White Woods Publishing House, 7, K.M. Munshi Marg, Girgaum Chowpatty, Mumbai - 400007 (Formerly known as Tulsi Books) Please visit: www.radhanathswami.com www.whitewoodspublishing.com Photographs and graphic design in this edition of the book: Dhyanachandra Dasa.
Copyright 2014 - 2015 ISBN : 978-93-81283-14-1
Wi t h L e m o n D r o p s RAD HA NATH S WAM I
Life with Lemon Drops Dewdrops radiate purity representing the essence of moisture through the wisdom of condensation. Honey drops create sweetness representing the essence of flowers through the wisdom of bees. What do lemon drops represent? Lemon drops convey vitality and vigor representing the essence of holistic well being. A lemon contributes to a variety of tastes and flavors. When squeezed in a glass of water, lemon drops are immunity boosters and detoxify the body; sprinkled on a papaya, they create sweetness; over rice, they give it a tangy taste; and squeezed over hot milk, they curdle it. Amazing how a simple lemon can do so much!
Life with Lemon Drops is a collection of special quotes which work like drops of lemon squeezed over various aspects of life, adding extra value, flavor and dynamism to our existence. This is not just a book; it’s a lifetime of experiences colorfully sprinkled over the pages of life. Come, experience the extraordinary impact of the lemon drops in every page of Life with Lemon Drops. An energetic mosaic of colors and wisdom, the book promises to make you ponder over the wonder called life.
Every choice we make creates habits.
Leaders make goals, losers make excuses.
If we are not happy within, we cannot be happy under any circumstances.
In the heart that harbors the weed of selfish greed, the flower of love cannot survive.
Real independence is to declare our dependence on God.
Scriptures do not teach that we have to leave the world. We have to leave the exploitative, envious, greedy nature.
We cannot imitate great souls. However, to study and imbibe the principles they teach and embody is the path of progress.
If we think we know, no one can really teach us.
Every failure contains a seed of success.
To the degree we have something, to that degree we can give something. To the degree we have love and harmony in our heart, to that degree we can give it to others.
It’s too late to avoid the reaction, but not too late to come to the right conclusion.
Association can convince us of anything.
Do not think that if we surrender to God we will be the losers. We will not lose anything except bondage, frustration and suffering.
If we are not striving to improve and go forward, the current of this world will force us to go backward.
A grateful heart is not very choosy about what to be grateful for.
How we interpret our experience determines what our experience will be.
Love that is not expressed is not real.
Impediments serve to strengthen the sincere and eliminate the ones who are not.
Nature is speaking the highest glory of God at every moment if we just have the eyes to see and the ears to hear.
The more we feed the laziness of our mind, the stronger it becomes.
When we forgive someone, we liberate ourselves from the poison of negativity that is within our own heart.
It is not light that is needed in the world but warmth, because we can die from cold but not from darkness.
We cannot control the environment around us, but we can control our perceptions completely.
Not a moment in human life passes when actions are not accounted for.
Dealing with negativity in a positive way is called tolerance.
Sometimes the Lord gives us a free sample of divine experience, but for more, we must pay a price of sincere dedication.
The art of living is to achieve a balance between the awkwardness of our body and the elegance of our soul.
Familiarity leads to lack of gratitude.
Devotion to God is a flow of sentiment channelized by the right philosophy.
The mind always searches for some reason to be dissatisfied.
Fame is like a shadow, if you go near it, it goes away. Just try and go away from it, then it follows you.
One thing is certain: the uncertainty of life.
What does it mean to put God in the center? It means to put oneself out of the center.
Science without humanity heals in retail and kills in wholesale.
To the degree we have influence over others, to the same degree we have responsibility towards them.
Everything we see in this world is just a reflection of our own consciousness.
Spirituality is not about negation, but about transformation.
From the darkest situation the brightest light appears if we take shelter of God.
Where there is necessity, there is deeper appreciation.
We can conquer the whole universe but if we cannot conquer our mind and senses, we are defeated in life.
If we want to be happy in this world, there is only one way – stop trying to be happy.
Fierce determination and gentle humility are the ornaments that make one attractive.
We hear words, God hears intentions.
A curse can be a blessing, if we simply appreciate the possibility of how to grow in that situation.
Honesty does not simply mean that we sin and then confess that we did it. Real honesty means to try living a life free of sins.
One of the greatest mistakes a leader can commit is short-sightedness.
Human life is the junction from where we can depart from the path of illusion and enter onto the freeway of truth.
If we say everything belongs to God but use everything for ourself, then we imply that we are God.
Real friendship is real concern for the body, mind and soul of the friend.
Real problem is not population explosion, but what the population is doing.
Happiness is not in acquisition, but in inner realization.
Be people-oriented, not project-oriented – then the project will be successful.
Isn’t every soul inherently good? A saintly person will hate the disease but love the diseased.
It’s not so difficult to understand things intellectually, but it takes God’s grace to really have faith.
To have tremendous power and still be humble – that is greatness.
Real education is not just superimposing all kind of data upon our brains from outside sources. Real education is to bring out what is within us.
If we compromise our integrity for the cheap thrill of this world, we are going to suffer miserably.
As we face resistance, we become stronger. Physical strength comes by pushing against resistance. Mental strength comes by going against desire. Spiritual strength comes by tolerating disturbances.
Happiness is in giving respect. Expecting respect makes one miserable.
On the path of spirituality there are no impediments except the lack of our own desire.
If we remain faithful to the ideals we strive for, all the tests will only make us stronger.
Greatness is not in what we do but how we are an instrument in the hands of God.
Every decison must be made in the harmony with the actual purpose of life.
Loving service to all is a way to show our gratitude.
Beauty attracts the eye. Accomplishments attract the mind. But character captures the heart.
Radhanath Swami
Spiritual Leader, International Speaker and Author
Radhanath Swami, author of the international best-seller The Journey Home, has been a Bhakti Yoga practitioner for more then forty years, and is one of today’s most beloved and respected spiritual teachers. He is a guide, community builder, activist and acclaimed author. Rooted in his study of ancient India’s mystic devotional tradition, Radhanath Swami’s message is simple: by cultivating a genuine practice of service, we can become instruments of compassion and agents of sustainable change in the world. Born in a Jewish family in Chicago, his journey began at 19 when he ser off to hitchhike across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. In India, he studied with some of the foremost spiritual and yoga masters before returning to the West to share his gifts of wisdom. Today, Radhanath Swami delivers numerous motivational talks around the world. His work includes support for missionalry hospitals, orphanages, schools and emergency relief programs. With over 7,500 sessions delivered in more then forty countries since 1990, Radhanath Swami is a highly sought-after speakers and is one of the highest rated speakers at the Young Presidents Organization (YPO). He has addressed over five hundred thousand people from all walks of life and is highly regarded as a global influencer. Radhanath Swami has addressed leades in diverse institutions such as TEDx London Business School, YPO, the British House of Commons and House of Lords, World Marketing Congress, HSBC, Apple, Oracle, Google, Starbucks and many others.
We gratefully acknowledge the contribution of Murli Mohan and Gaurkrishna for conceptualising and envisioning Life With Lemon Drops. Though they are no longer with us to witness the manifestation of their intense desire into a reality, their memories inspired us to complete this book.