Quotes About Introspection

The writer is committed when he plunges to the very depths of himself with the intent to disclose, not his individuality, but his person in the complex society that conditions and supports him.

If you're lonely when you're alone, you're in bad company.

It disturbs me no more to find men base, unjust, or selfish than to see apes mischievous, wolves savage, or the vulture ravenous.

If you are lonely when you're alone, you are in bad company.

If you're lonely when you're alone, you're in bad company.

All that I know about my life, it seems, I have learned in books.

Écrire, c'est fermer les yeux en les gardant ouverts.

The best religion or practice is the one that makes us better. (42)

Evil and sin arise from the blamer in ourselves.

I don't wake up each morning saying, 'Oh, wow, it's me. I think I'm the cat's meow. I'm the best.'

I don't miss politics.

My flag is raised high today. For others to see, sure. But more so to find which way my wind is blowing. Almost time to chart a course.

Both In and Out of the Game   Apart from the pulling and hauling stands what I am, Stands amused, complacent, compassionating, idle, unitary, Looks down, is erect, or bends an arm on an impalpable certain rest, Looking with side-curved head curious what will come next, Both in and out of the game and watching and wondering at it.   Walt Whitman

Only themselves understand themselves, and the like of themselves, As Souls only understand Souls.   Walt Whitman

Self-deceit is the hardest habit to break cuz it tells us we ain't self-deceived.

Think for yourself and figure out what's true. That's it. Ask yourself what's true until you know.

It's very simple: If Buddhism is about awakening, people should be waking up. If it's not about awakening, they should change the name.

A little meditation in the morning or evening, an hour of church on the occasional Sunday morning, sponsor a hungry kid, a little reading or discussion now and then, and our spiritual itch is adequately scratched. No one gets hurt or does anything crazy; certainly no one unplugs themselves from the great hive and wanders off on their own.

Allegiance to any spiritual teaching or teacher—any outside authority—is the most treacherous beast in the jungle.

When you become so dissatisfied with your office that the hundred story plummet and the sidewalk seem like the better option, so dissatisfied that you actually hurl yourself out the window, then you know the level of dissatisfaction necessary to awaken from delusion.

Ask yourself. Who am I? If you do it, you will become enlightened. There is no possible alternative. The only way self-inquiry can fail to work is if you fail to do it.

What is it, what nameless, inscrutable, unearthly thing is it; what cozening, hidden lord and master, and cruel, remorseless emperor commands me; that against all natural lovings and longings, I so keep pushing, and crowding, and jamming myself on all the time; recklessly making me ready to do what in my own proper, natural heart, I durst not so much as dare?

Spiritual Autolysis—trying to write something true and keeping at it until you do—is the best possible way of identifying and eradicating our falseness because the process of writing minimizes the weaknesses and maximizes the strengths of the intellect. Nothing false can survive illumination by a steady and focused mind.

An objective observer might look at the vast majority of spiritual seekers today and classify them as spiritually self-lobotomized. They set out to find life and discover truth, and wind up sitting in a dark room repeating a meaningless syllable, eyes closed, brain silenced, convinced that they're actually making a great journey.