GOOD CHARACTER

"Good character is not formed in a week or a month.
It is created little by little, day by day.
Protracted and patient effort is needed to develop good character."

Heraclitus

SIMPLIFY

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE.
ONLY THEN YOU SHALL BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU. ONLY THEN.
SIMPLE ACTS, SIMPLE WORDS, SIMPLE THOUGHTS, SIMPLE LIVING HIGHLIGHT TREASURES OF MEANING, OF EXPERIENCING.
ENJOY THE SIMPLICITY IN YOUR DAY!
Nicos

Κι' άν δεν μείνει, τι πειράζει;

Aνταπόδωση δεν καρτερώ,
απλόχερα παραχωρώ,
πόση μένει δεν μετρώ.

Κι' άν δεν μείνει, τι πειράζει;
Όλους ν' αγαπώ αυτή προστάζει.

Νικος

Beyond Thinking

Beyond Thinking
We live our lives pursuing happiness "out there" as if it is a commodity.
We have become slaves to our own desires and craving.
Joy isn't something that can be pursued or purchased.

"NOTHING"

Unmanifested "nothing" or emptiness fills the vacuum of space. As Einstein realized, empty space is not really empty. Saints, sages and yogis who have looked within themselves have also realized that within the emptiness is unfathomable power, a web of information or energy which connects all things.

LOGOS

The Pythagorean philosopher Plato hinted enigmatically that there was a golden key that unified all of the mysteries of the universe. The golden key is the intelligence of the logos, the source of the primordial om. One could say that it is the mind of God. The source of this divine symmetry is the greatest mystery of our existence.

Ζησε οτι σε εκφραζει

"Ζησε οτι σε εκφραζει,
αλλά προς Θεου,
μην προσδεθεις!"

Νικος

HERACLITUS

The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus, writing in the 5th century BC, said that everything is constantly changing or, as he put it, in flux. He expressed this thought in a famous epigram: "No man ever steps into the same river twice."
Heraclitus is often considered an enigmatic thinker, and much of his work is complex and puzzling. Heraclitus despaired of men's folly, and in his work constantly strove to encourage people to consider matters from alternative perspectives. "Donkeys prefer rubbish to gold", he observed, pointing out that the same thing can have different meanings to different people.
Heraclitus was not associated with a particular school or disciplinary approach. At times a rationalist, at others a mystic, Heraclitus is an intriguing figure who influenced major later philosophers and movements such as Plato and the Stoics.

"Συμφωνία και ασυμφωνία κρύβουν μιά αποστολή,
το καλό και το κακό διεκδικούν την ίδια κορυφή,
Ηράκλειτε η αφανής σου αρμονία,
κρυμμένη στην αταραξία,
καλύτερη από τις φανερές,
γεννιέται μέσ' από διαφορές,
τ' αντίθετα συγκλίνει όλα,
το Ένα σ' όλα, και το Ένα όλα."

Νικος

"No man ever steps into the same river twice."

Heraclitus said that everything is constantly changing or, as he put it, in flux. He expressed this thought in a famous epigram: "No man ever steps into the same river twice."

Σαν το ποτάμι προς τή θάλασσα κινά,
η διαδρομή του μ' ασυνέπεια μιλά,
μπρος, πίσω σαν κυλά,
δώθε, κείθε σαν τραβά.

Αντίθετες οι κατευθύνσεις,
δύσκολες νομίζεις οι συγκλίσεις,
τ' αντίθετα σαν επιλέγεις,
στόχος μου η θάλασσα κι' άν λέγεις.

Συνέπεια και νους αφού επιβληθούν,
σκοπιμότητες και ευκολία νόησης κοιτάζουν γιά να βρούν,
κανόνες και υπεραπλούστευση θα κυβερνούν,
συνέπεια και άνθρωπος προστάζουν,
ηθική και κώδικες διατάζουν.

Δυό φορές το ίδιο ποτάμι επιμένουν να περάσουν,
όμως όλα γύρω μόνιμα αλλάζουν,
και αν δεν υπάρχει παρουσία,
με ενημερότητα καμία,
πως περιμένεις μαρτυρία;

Νικος

LIFE'S OPPOSITES

LIFE'S OPPOSITES

The collective mind is what we are, even if we feel we are not. It delivers to us the messages of individual and collective karma like an echo that returns to its source.

Returning karma is not punishment. It is not even justice! It is simply a message, to direct our attention to clues it contains. To see the clues we need to be alert. When we live in the moment, we are able to see beyond threats or blessings. It is a matter of perception.

All the opposites of life serve a purpose. It is up to us to choose to see it this way!

ON CHOOSING PEOPLE

ON CHOOSING PEOPLE

We often fail to see the obvious. A person whose face radiates joy and contentment, an internally cheerful person, a person whose body language speaks of self assurance and humility at the same time, is a person to treasure, someone we ought to have in our lives.

Yet, even if we were up to the task of recognizing such a person amongst many, having them in our lives is not entirely up to us. We attract what we are, not what we want or need superficially.

There is more to it, still. What we do attract and get is what we need to grow, mature, ascend. And this is not entirely up to us either.

At least keep an eye for the obvious. We often fail to notice treasures that cross our path from time to time, preoccupied by our conditioned mind.

Nicos Pavlides

BEING NORMAL

BEING 'NORMAL'

Some people are concerned for not being 'normal'. They consider their individuality as a handicap. They fail to give their fragrance, their unique aroma, its full dimension. They have difficulty accepting who they are, in other words accepting themselves, as they are. Instead of projecting their strengths, they try to be 'normal', they reduce themselves to mediocrity. This is what normal is.

Charismatic people cannot be 'normal' at the same time. How can they be? They would not be charismatic if they were. Always choose to be yourself. Then most people around you may start feeling uncomfortable but at least you will be attracting those of similar vibrations. I know it gets hard at times, life and society keep reminding you how odd you are, a failure perhaps, but have you ever stopped and thought how unhappy you would be if you were just like everyone else? You cannot please everyone. If you are trying, you are doing your individuality a big injustice. Lurking behind your oddness are your qualities. Whether some see them as positive and others as negative has to do with their own perspective. What you need to remember is that they are the two sides of the same coin. Of you. Elect to use them in a way that makes you feel content within.

Be who you are. Don't confuse this with trying to be different. That's another issue altogether.
Respect the individuality of others and in time they will respect yours. If they don't, well .....
"Σε καποιους αρεσουμε, γιά τους άλλους δεν θα μπορέσουμε!"
Nicos
Ayurvedic Consultant
Ayurveda, the Wisdom of Life

AYURVEDA - THE WISDOM OF LIFE - RELATIONSHIPS

THE WISDOM OF LIFE - RELATIONSHIPS

Emotional and physical abuses exist in many relationships. Co-dependency describes many relationships. Directing our focus inwardly to discover our self, instead of the outer ever changing life, is the only way to maintain healthy relationships. By continuing to develop our individual inner selves we are able to share our growing fullness with our spouse, children, friends and others.

Too often we are attracted to one another because we see a quality we believe we do not have. In reality we have all the human qualities within. We contain everything! If we are able to see a quality in another, we must have it within ourselves in order to recognize it. When the main focus in our lives is self discovery, then troubles that seemed like mountains are seen as molehills.

Relationships have not just to do with romance. Another area of relationships and social life relates to children and the elderly and how we think of them. All of us need to feel that our lives have a purpose. In older times, the elderly were respected for their life-experience and the younger generation approached them for their wisdom. Today anything old or slow is considered unwise and we place parents in nursing homes - having no time to care for them. People working in nursing homes report that one of the main issues with the elderly is depression, lack of social integration and life purpose. Depression and the use of drugs is also on the rise amongst the younger generation, for the same reasons. If we could see the need for the young and elderly to be fully integrated into society, our health, emotions and spirit would be beyond imagination .
Nicos Pavlides
Ayurvedic Consultant & Educator
AyurvedaHarmonia

COLD & WINDY

COLD & WINDY
Late fall and winter are known in ayurveda as “Vata season” because they have the same qualities that characterize Vata: cold, dry, light, clear, and moving. If these qualities are in balance in a person they will stay healthy, creative, and exuberant. But when too much of these qualities accumulate in the body or mind, the imbalance manifests as physical or emotional disorders, including insomnia, dry skin, arthritis, constipation, high blood pressure, anxiety, and depression.

Here are some practical ideas to keep you grounded and vibrant during the cold months ahead: Eat foods that are warming, fresh, and well cooked; avoid dry or uncooked foods (especially salads and raw fruits and vegetables). Drink lots of warming liquids, like fresh ginger tea, by placing a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger into a pint thermos bottle and filling it with hot water. Eat more of the sweet, sour, and salty tastes. Avocados, bananas, mangoes, peaches, lemons, pumpkins, carrots, beets, asparagus, quinoa, rice, mung beans, almonds, sesame seeds (tahini), and unsalted butter are excellent. Don’t worry if your appetite seems stronger than usual as this is a natural tendency in winter. At the same time, of course, don’t eat to the point of discomfort.

Nourish Your Senses. Wear clothing made with soft fabrics in earth tones and mild pastel shades, which calm. Stay warm. It’s important to make sure that your home and work place are well heated and that the air has enough humidity. Avoid drafts or sitting near fans or ventilators. Give yourself slow, gentle self-massage in the morning or before bed. Use a nourishing, warming oil such as sesame or almond. Gently rub a drop of sesame oil inside your nasal passages, which tend to become dry during winter.

Get enough sleep! This is vital! And do not push yourselves to the point of physical or mental exhaustion.

Learn to meditate. For the overactive minds, meditation is one of the best ways to find calm and stillness.

Nicos Pavlides
Ayurvedic Consultant

WEIGHT GAIN

Lymph Congestion Leads To Weight Gain

More than 2/3 of our immune system is located in the intestines. And since it takes care of both physical and mental toxins, it acts as our physical and mental healing system. Obesity, including lumpy cellulite, is one of the many conditions that result from a congested lymphatic system,which forms a large part of the body’s natural immune defense. Other diseases include multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and cancer. They are all defense against toxins.

But what exactly is the lymphatic system? Imagine a network of drains flowing through your internal organs, taking away toxins from your tissues, blood and cells. The drainage system is filled with fluid containing cells that transport, attack and destroy poisons such as metabolic waste, undigested food particles, animal proteins, chemicals from drugs and processed food, cellular debris, and excess fluid from the spaces between cells.

Nicos Pavlides
Ayurvedic Consultant

JOY

JOY

Birds in nature are joyful. They don't take life personally. They don't perceive life personally. They don't take it so seriously. They don't identify with anything.

Observe but don't identify. Everything around is changing. Try to find that part of you that remains the same. Look within. Everything is ok. Whatever happens. All is momentary! All is passing by, fast.

There is a fullness when not worrying about tomorrow, next week, next year.
Relax.
Enjoy.

SUFFERING

SUFFERING

Many people are suffering. The real suffering is our expecations. When not fulfilled, pain arises. They are never going to be fulfilled in any case. So drop expectations. Remain open to whatever happens. Don't have any fixed ideas and much of your suffering will disappear.

Nicos

ΓΝΩΜΗ

ΓΝΩΜΗ

Aν δεν υπαρξει κοινωνικη δικαιοσυνη και ισοτητα, ο τοπος θα συνεχισει την κατρακυλα.
Τα βαθυτερα αιτια αφορουν την νοοτροπια, τους θεσμους, τον τροπο ζωης και συμπεριφορας απο ατομικο μεχρι συνολικο επιπεδο.

ΧΡΕΙΑΖΕΤΑΙ ΡΙΖΙΚΗ ΑΛΛΑΓΗ ΣΤΟΝ ΤΡΟΠΟ ΣΚΕΨΗΣ.
ΧΡΕΙΑΖΕΤΑΙ ΥΠΕΥΘΥΝΟΤΗΤΑ ΚΑΙ ΑΝΑΛΗΨΗ ΕΥΘΥΝΗΣ ΑΠΟ ΟΛΟΥΣ ΑΡΧΙΖΟΝΤΑΣ Ο ΚΑΘΕ ΕΝΑΣ ΑΠΟ ΤΟΝ ΕΑΥΤΟ ΤΟΥ.

Νικος

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE RICH TO HAVE ABUNDANCE

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE RICH TO HAVE ABUNDANCE

Our society has worked very hard at convincing us that abundance equals money, material wealth and material objects. This notion has been the driving force for so many of us. We work as many hours as we can and we define our self-worth and our measure of success on inanimate objects and a bank account balance. In truth, being rich has almost nothing to do with money. We are all blessed with a measure of abundance, but we can quickly be sidetracked and become blind to the true wealth already present in our lives.

Nicos

Ο ΕΛΛΗΝΑΣ

Ο Έλληνας έχει τον… ηρωισμό, να θαυμάζει το αρχαίους, χωρίς όμως να τους γνωρίζει, ούτε να τους καταλαβαίνει. Έτσι, γιατί τον βολεύουν… Παράλληλα, φροντίζει για τον διορισμό του «ανάξιου» συνήθως παιδιού του, σε βάρος του άξιου παιδιού του διπλανού, ο οποίος δεν έχει τις ίδιες… γνωριμίες, φροντίζει να δουλεύει όσο το δυνατό λιγότερο, να πάει αργότερα και να φεύγει νωρίτερα από τη δουλειά του, να βάζει στην τσέπη του ότι και όσο μπορεί ο καθένας– όχι μόνο οι πολιτικοί- απ” αυτά που δεν του ανήκουν, να μισεί και να υπονομεύει τον «άλλο».

Δηλαδή, «μαζί τα φάγαμε»;

«Ενέχει μια μεγάλη αλήθεια αυτή η ρήση. Υπό την έννοια της νοοτροπίας που έχει επικρατήσει. Λείπει η εθνική αλληλεγγύη και επικρατεί -ακόμα και σήμερα, εν μέσω αυτής της ανθρωποφονικής κρίσης- το ατομικό συμφέρον».

Ε. ΚΡΙΑΡΑΣ

KHALIL

"In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed." --Khalil Gibran

NOTHING LEFT

When you feel there is nothing left.. you have love. That may sound cheesy. But it is true. There are beings put on this planet who you are lucky to have in your life, you better appreciate that gift because they are rare and deserve nothing less than your full appreciation and love.

Nicos

UNIQUE ARITHMETIC

UNIQUE ARITHMETIC

‘Who is incapable of communion’ said Socrates, ‘is also incapable of friendship’. Falling out of love, we miss what we have in common. Missing what we have in common, we see only differences and opposites.

So many couples find that they lose the sense of unity that brought them together. The differences between the sexes are a source of delight when supported by unity; but they become differences barely tolerable, when unity disappears and are seen as a source of opposition. This is the fate of many relationships, with feelings, thoughts and actions expressing friction and misunderstanding.

When unity is discovered man and woman become aware of that which is the same, beyond differences. Differences experienced through the knowledge of unity create attraction and understanding. There is more understanding, greater consideration and acceptance. Frictions still occur but less frequently. Emotions flow more positively and the couple may grow in love and understanding.

The arithmetic of love is unique. ‘Two halves do not make a whole. Only two wholes make a whole.’

Nicos

A LIFE PARADOX

A LIFE PARADOX

The more we focus on our own life, on our own circumstances, the more importance we give to them. We amplify the negatives and diminish the significance of the positives. Strange? A paradox?

Life is Unity. Concentrating on our own issues, only amplifies them, as we isolate ourselves from the issues of others, from the circumstances of other people and life around us. Trying to minimize personal loss and maximize personal gain, of whatever nature, is not the right mentality. Share what little you have. Then you feel rich. Then your poverty becomes insignificant. And above all, share your time, attention and love, without expecting anything in return.

Life may be the best mathematician but it is also the worst accountant! :)

Nicos

THE LAW OF ATTRACTION

THE LAW OF ATTRACTION

The law of attraction is NOT that we attract what we want.
We attract what we are. We attract people of similar vibrations.
Or we attract what the soul needs to experience in order to ascend.
For this reason it is best if we remain ourselves, instead of trying to be something we are not.
Even so, it is not up to us. Special relationships are not the result of our own making. They come for a reason, when the timing is right, when we are ready to go through the next lesson in evolution.
So, remain alert, present, beyond thought, open, inviting and above all, humble. Be your basic self. No clothes, no make up. Not even perfume. Simply bare naked.
Then, as opportunity presents itself, you will be able to recognize it for what it is.
Life is a fascinating game. See it this way. Allow life to be!

Nicos