Everything good I've ever gotten in life, I only got because I gave something else up. Elizabeth Gilbert More Quotes by Elizabeth Gilbert More Quotes From Elizabeth Gilbert We gallop through our lives like circus performers balancing on two speeding side-by-side horses--one foot is on the horse called "fate," the other on the horse called "free will." And the question you have to ask every day is--which horse is which? Which horse do I need to stop worrying about because it's not under my control, and which do I need to steer with concentrated effort? Elizabeth Gilbert horsefatetwo eventually, everything goes away. Elizabeth Gilbert loss Power is a neutral energy source, like tofu. It's what you do with it that gives it flavor. Elizabeth Gilbert tofuenergygiving Dear me, how I love a library. Elizabeth Gilbert dear-melibrarydear The six elements of her Fail Proof Broken-Heart Curing Treatment: "Vitamin E, get much sleep, drink much water, travel to a place far away from the person you loved, meditate and teach your heart that this is destiny. Elizabeth Gilbert destinysleepheart Traditionally, I have responded to the transcendent mystics of all religions. I have always responded with breathless excitement to anyone who has ever said that God does not live in a dogmatic scripture or in a distant throne in the sky, but instead abides very close to us indeed- much closer than we can imagine, breathing right through our own hearts. Elizabeth Gilbert breathingskyheart I guess what I want to learn is how to live in this world and enjoy its delights but also devote myself to God. Elizabeth Gilbert delightwantworld Offer it up personally,then. Right now. I thought of how many people go to their graves unforgiven and unforgiving. I thought of how many people have had siblings or friends or children or lovers disappear from their lives before precious words of clemency or absolution could be passed along. How do the survivors of terminated relationships ever endure the pain of unfinished business? From that place of meditation, I found the answer-you can finish the business yourself, from within yourself. It's not only possible, it's essential. Elizabeth Gilbert siblingpainchildren Also, I could finally sleep. And this was the real gift, because when you cannot sleep, you cannot get yourself out of the ditch--there's not a chance. Elizabeth Gilbert chancerealsleep When the karma of a relationship is done, only love remains. It's safe. Let go. Elizabeth Gilbert karmaheartbreaklove Yoga is the effort to experience one's divinity personally and then to hold on to that experience forever. Elizabeth Gilbert effortyogaforever The Bhagavad Gita—that ancient Indian Yogic text—says that it is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else’s life with perfection. So now I have started living my own life. Imperfect and clumsy as it may look, it is resembling me now, thoroughly. Elizabeth Gilbert destinyperfectionlooks Zen masters say you cannot see your reflection in running water, only in still water. Elizabeth Gilbert reflectionrunningwater In Venice in the Middle Ages there was once a profession for a man called a codega--a fellow you hired to walk in front of you at night with a lit lantern, showing you the way, scaring off thieves and demons, bringing you confidence and protection through the dark streets. Elizabeth Gilbert darkmennight Man is a demon, man is a god. Both true. Elizabeth Gilbert demonmen Marriage is those two thousand indistinguishable conversations, chatted over two thousand indistuinguishable breakfasts, where intimacy turns like a slow wheel. How do you measure the worth of becoming that familiar to somebody—so utterly well known and so thoroughly ever-present that you become an almost invisible necessity, like air? Elizabeth Gilbert marriageairlove The best we can do then, in response to our incomprehensible and dangerous world, is to practice holding equilibrium internally - no matter what insanity is transpiring out there. Elizabeth Gilbert dangerous-worldpracticeinsanity Smile with face, smile with mind, and good energy will come to you and clean away dirty energy. Elizabeth Gilbert energyminddirty The mysterious magnet is either there, buried somewhere deep behind the sternum, or it is not. Elizabeth Gilbert eat-love-prayburiedmysterious Of course, we all inevitably work too hard, then we get burned out and have to spend the whole weekend in our pajamas, eating cereal straight out of the box and staring at the TV in a mild coma (which is the opposite of working, yes, but not exactly the same thing as pleasure). Elizabeth Gilbert cerealweekendopposites