New Law of Attraction

Previous info on Law of Attraction has showed the importance of what you think and feel in order to create the life you want. Both are important yet at a deeper layer we need to go beyond surface thoughts and feelings to deeper states of peace from which character qualities are formed. Character in fact is what attracts the best into our life. In this you and the universe are co-creators.

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On “The Secret” by Dan Millman (Includes Amusing Video)

“The Secret” has offered many positive ideas, though I share many of the concerns expressed in this post by Dan Millman as highlighted in Balance “Secret Principles” with Compassion. Dan has respectfully critiqued “The Secret” with a succinct understanding.

As many of you know Dan is the author of many spiritually insightful books on personal transformation, including Way of the Peaceful Warrior, which has been made into a successful movie called Peaceful Warrior in 2006 starring Nick Nolte. Here is Dan’s insightful post on “The Secret”:

Some weeks ago, a young man wrote to us, declaring, “In six months I’m going to have three million dollars, the woman of my dreams, and a beautiful house – because I’ve seen . . . The Secret!

The Secret, for those of you who haven’t yet heard, has become an internet phenomenon. It began as an Australian television production featuring a number of well-known authors and pundits, speaking about the “Law of Attraction.” This law says that we attract or manifest into our lives what we think about or focus on or earnestly desire.

As fate would have it, the producers, in a stroke of foresight, ended up delivering this 90-minute program via internet. One can go to the web site, watch a dramatic teaser, sign up, pay a mere $4.95, and download the program to watch to one’s heart’s content — to learn “The Secret.”

I’m not surprised by the popularity of this program. Magical thinking has huge appeal for many – especially when it intersects with ideas from quantum physics and metaphysical science.

In this respectful critique, I’m going to first express what I genuinely like about the program:

I find much of the program up-beat, good hearted, encouraging. It also has excellent production values, cinematography, effects, and sound. And the editing is excellent. I’m especially impressed by the cutting-edge method of delivery — internet streaming — ushering in a new era of movies on demand with the click of a mouse.

I also like the message that what we bring into our lives begins with a vision, a longed-for aspiration — a good reminder for those of us who haven’t yet stretched the wings of possibility and allowed ourselves to embrace higher possibilities. If The Secret opens the way to expanded dreams, it serves a useful purpose.

What concerns me, however, are the program’s primary suppositions. The message, repeated in different words by the various guests, is that if we simply intend and visualize and dream big enough, we can “manifest” all our dreams — effortlessly, magically, mystically.

However, this “Law of Attraction” does not, in my view, qualify as a law at all. In my book, The Laws of Spirit, I present twelve spiritual laws (including, to name a few, the laws of balance, choices, process, faith . . . action, surrender, and unity) — laws which apply consistently and universally to everyday life. This quality of consistency is essential to any law, and differentiates it from proverbs, principles, or aphorisms, which may or may not apply. In other words, a law works every time here on Earth, much like the law of gravity.

In any case, this “Law of Attraction,” as taught many decades ago by metaphysicians like Catherine Ponder and others, is certainly a positive and expansive idea. But dreams, desires and visions are only the beginning — they must be followed by focused effort over time – something barely mentioned in the “Secret” production.

Thomas Edison wrote, “We often miss opportunity because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” It has the ring of truth, doesn’t it? But suggesting that we need to work hard over time to achieve our goals doesn’t sell well. It isn’t sexy or fascinating, or sound much like a “Secret.” Common sense rarely does.

In “The Secret,” we personally witness a little boy who wishes and hopes for a bicycle—he thinks about it, visualizes a bike, cuts out pictures from a magazine. And lo and behold, one day he opens a door and there is his new bike! Personally, I would have been more drawn to see him walking a paper route, or doing chores to earn some money, or at least asking his parents directly for a special Christmas gift. Which reminds me of a story I relate in Living on Purpose:

Louie goes to church every Sunday and prays to God, “Dear Lord, I’ve been a good and devout man for many years, living according to your Laws, doing acts of charity, serving the poor, supporting my family. So please, please, let me win the lottery just once!” He repeats this plea every week for years, but his entreaties go unanswered. So Louie starts to pray to win the lottery every night and every day. Until one day, he hears a voice thunder down from the heavens: “Louie, will you at least go half-way with me and buy a ticket?”

That’s all I’m suggesting — a simple point ignored by “The Secret” — go to the effort to buy a ticket. Or as an Arabic sage once said, “Trust in God . . . but tie your camel.”

So if you wish to be successful, dream big, but start small — then connect the dots. In other words, start with a vision, then take baby steps. Neither dreaming nor wishing nor magical secrets get the laundry done.

The biggest issue I have with programs like The Secret (or other idealistic notions such as learning “positive thinking”) is that when their magical methods don’t work, we end up believing that it’s our fault, our lack, our fault. We believe that if we had truly deserved it, or really applied ourselves, or focused more intently, or visualized more clearly with a sincere heart, surely it would have worked.

The Secret, then, with its lovely and uplifting promise, is a foolproof supposition: If we don’t heal, manifest, get what we want, it’s due to our own lack of faith.

Or maybe it’s because we forgot the “taking action” part . . .

There are some successful people who claim to have mastered “The Secret” and who have manifested their dreams and desires. Few of them tell us about their years of struggle and labor and preparation.

By all means strive in the direction of your dreams! Visualize a grand life! Then get to work. While we cannot control the outcomes, we can control our efforts. And by making the effort, we increase the odds of creating a larger life.

I close with my warmest wishes, and with a reminder from Henry David Thoreau: “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost. Now put foundations under them.”

You might also enjoy the following link to a short You Tube commentary on “The Secret” from an Advaita Vedanta perspective:

As a post-script, both for those who mistakenly believe that I support the message of “The Secret,” and also for those who believe I’m being unjustly critical, I offer another articulate blogger’s comments about “The Secret”.

by Dan Millman

Originally posted on www.danmillman.com

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Your Emotions

 

We felt this was an important article on emotions to share with our readers. Our novel “Nexus: A Neo Novel” also deals with uncovering layers of emotions and learning to deal with them. The following insights about your emotions presented by Aymen Fares are helpful and worth noting:

We have covered our thoughts and we have touched upon ego. This month we look at emotions. Emotions control most peoples lives. They are an inexplicable force that the majority of us have to deal with on a daily basis.

Think of your emotions in terms of energy currents. Imagine an energy field around you which changes shape, colour and texture as your emotions change. In spiritual terms this is called your astral body. Some people call this your emotional body or energy field.

Generally, your emotions serve your personality or your ego. If you wish to achieve a measure of personal development you must learn to master your emotions and not be ruled by them. This personal development is one of the first steps on the spiritual path of initiation and is also known as spiritually evolving. The goal of our personal development is to exercise control of our emotions. Energetically this is like calming the stormy sea and symbolically, emotions are represented by water.

This doesn’t mean that we do not ‘feel’ or that we should ‘shut off’ as many people do, on the contrary the only way to master your emotions is to get closer to them and actually find out what you really are feeling.

Our emotional needs are often manifested in physical form. A simple example would be; eating, many people eat too many sweets. Sweets are often used as a reward by parents or eaten at celebrations and may be associated with happiness. People who are not happy have a subconscious craving to eat sweets. Emotions control this behaviour.

Other ways in which emotions dominate are numerous. You may seek to satisfy desire in many ways, food, money and sex are common ways to do this. Your subconscious emotional needs dominate and cause behaviour which is not ‘good’ for you.

We measure ‘good’ from a reference point of what you, the soul behind your ego, thoughts and personality wants. Through the veil of emotion and ego, a clear path is often needed before your true self is discovered.

The way to still the waters is to

1. Find out what you are thinking.
2. Respond, rather than react.

Reacting means you are usually expressing a negative emotion such as anger and jealousy. Please notice how I said expressing. If we respond rather than react we will still feel the emotion. We do not however have to express it in a negative fashion. This two step process is simple, but hard to put into practice, the heat of the moment often providing a difficult training ground.

A common way to overcome this difficulty is to work backwards. Start with the moments that cause you to react. Look at incidents that cause you to get emotional, situations where people ‘push your buttons’. Anger and Jealousy are easy places to start.

Look for the message about yourself, don’t just react.

Your emotions originate from thoughts. Unravel the thread. Find the thought pattern behind the emotion. All negative emotions start with a fear.

Take jealousy for instance. This is based on the fear of losing your partner. It also has it’s origins from the incorrect assumption that you posses your partner. This shows up as issues of self worth and it means that you are comparing yourself to another person and judging yourself as less.

Envy is another negative emotion and again the origin is fear. The focus with envy is on what we are lacking. What you are really thinking is “The other person has what I want” This is based on one of two ideas;

There is not enough for everyone and I might be inadequate

or

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I am not happy with myself or my situation.

This manifests with you launching an attack or belittling the person or object of your envy. Statements such as “I didn’t want that anyway” “That’s no good because…” mean you are focusing on what you don’t have.

Change your thoughts, focus instead on what you do have.

Once you are aware of the mechanics which come into play when your negative emotions are aroused, you have come a long way. What is required to finish the task at hand is a willingness to confront yourself. Remember, when emotions are raised in YOU, that is the signal for you to look inside. A common trap along the way is failure to look at yourself and instead look to the other person involved. This means you are not taking responsibility for your self. You need to shift the focus back onto you.

Finding and facing your fears is not always easy. All you need is light. Once you illuminate your fears to yourself, they quickly dissolve along with the accompanying emotion.

By Aymen Fares

Aymen Fares is an International Life Coach with clients all over the world. He is based in Melbourne Australia. Article originally posted on spiritual.com.au

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New Ideas – How Do You Generate Them?

Debby and I have for the past few months had thoughts germinating about a new book that we’d like to work on together. What’s our new book about?

Well right now that’s a secret but we’ll post more information when the time is right. So stay tuned!

Our thoughts have been building up over the last few weeks. The other night, Debby put our thoughts down on paper and created a clear outline for our new book.

I started to think how new ideas are generated.

I’ve found deliberate thoughts on generating new ideas are less successful than when you’re in a “free-flow” discussion. This is the reason why brainstorming exercises work so well.

You’re using your intuitive, creative mind to generate ideas without interference from your conscious mind. Debby and I have found that free thought that arises from a relaxed, creative space often yields best results for coming up with new ideas.

You’ll find some great examples of brainstorming strategies at Gallaudet University page on “Pre-Writing Strategies.” Debby and I have successfully used many of these strategies to generate ideas for our current book, Nexus: A Neo Novel.

Now we’re using them to generate ideas for our new book. We tend to use “Brainstorm,” “Outline” and “Mapping” in generating ideas. Which one will you use to unleash your creative powers?

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Inspired by Nature

What inspires an individual’s creativity in writing and other arts? The answer to this question would vary with each individual as perception shapes what is defined as “inspirational.” Though certain sources of inspiration have a common thread, since they are rooted in our shared human experiences. Life gives us everyday opportunities to experience inspiration , though we need our senses open to receive it.

One of the best sources of inspiration can be found in nature, which can inspire us to great poetic heights as evident in To Autumn by John Keats. Beauty of nature creates an aesthetic feeling that is uplifting and enlivens the senses. My writing partner, Deborah Morrison, wrote a beautiful passage “Beauty of Nature” in our book Nexus: A Neo Novel, which depicts the ecstatic experience of Logan Andrews as he is inspired by the beauty that surrounds him on a hilltop.

I find that stepping into natural landscapes changes my perception, since the contours and lines are rounded and less defined there. In cityscapes, everything is harsh and sharply defined and our sensibilities need to step away from the starkness of the city to be reinvigourated. We can compare the sharp boxed buildings found in many cities to the softness of trees found in nature.

This is why I make time to commune with nature and attune to her rhythms. In Southern Ontario, I also enjoy the seasons change. Deborah’s Sacred Circle is one of my favourite poems on the sense of wonder around seasonal changes. Copies of her first poetry book, Mystical Poetry, are now a rare item. In fact, a few weeks ago a used copy sold for around $200 on Amazon Canada. So someone out there is truly inspired by her poems.

The beauty of nature is inspiring at many levels and as artists we struggle to capture our experience of it. How to describe the intricacies of a snowflake? Or the migration of birds, butterflies, whales and other animals? Or the sunset on a beach? Sometimes we find the words or the image to commit to canvas. At other times the inspiration is there, yet we struggle to communicate the essence of our experience. The pristine experience is rarefied through our artistic endeavours.

We welcome you to share on what you find inspiring about nature. Or your own experiences of nature expressed in your own words or art.

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Full Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr

The serenity prayer is one the most beautiful prayers from the Christian tradition. It offers much solace and wisdom. Most people are familiar with the first part, though only a few know the entire prayer, which was an untitled prayer written by the theologian Reinhold Niebuhr in the 1930s.

God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time,
accepting hardship as the pathway to peace;
taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it;
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
and supremely happy with Him forever
in the next.

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Balance "Secret Principles" with Compassion

“The Secret” reinforces an important message of taking inventory of our thoughts and focusing them in a positive direction to create life changes that we desire. This is a wonderful message, yet without critical examination and thoughtful application, the ideas can prove unskillful in our interactions with individuals who suffer.

The idea that we attract everything through our thoughts is on the one hand a powerful message. However, it can also be a dangerous message when taken to an extreme perspective. We can end up blaming victims for their plight, such as: Individuals in poverty, survivors of disasters, the disabled or the abused.

I believe that at critical moments such as with Hurricane Katrina or with the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004, our desire to alleviate suffering is most important. The extreme perspective can also assign wrongful thinking for causing diseases or illnesses. I feel uncomfortable when positive thinking is taken this far because it can allow us to become distant from another person’s need or suffering, since we can at some level just say, “Well, they must have brought this upon themselves.”

If taken to an extreme this perspective of our thoughts alone ultimately influencing the universe can approach arrogance. Certainly our thoughts, intentions and our ability to select our reaction to events are powerful tools for personal transformation, yet this message needs to be balanced with humility and compassion. Thoughts play an important role, yet at times our response needs to come from the heart not the head..

At a human level, we need to balance our positive thinking attitudes with compassion for ourselves and others. When individuals are in need, our hearts need to respond to them with empathy, care and understanding. If our positive thoughts disconnect us from compassion, then even if we succeed at an individual level, we may fail at a social level – we may achieve material success but lose our “soul” in the process.

When we approach positive thinking or “the law of attraction” with a mechanical attitude, then we risk limiting our growth to self-interest rather than growing in our compassion. From a higher perspective, we know that spiritual growth starts within our hearts and is not limited to our thoughts alone. The mind and heart work in harmony in order to create a life that is fulfilling at all levels.

In “NEXUS: A Neo Novel” our focus has been on personal transformation� of people who in one way or another are stuck. Through the journey of people in our book, we discover many insights to expand both our mind and our heart – to develop a positive mind along with a compassionate heart.

Peace & blessings,
Arvind Singh
Co-author of Nexus

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Get a Grip on Stress

Healthy & Natural Journal, Feb, 2001 by Deborah Morrison

We all know how it feels to be stressed out. But what actually causes stress and what does it do to our bodies? How do we avoid the damaging effects of stress?

A medical definition of stress is that which disturbs a person’s mental and physical well-being. However, a more common definition is that stress is a heightened response to both routine and out-of-the-ordinary conditions and events.

Stress takes a daunting toll on our nation’s health and finances. Studies and surveys show that:

* 70 to 80 percent of all visits to the doctor are for stress-related illnesses.

* People who experience high levels of anxiety are four to five times more likely to die of a heart attack or stroke.

* Stress contributes to approximately 50 percent of all illnesses.

* Stress-related injuries on the job have increased from 5 percent to more than 15 percent of all occupational disease during the past 10 years.

* The cost of job stress in North America is estimated at $200 billion annually; this includes costs of absenteeism, lost productivity and insurance claims

* 7 out of 10 people surveyed said they felt stressed in a typical workday.

* Approximately 43 percent of those interviewed said they suffer noticeable physical symptoms of burnout.

Stress is a natural part of being human and can function as a source of motivation as well as a catalyst for problem-solving. Not all stress results from crises and obstacles. Stress can also be triggered by events that create intense feelings of happiness or excitement. So how do you identify harmful stress, how does it hurt you, and how can you manage it in your life?

What causes stress?

Our 21st-century lives are full of stress. We live in a fast-paced world where technology enables people to be active 24 hours a day. Our ancestors were forced to go to bed when daylight ended: in contrast, electricity allows us to stretch our working hours around the clock. We are now linked globally by jet travel and telecommunications, which contribute to the frenetic work pace. Our contemporary culture has a reverence for productivity at work; as a result, many people are under pressure to work longer and harder. Consequently, people often abandon leisure activities and family time.

Causes of stress are termed stressors. Stressors can be physical or emotional, internally or externally generated. Various stimuli, including physical violence and internal conflicts, can be found at the root of stress. Major life events, such as putting an elderly parent in a nursing home, a birth or a death, and a marriage or a divorce, are common sources of stress. Minor incidents, such as bouncing a check or being stuck in a traffic jam, can also be stressors.

Responding to stressors

A physiological process occurs as the body reacts to a stressor. This “fight or flight” mechanism is triggered by the autonomic nervous system and can be a lifesaver in times of danger. The brain releases the stimulating stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine (also called adrenaline) into the system. As a result, the heart beats faster, blood pressure rises, muscles tense, the senses sharpen and metabolism changes. The entire physical system is now prepared to respond to an attack. Physiologically, one feels apprehension, tension and nervousness. This reaction is clearly helpful when we’re in immediate physical danger. However, all too often, the “danger” the body is responding to is loss of a job, prolonged illness, or death of a loved one. Many modem stressors do not go away quickly, so the body stays primed to react. Ongoing exposure to stress can result in mental and physical symptoms such as anxiety and depression, heart palpitations and muscular aches and pains. If the stress is not removed or reduced , illness often follows.

A physical effect

When the body is responding to a stressor, breathing is quick and shallow. As a result, the flow of oxygen is depleted and cells are deprived of oxygen, which they need for maintenance and health. Being in a chronic state of stress also shuts down functions such as metabolism, causing indigestion, heartburn and decreased sex drive. Stress also weakens the cardiovascular and immune systems and generally depletes any of the body’s vulnerable areas.

The cardiovascular system can suffer some of the most debilitating effects of chronic stress. Stress can cause increased levels of cholesterol and other lipids in the blood and can accelerate the development of arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and other types of damage to blood vessels. Stress hormones may result in the presence of excessive cortisol, which can produce lesions in the heart muscles that, over time, can cause the heart to pump so erratically that death may result.

Research is also showing that stress has a negative impact on the immune system. Stress triggers hormones that are thought to inhibit the activity of white blood cells–the cells that fight off disease. These hormones have also been connected to cancer in some recent studies. Stress hormones also decrease the size of the thymus, which is responsible for the development and maintenance of the body’s immune system. Researchers acknowledge that Iong-term stress definitely suppresses the immune response.

Deborah Morrison is a Writer, Therapist, Counsellor and Speaker from Ontario, Canada.  She has written numerous articles on health, healing and spiritual life.  Her first book showed her visionary capacity and shares similarities with Blake & Gibran.  She has also co-authored a novel of spiritual depth with Arvind Singh called Nexus.

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NEXUS Press Release

Deborah Morrison & Arvind Singh from Ontario, Canada explore their gifts as novelists through a captivating book called NEXUS. Deborah has previously written a book of poetry called Mystical Poetry, and she has published many articles on health and spirituality. Arvind has published a number of articles on spiritual and philosophical thought both in English and South Asian languages and this is his first book.

NEXUS is an amazing spiritual adventure of Personal Transformation & Empowerment. Readers have described it as Insightful, Captivating and Inspirational. It builds on the experiences of both authors as teachers of relaxation, breath and yoga therapies. Through a poignant journey to a retreat, each person in the novel is looking to overcome personal pain including the main character, Logan Andrews.

Logan, a journalist in his mid-20s, struggles with depression to the point of suicide. Can he control his troubled mind before its too late?

In a vivid dream, Logan is guided to a spiritual retreat where he meets his lost love, Sarah, along with an arrogant millionaire, a grandmotherly woman and two insightful teachers.

Problems soon emerge for Logan and others at the retreat. What happens to each character and the depth of their personal experiences makes NEXUS a journey of transformation and a compelling read.

I’ve read many spiritual books but this one succeeds where others fail. It successfully combines a poignant story fraught with true human emotions of personal pain along with remarkable spiritual insights. James Bertrand

Nexus made me laugh and it made me cry. The story touched on many issues that I have struggled with in my own life and it gave practical advice on transforming my life. Its perfect for anyone looking for an Inspiring, Spiritual book filled with practical wisdom. Harpal Singh Khalsa.

A simple story with a simple message, Nexus invites you in to explore the characters’ thoughts and feelings along side your own. Nancy Noble

This book is totally amazing!!! It works like a dream at a subconscious level of understanding even if consciously you’re unaware of its full spiritual dimensions. Aaron

Quality Paperback edition

Published by Manor House Publishing

Available online from

Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble | Chapters-Indigo

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Dalai Lama on Compassion

Compassion forms the primary message contained in the pages of Nexus, where through empathy and genuine feeling of oneness with others, transcendence from ego-centeredness is possible. Then compassion and genuine love can be enshrined within.

The following excerpts by the Dalai Lama shed practical wisdom on bringing compassion into our daily lives:

Where Compassion Starts

“Compassion is the wish for another being to be free from suffering; love is wanting them to have happiness. “

“The next matter to be understood is whether it is possible to enhance compassion and love. In other words, is there a means by which these qualities of mind can be increased, and anger, hatred, and jealousy reduced? My answer to this is an emphatic, Yes! Even if you do not agree with me right now, let yourself be open to the possibility of such development. Let us carry out some experiments together; perhaps we may then find some answers.”

“For a start, it is possible to divide every kind of happiness and suffering into two main categories: mental and physical. Of the two, it is the mind that exerts the greatest influence on most of us. Unless we are either gravely ill or deprived of basic necessities, our physical condition plays a secondary role in life. If the body is content, we virtually ignore it. The mind, however, registers every event, no matter how small. Hence we should devote our most serious efforts to bringing about mental peace rather than physical comfort.”

Transforming the Mind

“From my own limited experience, I am convinced that through constant training we can indeed develop our minds. Our positive attitudes, thoughts, and outlook can be enhanced, and their negative counterparts can be reduced. Even a single moment of consciousness depends on so many factors, and when we change these various factors, the mind also changes. This is a simple truth about the nature of mind. “

Developing Compassion

“Self-centeredness inhibits our love for others, and we are all afflicted by it to one degree or another. For true happiness to come about, we need a calm mind, and such peace of mind is brought about only by a compassionate attitude.”

“Many forms of compassionate feeling are mixed with desire and attachment. For instance, the love parents feel for their child is often strongly associated with their own emotional needs, so it is not fully compassionate. Usually when we are concerned about a close friend, we call this compassion, but it too is usually attachment. Even in marriage, the love between husband and wife…depends more on attachment than genuine love. Marriages that last only a short time do so because they lack compassion; they are produced by emotional attachment based on projection and expectation, and as soon as the projections change, the attachment disappears.”

“Compassion without attachment is possible. Therefore, we need to clarify the distinctions between compassion and attachment. True compassion is not just an emotional response but a firm commitment founded on reason. Because of this firm foundation, a truly compassionate attitude toward others does not change even if they behave negatively. Genuine compassion is based not on our own projections and expectations, but rather on the needs of the other.”

“When you recognize that all beings are equal in both their desire for happiness and their right to obtain it, you automatically feel empathy and closeness for them. Through accustoming your mind to this sense of universal altruism, you develop a feeling of responsibility for others; you wish to help them actively overcome their problems. This wish is not selective; it applies equally to all beings. As long as they experience pleasure and pain just as you do, there is no logical basis to discriminate between them or to alter your concern for them if they behave negatively.”

“Given patience and time, it is within our power to develop this kind of universal compassion. Of course our self-centeredness, our distinctive attachment to the feeling of a solid I, works fundamentally to inhibit our compassion. Indeed, true compassion can be experienced only when this type of self-grasping is eliminated. But this does not mean that we cannot start to cultivate compassion and begin to make progress right away.”

Our Connectedness & Universal Compassion

“I believe that at every level of societyfamilial, national and internationalthe key to a happier and more successful world is the growth of compassion. We do not need to become religious, nor do we need to believe in a particular ideology. All that is necessary is for each of us to develop our good human qualities. I believe that the cultivation of individual happiness can contribute in a profound and effective way to the overall improvement of the entire human community.”

“We all share an identical need for love, and on the basis of this commonality, it is possible to feel that anybody we meet, in whatever circumstances, is a brother or sister. No matter how new the face or how different the dress or behavior, there is no significant division between us and other people. It is foolish to dwell on external differences because our basic natures are the same.”

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