The Witch of Portobello

Last night I was able to finish "The Witch of Portobello" by Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho. I've read a few of his books and his stories continually presents a magical wisdom that constantly gives me "aha" moments. This particular story gave me plentiful of mind-opening thoughts

Some words from the book:

"Let go of the idea that the path will lead you to your goal. The truth is that with each step we take, we arrive. Repeat that to yourself every morning: I’ve arrived."

"You are what you believe yourself to be. Don't be like those people who believe in "positive thinking" and tell themselves that they're loved and strong and capable. You don't need to do that because you know it already. And when you doubt it — which happens, I think, quite often at this stage of evolution — do as I suggested. Instead of trying to prove that you're better than you think, just laugh. Laugh at your worries and insecurities. View your anxieties with humor."

"In order for us to liberate the energy of our strength, our weakness must first have a chance to reveal itself."

"Groups are very important because they force us to progress. If you’re alone, all you can do is laugh at yourself, but if you’re with others, you’ll laugh and then immediately act Groups challenge us. Groups allow us to choose our affinities. Groups create a collective energy and ecstasy comes more easily because everyone infects everyone else. Groups can also destroy us, of course, but that’s part of life and the human condition – living with other people."

"Pity those who seek for shepherds, instead of longing for freedom! An encounter with the superior energy is open to anyone, but remains far from those who shift responsibility onto others."

"I explained that before the word comes the thought. And before the thought, there is the divine spark that placed it there. Everything, absolutely everything on this Earth makes sense, and even the smallest things are worthy of our consideration."

"What is a teacher? I’ll tell you: it isn’t someone who teaches something, but someone who inspires the student to give of her best in order to discover what she already knows."

"The brush with which you are making these lines is just an instrument. It has no consciousness; it follows the desires of the person holding it. And in that it is very like what we call “life”. Many people in this world are merely playing a role, unaware that there is an Invisible Hand guiding them. At this moment, in your hands, in the brush tracing each letter, lie all the intentions of your soul."

"Learn. But always learn with other people by your side. Don't be alone in the search because if you take a wrong step, you'll have no one there to help put you right."

“We do not believe that God made the universe. We believe that God is the universe and that we are contained in him, and he is in us…in my opinion, we should call ‘him’ ‘goddess’ or ‘mother’ like the woman in all of us who protects us when we are in danger. She will always be with us while we perform our daily tasks with love and joy, understanding that nothing is suffering, that everything is a way of praising Creation.”

"The Shadow is our dark side, which dictates how we should act and behave. When we try to free ourselves from the Persona, we turn on a light inside us and we see the cobwebs, the cowardice, the meanness. The Shadow is there to stop our progress, and it usually succeeds and we run back to what we were before we doubted. However, some do survive this encounter with their own cobwebs, saying “Yes, I have a few faults, but I’m good enough and I want to go forward.” At that moment, the Shadow disappears and we come into contact with the Soul.  Instincts become sharper, emotions more radical, the interpretation of signs becomes more important than logic, perceptions of reality grow less rigid."

"...That's the main aim of life—revelation!"

At this moment.... I've Arrived :)