Favorite Inspiring Quotes
Conscience
Commentary by Peter Shepherd

“Every human has four endowments - self awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom... The power to choose, to respond, to change.” ~ Stephen R. Covey
When we set an intention to change and grow, we begin a journey in which we move from coping, to learning, and finally to the mastery of living. Along the way we develop our values - based on what we are taught or conditioned to believe and on what we have determined for ourselves. Often that means rejecting what we were taught or conditioned, what is popularly believed, what the groups we are part of expect us to conform to. And that is awakening.
“In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love. In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile. In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm. In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there's something stronger - something better, pushing right back.” ~ Albert Camus
So an existentialist atheist can be spiritual too. Camus had an intense interest in the active human psyche, in the life of conscience or spirit as it is actually experienced and lived, and a personal commitment to such values as individualism, free choice and personal responsibility. Reminds me of my dear father, atheist to the grave and as warm-hearted as a person can be.

“Our inner guidance comes to us through our feelings and body wisdom first -- not through intellectual understanding. The intellect works best in service to our intuition, our inner guidance, soul, God or higher power - whichever term we choose for the spiritual energy that animates life.” ~ Christiane Northrup
Our inner knowing includes conscience, our sense of right and wrong, which is based on our inherent loving nature. The mind often has other ideas, so it's best to silence the mind when looking for inner guidance, to be with oneself and just know.
“When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad, and that is my religion.” ~ Abraham Lincoln
You do what you feel in your heart is right, and you are content. Justifiably so.

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi
That way we discover our essence, our truth, our love. As Mother Teresa said, at the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by "I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in."

Some articles about conscience...
Regret, Remorse, and Guilt ~ by Dharmbir Rai Sharma
"To err is human, to forgive is divine." The statement is attributed to Alexander Pope but might be of ancient origin. The essence of it is that a human being is not perfect. There is no one, whether a saint or a sinner, who does not regret having done something in the past. The feelings of regret, remorse, and guilt are basically the same, the difference is only of degree. They are all related to one's conscience and they always pertain to the past. Continues...
How I See the World ~ by Albert Einstein
Religion and science go together. As I’ve said before, science without religion is lame and religion without science is blind. They are interdependent and have a common goal—the search for truth. Continues...
The Embodiment of Love ~ by Robert Rabbin
How shall I live? is the question that brings us from the mountaintop of inner realization to the valley of daily living. Here, in the valley of daily living, is where our realization is polished and tested. This is where we show ourselves, where we tell the truth about our love and loves, where we finally make sense of the whole thing not in words and ideas and theories, but in the simple way we touch living things. In our daily living is where we demonstrate what we know about being an embodiment of love. Continues...
PODCAST by Peter Shepherd ~ The Value of Loving Service
Serving others in a loving way can actually transform our own lives. In serving others we discover our essence, our truth, our love. To be of loving service we draw on our conscience, our religion and our values.
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