The Diamond in Your Pocket Quotes

“In this moment, however you are searching, stop. Whether you are searching for peace and happiness in a relationship, in a better job, or even in world peace, just for one moment stop absolutely. There is nothing wrong with these pursuits, but if you are engaging in them to get peace or to get happiness, you are overlooking the ground of peace that is already here. Once you discover this ground of peace, then whatever pursuits you engage in will be informed by your discovery. Then you will naturally bring what you have discovered to the world, to politics, to all your relationships. This discovery has infinite, complex ramifications, but the essence of it is very simple. If you will stop all activity, just for one instant, even for one-tenth of a second, and simply be utterly still, you will recognize the inherent spaciousness of your being that is already happy and at peace with itself. Because of our conditioning, we normally dismiss this ground of peace with an immediate, “Yes, but what about my life? I have responsibilities. I need to keep busy. The absolute doesn’t relate to my world, my existence.” These conditioned thoughts just reinforce further conditioning. But if you will take a moment to recognize the peace that is already alive within you, you then actually have the choice to trust it in all your endeavors, in all your relationships, in every circumstance of your life. It doesn’t mean that your life will be swept clean of conflicts, challenges, pain, or suffering. It means that you will have recognized a sanctuary where the truth of yourself is present, where the truth of God is present, regardless of the physical, mental, or emotional circumstances of your life.”
― Gangaji, The Diamond in Your Pocket: Discovering Your True Radiance

“When there is an openness to fear, where can it be found?”
― Gangaji, The Diamond in Your Pocket: Discovering Your True Radiance

“When you desire freedom, then you have to be willing to face what you have been running from in your search for it.”
― Gangaji, The Diamond in Your Pocket: Discovering Your True Radiance

“Generally, we choose to remember the past to recreate our problems. If we choose not to regenerate them, what does that mean about their importance? How can we know we have learned the lesson? We have an investment in the problem’s importance, so we go back to the past to conjure it up again. This is called “rebirth.” This is the choice to be reborn with the same problems, stories, and miseries, day by day. Once we are aware of that choice, we have the possibility of recognizing exactly what is required to keep any problem alive. It is necessary to invest time, effort, and energy on what “was” to keep feeding the importance of the problem.”
― Gangaji, The Diamond in Your Pocket: Discovering Your True Radiance

“Innocence is openness, the willingness to see and to trust, even if what appears seems absolutely untrustworthy. True innocence is not naiveté, nor is it delusion. However, it involves vulnerability. The willingness to be innocent is the willingness to be hurt. This willingness to be vulnerable is what the term “spiritual warrior” really means. Vulnerability takes more courage than being cynical, strong, or powerful. It takes courage to be open, innocent, and willing to be hurt.”
― Gangaji, The Diamond in Your Pocket: Discovering Your True Radiance

“I invite you all the way in to the heart of pure being, not to get rid of any emotion, not to dramatize or glorify any emotion, but to discover what every emotion is calling for, to die to who you think you are before who you think you are dies.”
― Gangaji, The Diamond in Your Pocket: Discovering Your True Radiance

“I have found that grace leaves its mark everywhere, with no apparent concern for karma, religious practice, accomplishment, or intellectual understanding.”
― Gangaji, The Diamond in Your Pocket: Discovering Your True Radiance

“No matter what the world is reflecting, whether circumstances are beautiful or terrifying, if your internal story is one of victimhood, you will suffer. It is very simple. If you are quite certain that you aren’t telling yourself a story of victimization, and yet you continue to suffer, then I suggest you are lying to yourself.”
― Gangaji, The Diamond in Your Pocket: Discovering Your True Radiance

“And the degree to which you hold back surrendering everything to love is the degree to which you suffer. The degree to which you try to maintain the story about who you think you are is the degree to which you feel isolated from love. Until you realize, “I want truth, which is love, more than anything,” you will experience yourself as separate from love. Love is the constant. Love is not an aspect of truth. Truth, God, and self are aspects of love.”
― Gangaji, The Diamond in Your Pocket: Discovering Your True Radiance

“The degree to which you are willing to be hurt, not wanting to be hurt but willing to be hurt, is the degree to which you are willing to love, be loved, and be taught by love.”
― Gangaji, The Diamond in Your Pocket: Discovering Your True Radiance

“I suggest that if what you want from someone else is recognition, love, or respect, you will suffer. On the other hand, if what you want to give to someone else is recognition, love, or respect, you will be happy, in bliss, and free.”
― Gangaji, The Diamond in Your Pocket: Discovering Your True Radiance

“Fear, anger, grief, or despair only exists when linked to a story! Yes, this is an amazing, simple, yet profound discovery. It is huge! You can actually recognize that what you are running away from does not, in truth, finally exist, and what you are running toward is already always here.”
― Gangaji, The Diamond in Your Pocket: Discovering Your True Radiance