Thought of the Week « Zen Lawyer Patrick Trudell

March 5th, 2011

Second Week of March-Success

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Success is peace of mind

which is a direct result of

self-satisfaction in knowing

you did your best to become

the best that you are capable

of becoming.

John Wooden, Head Basketball Coach Emeritus, UCLA

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February 27th, 2011

Cosmic Consciousness

The prime characteristic of cosmic consciousness is a consciousness of the cosmos, that is, of life and order of the universe. Along with the consciousness of the cosmos there occurs an intellectual enlightenment which alone would place the individual on a new plane of existence-would make him almost a member of a new species. To this is added a state of moral exaltation, an indescribable feeling of elevation, elation, and joyousness, and a quickening of the moral sense, which is fully as striking, and more important than is the enhanced intellectual power. With these come what may be called a sense of immortality, a consciousness of eternal life, not a conviction that there shall be this, but the consciousness that he has it already.

Richard Maurice Bucke, M.D. Cosmic Consciousness , A Study in the Evolution of the Human Mind (1901).

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February 20th, 2011

Fourth Week of February- Value of Defeat

It is not the critic who counts; not the person who points out how another stumbles, or how the doer could have done it better. The credit belongs to the person who is in the arena, who strives valiantly; who despite their effort comes up short; but who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, and dedication to a worthy cause, and who, if fails, at least fails while trying greatly and ethically. So that their place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.

Theodore Roosevelt (edited by PAT)

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February 13th, 2011

Third Week of February-Your Life Force

There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open…”
—Martha Graham (sent from Kristina’s friend Judy Ford).

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February 6th, 2011

Second Week of February-Universal Consciousness

When I have a universal consciouness I am aware of a presence that is not too suggestive of personality, that does not hold the consciousness of personality, and I feel a part of something bigger than I am controlling. I feel one with the grass, the trees, birds, insects, everything in nature. I exalt in the mere fact of existence, of being part of it all- the sunny days, the shadows of the clouds, the drizzling rain, and so on. As the years go by I work on being in this consciousnes as much as possible and getting to the time when I become one with the universe.

Combination of footnote “from Starbucks collection” in William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience (Mysticism) and PAT edit.

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January 31st, 2011

First Week of February-The Kingdom is Within

The Kingdom is within. All days are judgment days: but there can be no climacteric purpose of eternity, nor any scheme of the whole. The astronomer abridges the row of bewildering figures by increasing his unit of measurement: so may we reduce the distracting multiplicity of things to the unity for which each of us stands.

Benjamin Paul Blood (1874)

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January 23rd, 2011

Fourth Week of January-The Zen of Excellence

To achieve excellence, practice the following:

Patience. Enlightenment usually occurs after years of diligent effort. The zen student student learns this, and learns the need to conquer haste.

Relaxation. Tension is the enemy. Relax and trust your ability. Concentrate on doing your task naturally relying on inner ability.

Visualization. See your future, be your future. Visually imagine successful performance.

Practice. Only through practice can we hope to achieve success.

Focus. Exclude all thoughts not concerned with your task.

Empty Head. Full head, empty task. Success lies not in the personal ego but in the unconscious. Strive for a state of no ego where distinction betweeen subject and object vanishes.

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January 16th, 2011

Third Week of January-Thoughts from a Physicist

Do you think Sat scores define intelligence? No. They define the capacity to answers questions on an SAT test.

How do you define intelligence? Intelligence is the ability to take information from the world and to find patterns in that information that allow you to organize your perceptions and understand the external world.

How do you spend your life. We’re on this planet for the briefest moment of cosmic time, and [as far as thinking] I spend my time thinking about what I consider the deepest questions [and as far as acting I spend my time trying to leave the world a better place].

Brian Greene (Columbia University Physicist) [edit by PAT]

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January 9th, 2011

Second Week of January-“Self Image” for Humankind

“Self Image” for human kind emphasizes the human wholeness and connectivity with everything. Everything interacts with everything else at many levels of the universe beyond the purely physical level, and the deeper we penetrate into these other levels, the more we realize we are One.

William A. Teller

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January 1st, 2011

First Week of January-Quality

Quality is the characteristic of thought and statement that is recognized by a non thinking process. Because definitions are a product of rigid formal thinking, Quality cannot be defined. But even though Quality cannot be defined, you know it when you see it.

Robert Pirsig, Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance

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Second Week of March-Success

Cosmic Consciousness

Fourth Week of February- Value of Defeat

Third Week of February-Your Life Force

Second Week of February-Universal Consciousness

First Week of February-The Kingdom is Within

Fourth Week of January-The Zen of Excellence

Third Week of January-Thoughts from a Physicist

Second Week of January-“Self Image” for Humankind

First Week of January-Quality

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