Haanism

I think this is the first time - before finishing a book, I already could not wait to share its essence here. Right before the arrival of Chinese New Year 2012, I managed to finish this book. Now, I've just finished typing out all the meaningful quotes I marked in the book. I guess this is the longest time I've ever taken - because there are so many good ones!

Few weeks ago, early in the morning, when I passed by a book rack (to take a broom and sweep the floor), this book suddenly caught my sight. I was attracted by the book title. Hence, without hesitation or asking, I grabbed this book and started to read it.

This book is truly inspiring, at least to myself. It is basically around two men, who are both lawyers.

"This is an interesting story. It is a story of a lawyer who appears to have it all - the corner office, the life style, the cars, women... Then he gives it all up and tours the East. While there he comes across this strange monk and monastery. He comes to live life in a much different way. Yet he is challenged by the monk who has trained him to go back home and share the message he has learnt, with the West. Julian, our main character, returns to his old law firm and to his friend, John. He tells him a parable; then the rest of the book explains the parable and how it relates to different aspects of our lives. The parable is rather simple and a little strange but as it is explained you will never forget it. Read it to find out how a garden, lighthouse, sumo wrestler, pink wire cable, stopwatch, roses and a winding path of diamonds are symbols of timeless principles and virtues by which to live your life. This book could help raise the quality of your life to a new level." (sourced from the book review written by Steven R. McEvoy)

I've always been loving inspirational books. Perhaps it's coz I need a lot of positive energy to carry on life. However, if summarizing what I've read so far, we are always reminded to "live life now (not the past of future)", "everything happens for a reason", "live like today is your last day", "follow your heart" etc. If you ask me whether I agree with all these sayings, I could only answer you "precisely", without any reservation. Years ago, something used to happen to myself, which I thought that could be the worst ever in my life. Suddenly, I lost all my directions. A lot of questions arose in my mind till I spent many months to clear my own doubts. Today, when I look back, I'd say, that's not something too bad. Ironically, I've to say, I appreciate the happening of that incident. It taught me so much which I knew how to adjust myself and live a much better life nowadays.

Just like what Steve Jobs has said - you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Speaking from the heart, this statement is SO TRUE!!

Because the excerpts are truly a lot, I will need to take multiple rounds to share them. Please bear with me. Meanwhile, kindly take some time to briefly read. You will understand why I'm so eager to do all these uninviting acts, keeping my readers bored :)

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"Happiness comes through the progressive realization of a worthy objective. When you are doing what you truly love to do you are bound to find deep contentment."

"If happiness comes to everyone who simply does what they love doing, why are so many people miserable?"

"Fair point, John. Doing what you love, whether this means giving up the work you are presently doing to become an actor or spending less time on those things that are less important to make time for those things that are more meaningful, requires a great deal of courage. It requires you to step out of your comfort zone. And change is always a little uncomfortable at first. It is also more than a little risky. Having said this, this is the surest way to design a more joyful life."

"Exactly how does one go about building courage?"

"It's the same as the story: once you get yourself together, your world will be okay. Once you master your mind, body and character, happiness and abundance will flow into your life almost magically. But you muist spend some time daily working on yourself, even if for only ten or fifteen minutes."

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"Thoughts are fully in your control. It is just as easy to think positive thoughts as it is to think negative ones. But why do so many people worry and focus on all the negative information in our world?"

"Because they have not learned the art of self-control and disciplined thinking. Most people I have spoken to have no idea that they have the power to control every single thought they think every second of every minute of every day. They believe that thoughts just happen and have never realized that if you don't take the time to start controlling your thoughts, they will control you. When you start to focus on good thoughts only, and refuse to think the bad ones through sheer will-power, I promise you they will shrivel up very quickly."

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"You know what's funny about life?" Julian asked me.

"Tell me."

"By the time most people figure out what they really want and how to go about attaining it, it's usually too late. That saying, 'If youth only knew, if age only could' is so true."

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"I like my toys and the material things I've earned. They are my rewards for all the hours I have worked over the years since we first met. But I feel empty - I really do. I told you about my dreams when I was in law school. There is much more I could do with my life. You know I'm almost forty and I've never been to the Grand Canyon or the Eiffel Tower. I've never walked in a desert or canoed across a still lake on a gorgeous summer's day. I have never once taken off my socks and shoes and walked barefoot through a park, listening to the kids laugh and the dogs bark. I can't even remember the last time I took a long, quiet walk by myself after a snowfall just to hear the sounds and to enjoy the sensations."

"Then simplify your life. Apply the ancient Ritual of Simplicity to every aspect of your world. By doing so, you are bound to have more time to savour these glorious wonders. One of the most tragic things that any one of us can do is to put off living. Too many people are dreaming of some magical rose garden on the horizon rather than enjoying the one growing in our back yards. What a tragedy."

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"Stop spending so much time chasing life's big pleasures while you neglect the little ones. Slow things down. Enjoy the beauty and sacredness of all that is around you. You owe this to yourself."

"Does that mean that I should stop setting big goals for my future and concentrate on the present?"

"No," replied Julian firmly. "As I said earlier, goals and dreams for the future are essential elements in every truly successful life. Hope for what will appear in your future is what gets you out of bed in the morning and what keeps you inspired through your days. Goals energize your life. My point is simply this: never put off happiness for the sake of achievement. Never put off the things that are important for your well-being and satisfaction to a later time. Today is the day to live fully, not when you win the lottery or when you retire. Never put off living.

Don't fool yourself into thinking that you will be a more loving and giving husband when your law firm takes on a few more junior lawyers to ease the burden. Don't kid yourself into believing that you will start to enrich your mind, care for your body and nourish your soul when your bank account gets big enough and you have the luxury of more free time. Today is the day to enjoy the fruits of your efforts. Today is the day to seize the moment and live a life that soars. Today is the day to live from your imagination and harvest your dreams."