Sourness and bitterness come from the interfering and unappreciative mind. Life itself, when understood and utilized for what it is, is sweet. That is the message of The Vinegar Tasters. Benjamin Hoff More Quotes by Benjamin Hoff More Quotes From Benjamin Hoff Eeyore religion says that the earth isn't worth saving, anyway, and that when it comes to an end, the Faithful will be transported instantly to heaven. No problem. We'd like to see them explain things to Saint Peter at the Gate, when he asks them what they did with the world that God entrusted to them. That might get a bit sticky. Benjamin Hoff faithful earth heaven It's not surprising, therefore, that the [Bisy] Backson thinks of progress in terms of fighting and overcoming. One of his little idiosyncrasies, you might say. Of course, real progress involves growing and developing, which involves changing inside, but that's something the inflexible Backson is unwilling to do. Benjamin Hoff fighting real thinking We simply need to believe in the power that's within us, and use it. Benjamin Hoff use believe needs A well-frog cannot imagine the ocean, nor can a summer insect conceive of ice. How then can a scholar understand the Tao? He is restricted by his own learning. Benjamin Hoff ice ocean summer Those who think that the rewarding things in life are somewhere over the rainbow 'burn their toast a lot,' said Pooh Benjamin Hoff rainbow things-in-life thinking Cleverness, after all, has its limitations. Its mechanical judgments and clever remarks tend to prove inaccurate with passing time, because it doesn't look very deeply into things to begin with. Benjamin Hoff clever tao-of-pooh looks There was a man that hated his footprints and his shadow, so one day he thought that if he ran fast enough, his footprints and shadow would not be able to follow him and then he never ever had to look at them again. He ran and he ran as fast as he could, but the shadow and the footprints had no problems keeping up to him. And he ran even faster and all of a sudden he fell dead to the ground. But if he been standing still there hadn't been any footprints and if he had been resting under a tree his shadow had been swallowed of the trees shadow. Benjamin Hoff shadow tree men From the state of the Uncarved Block comes the ability to enjoy the simple and the quiet, the natural and the plain. Along with that comes the ability to do things spontaneously and have them work, odd as that may appear to others at times. As Piglet put it in Winnie-the-Pooh, "Pooh hasn't much Brain, but he never comes to any harm. He does silly things and they turn out right." Benjamin Hoff block simple silly But down through the centuries, man has developed a mind that separates him from the world of reality, the world of natural laws. This mind tries too hard, wears itself out, and ends up weak and sloppy. Such a mind, even if of high intelligence, is inefficient. It drives down the street in a fast-moving car and thinks its at the store, going over a grocery list. Then it wonders why accidents occur. Benjamin Hoff reality moving thinking "When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?" Benjamin Hoff wisdom food morning In the story of Ugly Duckling, when did the Ugly Duckling stop feeling Ugly? When he realized that he was a Swan. Each of us has something Special, a swan of some sort, hidden inside somewhere. But until we recognize that it's there, what can we do but splash around, treading water? The Wise are Who They Are. They work with what they've got and do what they can do. Benjamin Hoff ugly-duckling swans wise Within each of us there is an Owl, a Rabbit, and Eeyore, and a Pooh. For too long, we have chosen the way of Owl and Rabbit. Now, like Eeyore, we complain about the results. But that accomplishes nothing. If we are smart, we will choose the way of Pooh. As if from far away, it calls us with the voice of a child's mind. It may be hard to hear at times, but it is important just the same, because without it, we will never find our way through the forest. Benjamin Hoff smart voice children One sometimes gets the impression that those intimidating words are there to keep us from understanding. That way, the scholars can appear Superior, and will not likely be suspected of Not Knowing Something. Benjamin Hoff understanding knowing way As any old Taoist walking out of the woods can tell you, simple-minded does not necessarily mean stupid. Benjamin Hoff simple stupid mean Pooh is able to accomplish what he does because he is simpleminded. Benjamin Hoff tao able doe Under Confucianism, the use of precisely measured court music, prescribed steps, actions, and phrases all added up to an extremely complex system of rituals, each used for a particular purpose at a particular time. Benjamin Hoff phrases purpose steps Practically everything from hairstyles to lifestyles is endorsed as some sort of drug to be taken Now for Instant Relief. Benjamin Hoff relief drug taken To Buddha, the second figure in the painting, life on earth was bitter, filled with attachments and desires that led to suffering. Benjamin Hoff attachment suffering desire Phonographic. It goes around and around. Sometimes it gets stuck. That's why I remember things so well. Benjamin Hoff stuck remember sometimes The major lesson Tiggers need to learn is that if they don't control their impulses, their impulses will control them. No matter how much they do, Tiggers are never satisfied because they don't know the feeling of accomplishment that eventually comes when one persistently applies one's will to the attaining of non-immediately-reachable goals. Benjamin Hoff accomplishment goal feelings
