Aaron Graves

The Enemy is the Necessary Condition for Practicing Patience

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These words from His Holiness the Dalai Lama are quite powerful: “In fact, the enemy is the necessary condition for practicing patience. Without an enemy’s action, there is no possibility for patience or tolerance to arise. Our friends do not ordinarily test us and provide the opportunity to cultivate patience; only our enemies do this. …

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11 Zen Stories

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1. A Cup of Tea Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor’s cup full, and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. “It is overfull. No more …

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What Are You Missing?

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This is one of those stories that you wonder if it’s really true. As it turns out, it is (Snopes, Washington Post). After reading it, you may be left wondering what things in your life are passing  you by (or more accurately, what you are passing by in life). We’re all busy, things get hectic. …

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Lost Yourself? How About a Walkabout.

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If you’re not careful, you can lose yourself in the world. You get too busy with things, not busy enough with yourself! You’ll spend your days and nights living someone else’s agendas, fighting someone else’s battles and you’re doing the work someone else wants you to be doing, but everyday there’s less and less of …

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Bruce Lee’s Top 7 Fundamentals For Getting Your Life In Shape

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Enjoy these 7 quotations from Bruce Lee on getting your life in shape. 1. What are you really thinking about today? “As you think, so shall you become.” 2. Simplify. “It’s not the daily increase but daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential.” 3. Learn about yourself in interactions. To know oneself is to study …

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“Guac” That Rocks

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Ingredients 3 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled and mashed 1 can (10 oz each) Ro*Tel® Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, drained 3/4 cup chopped onion 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice 1/2 teaspoon salt Ground black pepper Tortilla chips or fresh vegetables, optional Directions Mix avocados, drained tomatoes, onion, lemon/lime juice and salt in medium …

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Calmer Than You Are

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If there’s one thing that never fails to make me angry, it’s a traffic light changing as I’m approaching it. I’m talking unnaturally angry. Like, expletive spewing, steering wheel punching angry. And for what reason? Because I’ve just been halted for a minute? Because of the (relatively) minor inconvenience of having to come to a …

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