Tag Archives: light

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” —Mahatma Gandhi

Inspiration: The Great Secret... Alegrias is mirthful; happiness is within...

The great mystic and Persian lyric poet, Khwāja Shamsu d-Dīn Muhammad Hāfez-e Shīrāzī, known as Hafez or Hafiz Shirazi, wrote many inspiring and deeply profound poems that dealt with issues that affect the human condition. He was a visionary and spiritual man who wrote about God/the Beloved, faith, joy and happiness as well as our human frailties; his ghazals (rhyming couplets) cut through hypocrisy, and his poems, written thousands of years ago, remain relevant and pithy. They are reminders to seek happiness within for all the questions and answers begin inside of us, and we must go there to learn the great secret… that happiness is an inside job. Our happiness is ours to claim, no one can take it from us, and only we can give others permission to take it away; as Hafiz suggests, for ‘God has made our hearts an Eternal Fountain.’

The Great Secret by Hafiz Shirazi via The Poetseers.com
God was full of Wine last night,
So full of wine
That He let a great secret slip.
He said:
There is no man on earth
Who needs a pardon from Me -
For there is really no such thing,
No such thing
As Sin!
That Beloved has gone completely Wild-He has poured Himself into me!
I am Blissful and Drunk and Overflowing.
Dear world,
Draw life from my Sweet Body,
Dear wayfaring souls,
Come drink your fill of liquid rubies,
For God has made my heart
An Eternal Fountain!

“Even if happiness forgets you a little bit, never completely forget about it.” —Jacques Prevert

Inspiration: The Great Secret...

Dr Robert Holden is the author of several books, including Shift Happens, Be Happy and Success Intelligence.  He is also director of The Happiness Project in the UK, not to be confused with the hugely successful book; The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. He travels around the world offering his highly regarded certification workshops on Coaching Happiness  and Coaching Success. I heard him speak at a Hay House workshop early this year and signed up for one of his workshops. What I find so refreshing about his work is the sensibility he brings to the subject of happiness. I encourage you to read any of his books to learn more. I have added inspirational materials I gleaned from his workshop to share here with you. He says that Happiness is a way of seeing and begins with self-acceptance. We must see ourselves as we are and accept ourselves with love… We are enough.

The Vision Statement of The Happiness Project by Dr. Robert Holden
It is because the world is so full of suffering, that your happiness is a gift.
It is because the world is so full of poverty, that your wealth is a gift.
It is because the world is so unfriendly, that your smile is a gift.
It is because the world is so full of war, that your peace of mind is a gift.
It is because the world is in such despair, that your hope and optimism is a gift.
It is because the world is so afraid, that your love is a gift.

Macrina Wiederkehr,  A Tree Full of Angels: Seeing the Holy in the Ordinary.  
“All too often we bemoan our imperfections rather than embrace them as part of the process in which we are brought to God. Cherished emptiness gives God space in which to work. We are pure capacity for God. Let us not, then, take our littleness lightly. It is a wonderful grace. It is a gift to receive. At the same time, let us not get trapped in the confines of our littleness, but keep pushing on to claim our greatness. Remind yourself often, ‘I am pure capacity for God; I can be more.’ “

Macrina Wiederkehr is a gifted teacher, inspirational author, and a Benedictine monastic of St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith, Arkansas. She travels all over the USA offering retreats and inspiring others to live full engaged lives. I’ve added, from her work,  a quote above and a prayer below… There is always more below…

Continue reading →