Echoes

Nowhere you can go is more peaceful — more free of interruptions — than your own soul.

Men seek retreats for themselves, houses in the country, sea-shores, and mountains. But this is altogether a mark of the most common sort of men, for it is in thy power whenever thou shalt choose to retire into thyself. For nowhere either with more quiet or more freedom from trouble does a man retire than into his own soul.

The primary indication, to my thinking, of a well-ordered mind is a man's ability to remain in one place and linger in his own company.

You need a change of soul rather than a change of climate.

To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.

Peace is not mere absence of war, but is a virtue that springs from force of character.

If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. If we really know how to live, what better way to start the day than with a smile? Our smile affirms our awareness and determination to live in peace and joy. The source of a true smile is an awakened mind.

It would be better for me that the whole world should disagree with me than that I, being one, should be out of harmony with myself.

Let him that would move the world first move himself.

With an eye made quiet by the power of harmony, and the deep power of joy, we see into the life of things.

Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Without, everything seems discordant; only within does it coalesce into unity. Who looks outside dreams; who looks inside awakes.

A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety.

Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.

It is better to be alone than in bad company.

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

The ancients who wished to illustrate illustrious virtue throughout the Kingdom, first ordered well their own states. Wishing to order well their states, they first regulated their families. Wishing to regulate their families, they first cultivated their persons. Wishing to cultivate their persons, they first rectified their hearts. Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first sought to be sincere in their thoughts. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to the utmost their knowledge. Such extension of knowledge lay in the investigation of things. Things being investigated, knowledge became complete. Their knowledge being complete, their thoughts were sincere. Their thoughts being sincere, their hearts were then rectified. Their hearts being rectified, their persons were cultivated. Their persons being cultivated, their families were regulated. Their families being regulated, their states were rightly governed. Their states being rightly governed, the whole kingdom was made tranquil and happy. From the Son of Heaven down to the mass of the people, all must consider the cultivation of the person the root of everything besides.

Friendship with oneself is all-important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world.

Seek not that the things which happen should happen as you wish; but wish the things which happen to be as they are, and you will have a tranquil flow of life.

God rests in Himself, and makes all things rest in Him.

Withdraw into yourself as much as you can. Associate with those who will make a better man of you. Welcome those whom you yourself can improve.

To the quiet mind all things are possible.

If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people.

As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.

Make an island of yourself, make yourself your refuge; there is no other refuge. Make truth your island, make truth your refuge; there is no other refuge.

In silence and in stillness a devout soul maketh progress, and learneth the mysteries of Holy Scripture.