Browse the Living Book by "The Seeker"

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Here you will read the innermost thoughts and feelings of inspired seekers who have gone before you. Some names you may know… others you will be glad to meet!

One Journey Quotations

 

For my part, I would rather there were less of such excitement and transport, less of mere thrilling emotion, so that a man were diligent and rightly manful in working and in virtue, for in such exercises do we learn best to know ourselves.

Johannes Tauler (circa 1300 – 1361)

When you call yourself an Indian or a Muslim or a Christian or a European or anything else, you are being violent. Do you see why it is violent? Because you are separating yourself from the rest of mankind. When you separate yourself by belief, by nationality, by tradition, it breeds violence.

Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895 – 1986)

He who does not have attention in himself and does not regard his mind, cannot become pure in heart, and so cannot see God. He who does not have attention in himself cannot be poor in spirit, cannot be contrite, nor be gentle and meek, nor hunger and thirst after righteousness, nor be merciful, nor a peacemaker, nor suffer persecution for righteousness sake.

Saint Symeon the New Theologian (949 – 1022)

Who has not at one time or other felt a sourness, wrath, selfishness, envy and pride, which he could not tell what to do with, or how to bear, rising up in him without his consent, casting a blackness over all his thoughts, and then as suddenly going off again, either by the cheerfulness of the sun or air, or some agreeable accident, and again, at times, as suddenly returning upon him? Sufficient indications are these to every man that there is a dark guest within him… often lulled to sleep by worldly light and amusements.

William Law (1686 – 1761)

Men recognize that in their lives something is wrong, and that something needs improving. Man is able to improve only that one thing which is in his power: himself. But in order to improve oneself one must first of all recognize one’s own deficiencies, and this one does not desire to do.

Leo Tolstoy (1828 – 1910)