David Michie > Quotes

“You know, Professor, this stray kitten and you have one very important thing in common.'

'I can't imagine,' responded the professor coolly.

'Your life is the most important thing in the world to you,' said His Holiness. 'Same for this kitten.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“Most people think that their only option is to change their circumstances. But these are not the true causes of their unhappiness. It has more to do with the way they think about their circumstances.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“We all share these wishes. But also the way we look for happiness and try to avoid discomfort is the same. Who among us does not enjoy a delicious meal? Who does not wish to sleep in a safe, comfortable bed? Author, monk—or stray kitten—we are all equal in that.” Across the coffee table, the history professor shifted in his seat. “Most of all,” the Dalai Lama said, leaning over and stroking me with his index finger, “all of us just want to be loved.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“The main shift, you see, is from placing self at the center of our thoughts to putting others there. It is-what do you say?-a paradox that the more we can focus our thoughts on the well-being of others, the happier we become. The first one to benefit is oneself. I call this being wisely selfish.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“Fear,” said Lobsang. “An instinct that prevents many people from taking actions that they know, deep down inside, would liberate them. Like a bird in a cage whose door has been opened, we are free to go out in search of fulfillment, but fear makes us look for all kinds of reasons not to.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“The thought manifests as the word; the word manifests as the deed; the deed develops into habit; and habit hardens into character. So watch the thought and its ways with care, and let it spring from love born out of concern for all beings … As the shadow follows the body, as we think, so we become.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“There's no thrilling anticipation of the day's first cup of coffee...nor the eye-closing delight of that first swallow of sauvignon blanc in the evening. We cats have no access to everyday mood-enhancing substances. Apart from humble catnip, there is no pharmaceutical refuge if we're suffering from boredom, depression, existential crisis, or even an everyday headache.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“It is the wonderful paradox,” he continued, “that the best way to achieve happiness for oneself is to give happiness to others.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“The purpose of Buddhism is not to convert people. It is to give them tools so they can create greater happiness. So they can be happier Catholics, happier atheists, happier Buddhists.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“Surely you're not saying that the life of a human and the life of an animal are of the same value?' he ventured.

'As humans we have much greater potential, of course,' His Holiness replied. 'But the way we all want very much to stay alive, the way we cling to our particular experience of consciousness-in this way human and animal are equal.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“Pain is inevitable... Suffering is optional. We will all have to endure trauma and challenges. What matters is how we move forward afterward. Do we keep carrying the trauma and its causes in our mind? Or can we find a way to let go of them, to end our own suffering?...This is where mindfulness can help us.”
― David Michie, Power Of Meow

“In Buddhism we would say that you are lazy... Despising yourself, thinking you are no good, saying 'I can't do this.' This is the mind of weakness. You must work to overcome it .”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“our light goes out, but is blown again into flame by an encounter with another human being. Each of us owes the deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this inner light.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“As much as possible, it is useful to think of all other beings as being just like me. Every living being strives for happiness. Every being wants to avoid all forms of suffering. They are not just objects or things to be used for our benefit. You know, Mahatma Gandhi once said: 'The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“I didn't know you had a cat!' she exclaimed.

I am always surprised how many people make this observation-though not all are as bold as the American in giving voice to their astonishment. Why should His Holiness not have a cat-if indeed, 'having a cat' is a correct understanding of the relationship?”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“We cats are the most habitual of creatures. Preferred sun loungers, meal times, hidey holes, and scratching posts are among the considerations in which we take daily satisfaction. And it is exactly because many humans embrace routine that we even consider allowing them to share our homes, let alone retain them as members of our staff.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“Even though cats spend most of the day dozing comfortably, we like our humans to keep busy. Not in a noisy or intrusive way—just active enough to entertain us during those periods when we choose to remain awake. Why else do you think most cats have a favorite theater seat—a preferred spot on a windowsill, porch, gatepost, or cupboard top? Don't you realize, dear reader, that you are our entertainment?”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“how to deal with problems in life. They are never asked for, but how we deal with them defines our future happiness or unhappiness.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“It is most useful,” Geshe Wangpo told Sam, “to share one’s knowledge with others. Otherwise, what is the point in having it?”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“It’s wonderful what becomes possible when we start to accept ourselves,” he told me. “Others find it easier to accept us, too, when we don’t keep engaging in negative thoughts about ourselves.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat and the Power of Meow

“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally. This kind of attention nurtures greater awareness, clarity, and acceptance of present-moment reality. It wakes us up to the fact that our lives unfold only in moments. If we are not fully present for many of those moments, we may not only miss what is most valuable in our lives but also fail to realize the richness and the depth of our possibilities for growth and transformation.”
― David Michie, Hurry Up and Meditate: Your starter kit for inner peace and better health

“The purpose of Buddhism is not to convert people. It is to give them tools so they can create greater happiness. So they can be happier Catholics, happier atheists, happier Buddhists. There are many practices . . .”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“There's nothing like a good, long sleep to allow unpleasantness to recede into the past.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“Despising yourself, thinking you are no good, saying ‘I can’t do this.’ This is the mind of weakness. You must work to overcome it.” “It’s not through choice,” Sam protested faintly. “Then you must choose to overcome. What happens if you keep giving in to a weak mind? You feed weakness. The result is an even weaker mind in the future. Instead, you must cultivate confidence!”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“existential overload”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“Mahatma Gandhi once said: ‘The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.’ Interesting, isn’t it?”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat

“The mind is like a garden,” he told me. “You choose what to grow: weeds or flowers.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat and the Power of Meow

“A reaction is automatic, habitual,” Ludo said. “A response is considered. That’s the difference. What’s important is to create space, to open ourselves up to possibilities beyond the habitual, which rarely serve us well. Anger is never an enlightened response. We may be wrathful—speaking in mock-angry tones to stop a child who is about to step near a fire, for example—but that’s very different from real anger.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat and the Art of Purring

“also reflected on His Holiness’s advice about how to deal with problems in life. They are never asked for, but how we deal with them defines our future happiness or unhappiness.”
― David Michie, The Dalai Lama's Cat