“Fame and infamy merely consist of others’ projections, fantasies and opinions, which mean about as much as yours. People’s opinions of you are like clouds passing in the sky, pushed here and there by whichever wind is prevailing. When they’re with you, your mythical self gets a massage; when they’re against you, it gets punched around, but it only hurts as much as you believe in the myth of who you are.
Conversely, fame, acclaim, renown or just straightforward approval can cause tension when you’re afraid to lose them, and infamy and disgrace can be quite enjoyable as a refuge for a while. Ultimately, it’s YOU who does the approving and disapproving of yourself, and your “public” simply reflects that in this nutty hall of mirrors.
Approval and disapproval alternate on the revolving yin-yang wheel, so any effort to hold on to the former and avoid the latter is futile. It’s far better to identify yourself with your spirit which is eternal, unchanging and beyond anyone’s approval or disapproval, even yours.”
Stephen Russell, in “Barefoot Doctor’s Guide to the TAO”
For more information regarding this book, visit Amazon.
A FREE service since 1999, “Ponder on This” benefits subscribers, authors, and publishers by including “links” to Amazon.com where subscribers can learn more about the book being quoted, and also purchase it. Individuals interested in a direct subscription to “Ponder on This” are requested to please click here or feel free to forward to a friend. To contact Pondercentral via email please click here.
