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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!
Always from the child’s hand, the sword should be removed. I think every nation is an infant.
True seekers keep riding straight through,
whereas big, lazy, self-worshiping geese
unload their pack animals in a farmyard
and say, “This is far enough.”
To speak and to offend, with some people, are but one and the same thing.
How much trouble he avoids who does not look to see what his neighbour says or does or thinks, but only what he does himself, that it may be just and pure.
The constant assertion of belief is an indication of fear.
An unattended mind is the breeding ground of self-defeat.
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.
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.
Heroism works in contradiction to the voice of mankind, and in contradiction, for a time, to the voice of the great and good. Heroism is an obedience to a secret impulse of an individual’s character.
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.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
Wherein have you played the knave with fortune, that she should scratch you, who of herself is a good lady, and would not have knaves thrive long under her?
Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand.
The courage we desire and prize is not the courage to die decently, but to live manfully.
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.
The walls of rude minds are scrawled all over with facts, with thoughts. They shall one day bring a lantern and read the inscriptions.
To be wiser than other men is to be honester than they; and strength of mind is only courage to see and speak the truth.
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.
There are two basic duties for man in this life: one is to serve nature and the other is to find God.
No evil man is happy.