John Bradshaw quotes

Children are natural Zen masters; their world is brand new in each and every moment. (John Bradshaw)
Evil is a source of moral intelligence in the sense that we need to learn from our shadow, from our dark side, in order to be good. View quote
John Bradshaw
Our beliefs create the kind of world we believe in. We project our feelings, thoughts and attitudes onto the world. I can create a different world by changing my belief about the world. Our inner state creates the outer and not vice versa. View quote
John Bradshaw
I define a 'good person' as somebody who is fully conscious of their own limitations. They know their strengths, but they also know their 'shadow' - they know their weaknesses. In other words, they understand that there is no good without bad. Good and evil are really one, but we have broken them up in our consciousness. We polarize them. View quote
John Bradshaw
It's okay to make mistakes. Mistakes are our teachers -- they help us to learn. View quote
John Bradshaw
It's essential to tell the truth at all times. This will reduce life's pain. Lying distorts reality. All forms of distorted thinking must be corrected. View quote
John Bradshaw
Healthy shame is an emotion that teaches us about our limits. Like all emotions, shame moves us to get our basic needs met. View quote
John Bradshaw
Virtue is an inner strength. It expands your nature. View quote
John Bradshaw
The spiritual quest is not some added benefit to our life, something you embark on if you have the time and inclination. We are spiritual beings on an earthly journey. Our spirituality makes up our beingness. View quote
John Bradshaw
Guilt says I've done something wrong; ... shame says there is something wrong with me. Guilt says I've made a mistake; ... shame says I am a mistake. Guilt says what did was not good; ... shame says I am no good. View quote
John Bradshaw
Our sadness is an energy we discharge in order to heal. ...Sadness is painful. We try to avoid it. Actually discharging sadness releases the energy involved in our emotional pain. To hold it in is to freeze the pain within us. The therapeutic slogan is that grieving is the ‘healing feeling.' (John Bradshaw)
Shame is the root of all addictions. View quote
John Bradshaw
Recovery begins with embracing our pain and taking the risk to share it with others. We do this by joining a group and talking about our pain. View quote
John Bradshaw
To truly be committed to a life of honesty, love and discipline, we must be willing to commit ourselves to reality. View quote
John Bradshaw
The more we know about how we lost our spontaneous wonder and creativity, the more we can find ways to get them back. View quote
John Bradshaw
I believe that this neglected, wounded, inner child of the past is the major source of human misery. View quote
John Bradshaw
We move from the illusion of certainty, to the certainty of illusion. View quote
John Bradshaw
I have never met an aggressive person who wasn't a fearful person. View quote
John Bradshaw
True love heals and affects spiritual growth. If we do not grow because of someone else's love, it's generally because it is a counterfeit form of love. View quote
John Bradshaw
Since the earliest period of our life was preverbal, everything depended on emotional interaction. Without someone to reflect our emotions, we had no way of knowing who we were. View quote
John Bradshaw
Condemning others as bad or sinful is a way to feel righteous. Such a feeling is a powerful mood alteration and can become highly addictive. (John Bradshaw)
Children need parents who model self-discipline rather than preach it. They learn from what their parents are actually willing to do; not from what they say they do. View quote
John Bradshaw
The capacity for love that makes dogs such rewarding companions has a flip-side: They find it difficult to cope without us. Since we humans programmed this vulnerability, it's our responsibility to ensure that our dogs do not suffer as a result. View quote
John Bradshaw
Children are curious and are risk takers. They have lots of courage. They venture out into a world that is immense and dangerous. A child initially trusts life and the processes of life. View quote
John Bradshaw
As a child I was not allowed to express my feelings, so I had to go back through therapy and express the child's pain. View quote
John Bradshaw