Personal importance, or taking things personally, is the maximum expression of selfishness because we make the assumption that everything is about me.
Miguel Angel RuizIf you live in a past dream, you don't enjoy what is happening right now because you will always wish it to be different than it is. There is no time to miss anyone or anything because you are alive. Not enjoying what is happening right now is living in the past and being only half alive. This leads to self pity, suffering and tears.
Miguel Angel RuizMy personal prayer is simply my joy to be alive, and to live in gratitude and generosity.
Miguel Angel RuizWe are so well trained that we are our own domesticator. We are an autodomesticated animal. We can now domesticate ourselves according to the same belief system we were given, and using the same system of punishment and reward. We punish ourselves when we don't follow the rules according to our belief system; we reward ourselves when we are the "good boy" or "good girl".
Miguel Angel Ruiz