Blessings don’t come from the stars. They don’t come from the words of other people. They come from your actions. You protect yourself with your actions; you bless yourself with your actions.

"One of the suttas we chanted just now was the Mangala Sutta. The word mangala means blessing. It also means protection. The story behind the sutta is that a deva came to see the Buddha and asked him, “People talk about protection. They talk about blessings. What is a real protection? What’s a real blessing?”

The Buddha gave a list, starting with very simple things — not associating with fools, associating with wise people — ultimately building up to complete awakening, the point being that blessings don’t come from other things. They don’t come from the stars. They don’t come from the words of other people. They come from your actions. You protect yourself with your actions; you bless yourself with your actions."

~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Blessings"

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