Quotes About Meditation

The untrained mind keeps up a running commentary, labelling everything, judging everything. Best to ignore that commentary. Don't argue or resist, just ignore. Deprived of attention and interest, this voice gets quieter and quieter and eventually just shuts up.

What else can one do in the time before sunset?

Wonder is the feeling of a philosopher, and all philosophy begins in wonder

Thinking is the talking of the soul with itself.

Thinking: the talking of the soul with itself.

why should we not calmly and patiently review our own thoughts, and thoroughly examine and see what these appearances in us really are?

He aquí por qué no tenemos tiempo para pensar en la filosofía; y el mayor de nuestros males consiste en que en el acto de tener tiempo y ponernos a meditar, de repente interviene el cuerpo en nuestras indagaciones, nos embaraza, nos turba y no nos deja discernir la verdad.

Y bien; purificar el alma, ¿no es, como antes decíamos, separarla del cuerpo, y acostumbrarla a encerrarse y recogerse en sí misma, renunciando al comercio con aquel cuanto sea posible, y viviendo, sea en esta vida, sea en la otra, sola y desprendida del cuerpo, como quien se desprende de una cadena?

No estoy distante de definir la sabiduría como el conocimiento de sí mismo, y de hecho soy de la misma opinión del que colocó en el templo de Delfos una inscripción de este género: «Conócete a ti mismo».

La filosofía es un silencioso diálogo del alma consigo misma en torno al ser.

we become what we contemplate.

We must close our eyes and invoke a new manner of seeing...a wakefulness that is the birthright of us all, though few put it to use.

To set oneself above intellect is immediately to fall outside it.

The latrine is an oasis of peace.

Pensavo molte cose insensate, e non pensavo alcune cose tristemente sensate.

better not to do than to do, better to meditate than to act, better his astrophysics, the threshold of the Unknowable, than my chemistry, a mess compounded of stenches, explosions, and small futile mysteries

God's impressions within and His Word without are always corroborated by His providence around, and we should quietly wait until these three focus into one point. … If you do not know what you ought to do, stand still until you do.

Praying with precision is key.

fervently—because fervent prayer keeps your true identity in focus.

Time with God will open up His ways. Reading books won't do it. Reading theology won't do it. Studying the creation won't do it. Going to church won't do it. Listening to religious music won't do it. Listening to great preaching won't do it. Even worshiping through hymns and songs won't do it.

And lowering your blood pressure by deep breathing or meditation—or even a healthy swearing session inside your closed car—has fewer side effects than any pill.

What else could I be? If I were a mono-thinker, I probably wouldn't be an insomniac. How is a poly-thinker supposed to fall asleep, and more importantly, stay asleep, when thoughts just won't stop darting! darting! darting! through my head?

Personally, I felt yoga was something to retreat from, not toward, so the mental image involved me sitting cross-legged with an open book in my lap while everyone else did the Spread-Eagle Ostrich.

In the future, I decided I would tackle the solitude thing more enthusiastically, so long as solitude meant I could also walk in the park and pet a few dogs and pass them treats.