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Anthony de Mello

Anthony de Mello Quotes

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Famous Anthony de Mello Quotes

“The disciples were absorbed in a discussion of Lao-Tzu's dictum: "Those who know, do not say; Those who say, do not know." When the master entered, they asked him what the words meant. Said the master, "Which of you knows the fragrance of a rose?" All of them indicated that they knew. Then he said, "Put it into words." All of them were silent.”

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Book:One Minute Wisdom
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“There is another more subtle way in which the innocence of childhood is lost: when the child is infected with the desire to become somebody. Contemplate the crowds of people who are striving might and main to become, not what Nature intended them to be- musicians, cooks, mechanics, carpenters, gardeners, inventors- but "somebody": to become successful, famous, powerful; to become something that will bring not quiet and self-fulfillment, but self-glorification and self-expansion”

PeopleWayChildrenSelfMightDesireLostPowerfulSuccessfulChildhoodQuietAmbitionMusicianStriveCrowdsInnocenceCooksFulfillmentSubtleContemplatingExpansionMechanicInventorGardenerCarpenterBecoming SuccessfulGlorificationSelf FulfillmentSelf Glorification
Book:The Way to Love: Meditations for Life
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“As the great Confucius said, "The one who would be in constant happiness must frequently change." Flow. But we keep looking back, don't we? We cling to things in the past and cling to things in the present...Do you want to enjoy a symphony? Don't hold on to a few bars of the music. Don't hold on to a couple of notes. Let them pass, let them flow. The whole enjoyment of a symphony lies in your readiness to allow the notes to pass.”

WantSaidWholeWould BePastHappinessLyingEnjoyCoupleFlowConstantNotesBarsEnjoymentLooking BackSymphonyReadiness
Author:Anthony de Mello
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“Do you want a sign that you're asleep? Here it is: you're suffering. Suffering is a sign that you're out of touch with the truth. Suffering is given to you that you might open your eyes to the truth, that you might understand that there's falsehood somewhere, just as physical pain is given to you so you will understand that there is disease or illness somewhere. Suffering occurs when you clash with reality. When your illusions clash with reality, when your falsehoods clash with truth, then you have suffering. Otherwise there is no suffering.”

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Author:Anthony de Mello
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“And increasingly - you know this and so do I we're losing the youth everywhere. They hate us; they are not interested in having more fears and guilt laid on them. They're not interested in more sermons and exhortations. But they are interested in learning about love. How can I be happy? How can I live? How can I taste the marvelous things that the mystics speak of?”

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Author:Anthony de Mello
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“What I really enjoy is not you; it's something that's greater than both you and me. It is something that I discovered, a kind of symphony, a kind of orchestra that plays one melody in your presence, but when you depart, the orchestra doesn't stop. When I meet someone else, it plays another melody, which is also very delightful. And when I'm alone, it continues to play.”

InspirationalKindPlayEnjoyGreaterMelodyDelightfulOrchestraSymphonyYour Presence
Book:Awareness: Conversations with the Masters
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“Spirituality means waking up. Most people, even though they don't know it, are asleep. They're born asleep, they live asleep, they marry in their sleep, they breed children in their sleep, they die in their sleep without ever waking up. They never understand the loveliness and the beauty of this thing that we call human existence.”

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Author:Anthony de Mello
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“You know, all mystics - Catholic, Christian, non-Christian, no matter what their theology, no matter what their religion - are unanimous on one thing: that all is well, all is well. Though everything is a mess, all is well. Strange paradox, to be sure. But, tragically, most people never get to see that all is well because they are asleep. They are having a nightmare.”

PeopleKnowsLifeWellsMatterChristianReligionOne ThingStrangeCatholicNo Matter WhatTheologyMessNightmareParadox
Book:Awareness: Conversations with the Masters
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“Waking up is unpleasant, you know. You are nice and comfortable in bed. It is irritating to be woken up. That's the reason the wise guru will not attempt to wake people up. I hope I'm going to be wise here and make no attempt whatsoever to wake you up if you are asleep. It is really none of my business, even though I say to you at times, "Wake up!" My business is to do my thing, to dance my dance. If you profit from it fine; if you don't, too bad! As the Arabs say, "The nature of rain is the same, but it makes thorns grow in the marshes and flowers in the gardens."”

PeopleIfsKnowsReasonSpiritualityGrowsWiseNiceFlowerFineBedComfortableRainGardenWake UpProfitAwakeningWakingGuruBeing WiseThornsIrritatingMarshesWakes You
Book:Awareness: Conversations with the Masters
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“As you identify less and less with the “me”, you will be more at ease with everybody and with everything. Do you know why? Because you are no longer afraid of being hurt or not liked. You no longer desire to impress anyone. Can you imagine the relief when you don't have to impress anybody anymore? Oh, what a relief. Happiness at last!”

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Author:Anthony de Mello
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“Understand the obstructions you are putting in the way of love, freedom, and happiness and they will drop. Turn on the light of awareness and the darkness will disappear. Happiness is not something you acquire; love is not something you produce; love is not something you have; love is something that has you.”

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Book:Awareness: Conversations with the Masters
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“A master was once unmoved by the complaints of his disciples that, though they listened with pleasure to his parables and stories, they were also frustrated for they longed for something deeper. To all their objections he would simply reply: 'You have yet to understand, my friends, that the shortest distance between a human being and truth is a story.'”

HumansStoriesHuman BeingsPleasureMastersTruth IsMy FriendsDistanceDeeperFrustratedDiscipleComplaintsObjectionsParables
Book:Anthony De Mello: Writings
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