Prayer is the root, the fountain, the mother of a thousand blessings.
Nothing truly stops you. Nothing truly holds you back. For your own will is always within your control.
Within our control are our own opinions, aspirations, and desires and the demons that distract us from these goals. Outside of our control are such things as what kind of body we have, whether or not we are born into wealth, and how we are regarded by others.
No matter what happens, it is within my power to turn it to my advantage.
What matters most is what sort of person you are becoming. Wise individuals care only about whom they are today and who they can be tomorrow.
The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.
Who exactly do you want to be? What kind of person do you want to be? What are your personal ideals? Whom do you admire? What are their special traits that you would make your own It's time to stop being vague. If you wish to be an extraordinary person, if you wish to become wise, then you should explicitly identify the kind of person you aspire to become. If you have a daybook, write down who you're trying to be, so that you can refer to this self-determination. Precisely describe the demeanor you want to adopt so that you may preserve it when you are by yourself or with other people.
Once in a while an enlightened teacher goes out into the world and spreads the dharma. They attract some attention, and it is a great spectacle to see who and why and what is drawn.
We must wrestle earnestly in prayer, like men contending with a deadly enemy for life.
Costume design is so important and really helpful, and I really love that aspect of character development, just figuring it out.
Modern animated movies are the products not of anyone’s individual vision, but rather a scattered accumulation of compromises made out of fear by members of large committees.