Quotes About Contemplation

A man must not only consider how daily his life wasteth and decreaseth, but this also, that if he live long, he cannot be certain, whether his understanding shall continue so able and sufficient, for either discreet consideration, in matter of businesses; or for contemplation: it being the thing, whereon true knowledge of things both divine and human, doth depend.

Thou must hasten therefore; not only because thou art every day nearer unto death than other, but also because that intellective faculty in thee, whereby thou art enabled to know the true nature of things, and to order all thy actions by that knowledge, doth daily waste and decay: or, may fail thee before thou die.

At what time soever thou wilt, it is in thy power to retire into thyself, and to be at rest, and free from all businesses.

To read with diligence; not to rest satisfied with a light and superficial knowledge, nor quickly to assent to things commonly spoken of: whom

This then remains: Remember to retire into this little territory of thy own, and, above all, do not distract or strain thyself, but be free, at look and things as a man, as a human being, as a citizen, as a mortal.

Anticipate your final hours.

Is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?

2. For every action, ask: How does it affect me? Could I change my mind about it?

Use thyself; as often, as thou seest any man do anything, presently (if it be possible) to say unto thyself, What is this man's end in this his action? But begin this course with thyself first of all, and diligently examine thyself concerning whatsoever thou doest.

For nowhere, either with more quiet or more freedom from trouble, does a man retire than into his own soul, particularly when he has within him such thoughts that by looking into them he is immediately in perfect tranquillity; and I affirm that tranquillity is nothing else than the good ordering of the mind.

Whatever you encounter in life, consider its origin, what it's made of, what it's changing into, what it will be like after it's changed, and that it will come to no harm as a result of changing.

And so shalt thou confess, if thou dost observe it. For sooner mayst thou find a thing earthly, where no earthly thing is, than find a man that naturally can live by himself alone.

En primer lugar, nada hagas sin reflexionar ni sin fin alguno, y en segundo, no lleves otro fin sino el bien de la sociedad.

In the morning purpose, in the evening discuss the manner, what thou hast been this day, in word, work, and thought.

Thou canst remove out of the way many useless things among those which disturb thee, for they lie entirely in thy opinion; and thou wilt then gain for thyself ample space by comprehending the whole universe in thy mind, and by contemplating the eternity of time, and observing the rapid change of every several thing, how short is the time from birth to dissolution, and the illimitable time before birth as well as the equally boundless time after dissolution. All

si te elevaran en el aire y miraras hacia abajo las cosas humanas y su versatilidad, piensa que las despreciarías al verlas todas al mismo tiempo que las que habitan por todo el aire y la atmósfera[489]. Y que cuantas veces seas elevado verás lo mismo, lo semejante, su brevedad. De eso depende el delirio de grandeza.

think little of thy flesh: blood, bones, and a skin; a pretty piece of knit and twisted work, consisting of nerves, veins and arteries; think no more of it, than so. And as for thy life, consider what it is; a wind; not one constant wind neither, but every moment of an hour let out, and sucked in again.

Fijar y des ribir siempre el objeto cuya imagen se presenta al espíritu, de suerte que se le ve lúcidamente, tal como es por naturaleza, desnudo, bajo diversos aspectos y decirse asi mismo su nombre y los nombres de los elementos que lo conforman y en los que se desintegrara. Nada en efecto contribuye a la grandeza del animo como poder comprobar con orden y exactitud cada uno de los objetos que representan la vida y verlos siempre de tal conformidad

Since it is possible that thou mayest depart from life this very moment, regulate every act and thought accordingly

How many of them who came into the world at the same time when I did, are already gone out of it?

At all times, look at the thing itself—the thing behind the appearance—and unpack it by analysis: cause substance purpose and the length of time it exists.

Cada ser nació con algún destino, como el caballo y la vid. ¿Te admiras de esto? También el sol nació destinado para una función, así como los otros dioses. Según ello, ¿para qué fuiste tú creado? ¿Para disfrutar? Reflexiona si puede sustentarse este pensamiento.

what death is, and the fact that, if a man looks at it in itself, and by the abstractive power of reflection resolves into their parts all the things which present themselves to the imagination in it, he will then consider it to be nothing else than an operation of nature;

Ogni volta che vedi uno compiere un'azione, se ti è possibile, prendi l'abitudine di chiederti: «A che mira costui facendo questo?». E comincia proprio da te, esaminando per primo te stesso.