Don Jones
The proverbs in this book come from the Author’s inner work over the past quarter century. It has been his regular practice when in need of guidance to consult his “inner cast of characters” and listen to them.
There was a time in his life when a bout with cancer made death seem imminent. As a part of doing his “death-work” he re-read all the written dialogues from the past twenty five years. It was a way of pulling his life together in order to lay it down, of setting his spiritual house in order before making his final journey.
Don Jones, now in his 78th year, has had a long life of spiritual leadership including his 40 years of service as a pastor and preacher, his leadership of non-profit organizations for the healing of youth and adults, his seminar teaching in the field of masculine psychology, and his healing of souls as a psychotherapist.
He has a Bachelor’s degree in philosophy and religion, and a Master of Divinity degree, both from Phillips University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and advanced doctoral studies in Religion and Literature at the University of Chicago Divinity School.
For the past 15 years he has served as a Leader of men’s initiation weekends within the ManKind Project, an international organization whose mission is “To Empower Men to Missions of Service.” He convened the first National Elder Council meeting of this men’s order and recently finished a term as International Chairman of the ManKind Project. He lives in Indianapolis, Indiana, with his wife, Emily Hurst-Jones.
Don’t settle for a relationship that robs you of self-respect, limits your experience, or diminishes your soul.
Learning how to feel with all your senses and all your surfaces is the journey for the second half of life.
You are a much greater lover than you know.
Force yourself to act more affectionately than you feel and you will soon hate yourself and your partner.
We aspire to what we admire.
If you insist on seeing yourself as a victim, you will be depressed and angry the rest of your life.
Feeling with your whole body means simply to stop blocking the sensations and feelings that are already flowing there.
Panic is the enemy of Peace, so find strategies to deal with it or else live in constant anxiety.
Reveal the deepest places of hurt inside you so people can love you.
Find the people who prime the well of wisdom within you and live among them often.
Running from relationships robs us of learning how to set boundaries.
To let someone love you is a sobering act — for by loving you they give you power to make them suffer.
Give someone your heart and you also give them power to break your heart.
