Topics · Life & Self
Wisdom about inner work.
What people have learned about inner work the hard way, and what the classics said about it first.
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From the library
Brevity is the soul of wit.
Perfect love casteth out fear.
Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.
Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
Seek not that the things which happen should happen as you wish; but wish the things which happen to be as they are.
The fault of others is easily perceived, but that of oneself is difficult to perceive.
Midway upon the journey of our life I found myself within a forest dark.
The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high.
I exist as I am, that is enough.
Vanity working on a weak head produces every sort of mischief.
A soft answer turneth away wrath.
The soft overcomes the hard; and the weak the strong.
Love comforteth like sunshine after rain.
The kingdom of God is within you.
Love is anterior to life, posterior to death, initial of creation, and the exponent of breath.
Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles.
Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
Gravity is the root of lightness; stillness, the ruler of movement.
Men at some time are masters of their fates.
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.
When the people do not fear what they ought to fear, that which is their great dread will come on them.
Have more than thou showest, speak less than thou knowest.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
Who is content Needs fear no shame. Who knows to stop Incurs no blame. From danger free Long live shall he.
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee.
Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.
And when (one with the highest excellence) does not wrangle (about his low position), no one finds fault with him.
There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.
The light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
Constant action overcomes cold; being still overcomes heat. Purity and stillness give the correct law to all under heaven.
How poor are they that have not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degrees?
The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.
The Tao is hidden, and has no name; but it is the Tao which is skilful at imparting (to all things what they need) and making them complete.
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more.
The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
(To illustrate from) the case of all females:—the female always overcomes the male by her stillness. Stillness may be considered (a sort of) abasement.
A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
Always without desire we must be found, If its deep mystery we would sound; But if desire always within us be, Its outer fringe is all that we shall see.
A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
(Those who) possessed the highest (sense of) propriety were (always seeking) to show it, and when men did not respond to it, they bared the arm and marched up to them.