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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!
Know thyself.
Water flows continually into the ocean
But the ocean is never disturbed.
Desire flows into the mind of the seer
But he is never disturbed.
The seer knows peace.
Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.
A man can understand what is similar to something already existing in himself.
Nothing is more terrible than active ignorance.
Whiles others fish with craft for great opinion,
I with great truth catch mere simplicity;
Whilst some with cunning gild their copper crowns,
With truth and plainness I do wear mine bare.
The first virtue is to restrain the tongue. He approaches nearest to the gods who knows how to be silent, even though he is in the right.
This is the greatest work of all. In order to show and release her powers, Nature has no need of fortune; she shows herself equally on all levels, and behind a curtain as well as without one. To compose our character is our duty, not to compose books, and to win, not battles and provinces, but order and tranquility in our conduct. Our great and glorious masterpiece is to live appropriately. All other things, to rule, to lay up treasure, to build, are at most but little appendices and props.
That we may merge into the deep and dazzling darkness, vanish into it, dissolve in it forever in an unbelievable bliss beyond imagination, for absolute nothingness represents absolute bliss.
A simple and independent mind does not toil at the bidding of any prince.
You will see that in dealing with fools and blockheads, there is only one way of showing your intelligence — by having nothing to do with them. That means of course, that when you go into society, you may now and then feel like a good dancer who gets an invitation to a ball, and on arriving, finds that everyone is lame — with whom is he to dance?
Physician, heal thyself.
We can only give what we have.
Better is he that restrains his anger, as Solomon says, “than he that takes a city,” for anger leads astray even brave men.
If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself. If you want to eliminate the suffering in the world, then eliminate all that is dark and negative in yourself. Truly, the greatest gift you have to give is that of your own self-transformation.
You will be of as much worth to others as you are to yourself.
If you are inwardly free from fighting, no one will be able to fight with you.
His thought is quiet, his words and deeds are quiet, when he has won freedom by true knowledge.
He alone knows what love is who loves without hope.
A singular strength of mind is therefore required to enable a man to live among others consistently with his own ideas and convictions, to be master of himself, and not fall into the habits or exhibit the same passions as those with whom he associates.
