more information about this book visit Amazon.

Jeff Maziarek, author of Spirituality Simplified and Codi’s Journey, launched Pondercentral.com in April 2007 as a Web-based forum for “PONDER on THIS,” a series of weekday inspirational email messages he began sending to subscribers in March 1999. A FREE service since its inception, “PONDER on THIS” provides subscribers with meaningful content to assist them on their individual paths of spiritual growth. In addition, it benefits subscribers, authors, and publishers by including links to Amazon.com where subscribers can learn more about the book being quoted, and also purchase it.

“Fear of being empty (minded, hearted, stomached or pocketed), originally arises from fear of the void, i.e., death. Tempting you to avoid the void is what the advertising industry makes its living from. Think of all the chocolate, alcohol, sex, drugs, CDs, cups of tea, shopping expeditions for unnecessary consumer goods, TV programs, long nights out in clubs and restaurants and meaningless conversations that have been had in order to “avoid the void.”

But, as you know, the void is your natural habitat, your place of origin before that sperm implanted and this endless round of shopping kicked in. Like the depths of the ocean from which life sprang, the void gave birth to all existence. There is nothing, literally nothing, to fear there.

On the contrary, daily bathing in its mysterious waters is to immerse yourself in the pool of youth, truth, good looks and vitality. Scuba diving in it is to submerge yourself in the depths of eternal consciousness and life itself.  This is another way of saying, “Invest in Loss.”

Stephen Russell, in “Barefoot Doctor’s Guide to the TAO”

For more information about this book, visit Amazon.

Jeff Maziarek, author of Spirituality Simplified and Codi’s Journey, launched Pondercentral.com in April 2007 as a Web-based forum for “PONDER on THIS,” a series of weekday inspirational email messages he began sending to subscribers in March 1999. A FREE service since its inception, “PONDER on THIS” provides subscribers with meaningful content to assist them on their individual paths of spiritual growth. In addition, it benefits subscribers, authors, and publishers by including links to Amazon.com where subscribers can learn more about the book being quoted, and also purchase it.

“Having faith in yourself, and letting go of those memories of times when things did not work will help you open to more abundance. If you must think of the past, think of those times you were powerful and creative. Go into your heart and ask whether you feel you deserve all the joy and love that is awaiting you on your path of higher purpose.

You can begin to imagine joy, peace and harmony as your birthright. Focus, clarity, and love are available for the asking. Request a vision of your higher purpose, and be willing to recognize the gifts every day as they come, even the small things. The more you acknowledge what is being sent to you, the more you can bring into your life.

Ask! We cannot give you anything unless you ask. The universe waits for you to ask. When you see it coming, be willing to take and receive it. When the opportunity comes, grab it! Thank and acknowledge the universe for it, and you can create Heaven on Earth.”

Sanaya Roman, in “Living with Joy”

For more information about this book visit Amazon.

Jeff Maziarek, author of Spirituality Simplified and Codi’s Journey, launched Pondercentral.com in April 2007 as a Web-based forum for “PONDER on THIS,” a series of weekday inspirational email messages he began sending to subscribers in March 1999. A FREE service since its inception, “PONDER on THIS” provides subscribers with meaningful content to assist them on their individual paths of spiritual growth. In addition, it benefits subscribers, authors, and publishers by including links to Amazon.com where subscribers can learn more about the book being quoted, and also purchase it.