Turning our attention to the most basic condition for our life on this planet — the air we breathe — we see that we cannot be separated from our physical environment. Even if we could manage for some time without food or clothing, we cannot survive more than a few minutes without oxygen. A vast number of conditions need to come together to yield the uninterrupted supply of oxygen that is indispensable to keep us alive, yet we ourselves make no conscious effort to bring those conditions about. Contemplating this basic fact can spark a sense of wonder and gratitude toward the planet itself.
17th Karmapa
from the book
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Further quotes from the book Interconnected :
- Cultivating a spirit of generosity
- The impulse to connect
- Viewing others through the lens of interdependence
- Interdependent individual
- Bringing about real change in the world
- Experiencing connection rather than isolation
- Discovering new potentials
- Focusing on our inner interdependence
- Recollecting kindness
- Individualism or interdependence
- A genuine sense of affection
- The power of our senses
- Gratitude
- Self-discipline
- The full vividness of direct contact
- Dismantling the walls that separate us
- Inner conditions of interdependence
- You exist in connection with others
- Extend yourself and connect
- The opportunity to love