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If you live in a past dream, you don't enjoy what is happening right now because you will always wish it to be different than it is. There is no time to miss anyone or anything because you are alive. Not enjoying what is happening right now is living in the past and being only half alive. This leads to self pity, suffering and tears.
Miguel Angel Ruiz
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Focus on the present instead of dwelling on the past to fully appreciate life.

This quote emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment rather than getting lost in memories of the past. It suggests that when we dwell on what has been, we strip ourselves of the joy and richness of current experiences, leading to feelings of emptiness, regret, and dissatisfaction. Embracing the present allows us to fully engage with life and foster a sense of gratitude for what we have now.

Themes

PresentLifeMindfulnessEnjoymentSuffering

In practice

Example use cases

During a motivational speech on the importance of living in the moment.

More from Miguel Angel Ruiz

We have a tendency to make assumptions about everything! The problem with making assumptions is that we believe they are truth. We could swear they are real. We make assumptions about what others are doing or thinking-we take it personally-then we blame them and react by sending emotional poison in our word. That is why whenever we make assumptions, we're asking for problems. We make assumptions, we misunderstand, we take it personally, and we end up creating a whole big drama for nothing.
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...What you are is a force--a force that makes it possible for your body to live, a force that makes it possible for your whole mind to dream...You are life
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What you will see is love coming out of the trees, love coming out of the sky, love coming out of the light. You will perceive love from everything around you. This is the state of bliss.
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Humans punish themselves endlessly for not being what they believe they should be. They become very self-abusive, and they use other people to abuse themselves as well.
Miguel Angel RuizRead
When we try to describe the truth with words, we distort it and it's no longer truth--it's our story. The story may be true for us, but that doesn't mean it's true for anyone else.
Miguel Angel RuizRead
When we believe in lies, we cannot see the truth, so we make thousands of assumptions and we take them as truth. One of the biggest assumptions we make is that the lies we believe are the truth!
Miguel Angel RuizRead

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