Anthony de Mello

Until his sudden death on June 2, 1987, Fr. Tony de Mello was the director of the Sadhana Institute of Pastoral Counseling near Poona, India.

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

You don’t do anything to be free, you drop something. Then you’re free.

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

“God is not attained by a process of addition to anything in the soul, but by a process of subtraction.” - Meister Eckhart

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

How easy it is to love everyone when you don’t identify with what they imagine you are or they are.

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

they are simply accepting or rejecting their image of you. They’ve fashioned an image of you, and they’re rejecting or accepting that.

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

Nobody ever rejects you; they’re only rejecting what they think you are. But that cuts both ways. Nobody ever accepts you either.

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

Pleasant experiences make life delightful. Painful experiences lead to growth.

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

One understands one’s personal worth when one no longer identifies or defines one’s self in terms of these transient things.

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

When we talk about self-worth, are we not talking, really, about how we are reflected in the mirrors of other people’s minds?

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

You’re never so ready to forget yourself as when you are happy. Happiness releases you from self.

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

You’re never so full of yourself as when you’re in pain. You’re never so centered on yourself as when you’re depressed.

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

Let the dictator in you come out, let the tyrant come out. I'm a dictator, you're a dictator. I want to run your life for you.

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

"I have no right to make any demands on you" In saying that you drop your expectations.

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

Do I do anything to change myself? You don’t have to do anything. The more you do, the worse it gets. All you have to do is understand.

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

with your illusions that are constantly crashing against reality.

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

you will see through everyone. Then you will love them. Otherwise you spend the whole time grappling with your wrong notions of them...

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

Want to wake up? You want happiness? You want freedom? Here it is: Drop your false ideas.See through people. If you see through yourself...

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

Can you imagine how liberating it is that you’ll never be disillusioned again, never be disappointed again? You’ll never feel let down again

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

Expect the worst, you’re dealing with selfish people.They’re as bad as you are—bad, you understand? Exactly like you. No difference.

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

The second is when I give myself the pleasure of pleasing others. That would be a more refined kind of selfishness.

[Anthony de Mello @awarenessguru]

There are two types of selfishness. The first type is the one where I give myself the pleasure of pleasing myself. (self-centeredness)...