The greatest satisfaction you can obtain from life is your pleasure in producing, in your own individual way, something of value to your fellowmen. That is creative living!

When we consider that each of us has only one life to live, isn’t it rather tragic to find men and women, with brains capable of comprehending the stars and the planets, talking about the weather; men and women, with hands capable of creating works of art, using those hands only for routine tasks; men and women, capable of independent thought, using their minds as a bowling-alley for popular ideas; men and women, capable of greatness, wallowing in mediocrity; men and women, capable of self-expression, slowly dying a mental death while they babble the confused monotone of the mob?

How to Avoid Work – lovely 1949 guide to doing what you love (via explore-blog)

(via explore-blog)

Cool side effects after 3 years of daily power yoga.

  • No TV. For 2.5 years now. Spending any time watching a pane of glass seems weird (now).
     
  • No news. 99% of it isn’t useful. And it robs you of attention to what really matters in your life.  
     
  • Huge appreciation for silence. Even the car radio is mostly off. 

  • No clutter. Except for a few things I really need or love.

  • Lots of movement, especially outdoors. The most spectacular trail runs at sunrise in the SF Bay Area hills. 
     
  • Huge appetite for veggies and fruits. 

  • Little spending. Stuff weighs you down. 
     
  • Seeing lots of people smiling. Everywhere. 
     
  • Stronger connection with family. Parents, kids, everyone.  

The best part? Most of this happened by itself. 

Regular practice can be very powerful.