Many individuals have, 

like uncut diamonds, 

shining qualities beneath a rough exterior.

It is not who is right, 

but what is right, 

that is of importance.

Let every dawn be to you as the beginning of life, 

and every setting sun be to you as its close.

No legacy is so rich as honesty.

Our mind is capable of passing beyond the dividing line we have drawn for it. 

Beyond the pairs of opposites 

of which the world consists, 

other, new insights begin.

From wonder 

into wonder 

existence opens.

The finest works of art are precious, 

among other reasons, 

because they make it possible for us to know, 

if only imperfectly and for a little while, 

what it actually feels like 

to think subtly 

and feel nobly.

Peace comes from within. 

Do not seek it without.

Accuracy is the twin brother of honesty; 

inaccuracy, of dishonesty.

Our normal waking consciousness, 

rational consciousness 

as we call it, 

is but one special type of consciousness, 

whilst all about it, 

parted from it by the filmiest of screens, 

there lie potential forms of consciousness 

entirely different.

Ideas excite me, 

and as soon as I get excited, 

the adrenaline gets going 

and the next thing I know 

I'm borrowing energy 

from the ideas themselves.

Habits change into character.

It is requisite 

for the relaxation of the mind 

that we make use,

 from time to time, 

of playful deeds and jokes.

Society lives by faith, 

and develops by science.

Anxiety is the hand maiden of creativity.

Every day we should 

hear at least one little song, 

read one good poem, 

see one exquisite picture, 

and, if possible, 

speak a few sensible words.

The discovery of truth is prevented more effectively, 

not by the false appearance things present 

and which mislead into error, 

not directly by weakness of the reasoning powers, 

but by preconceived opinion, 

by prejudice.

All wish to possess knowledge, 

but few, 

comparatively speaking, 

are willing to pay the price.

I must create a system 

or be enslaved by another man's; 

I will not reason and compare: 

my business is to create.

If knowledge can create problems, 

it is not through ignorance that we can solve them.

Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.

Words are but the signs of ideas.

Know how to listen, 

and you will profit 

even from those who talk badly.

Happiness makes up in height 

for what it lacks in length.

Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. 

The obedient must be slaves.

Every man is more than just himself; 

he also represents the unique, 

the very special
and always significant
and remarkable point 

at which the world's phenomena intersect, 

only once in this way, 

and never again.

From caring comes courage.

It is never too late 

to be what you might have been.

The only good is knowledge 

and the only evil is ignorance.

The 'I think' which Kant said must be able to accompany all my objects, 

is the 'I breathe' which actually does accompany them.

Sunshine is delicious, 

rain is refreshing, 

wind braces us up, 

snow is exhilarating; 

there is really no such thing as bad weather, 

only different kinds of good weather.

Love 

in its essence 

is spiritual fire.

Love is a canvas 

furnished by nature 

and embroidered by imagination.

All action results from thought, 

so it is thoughts that matter.

Life is not an exact science, 

it is an art.

Religion is part of the human make-up.

It's also part of our cultural and intellectual history. 

Religion was our first attempt at literature, 

the texts, 

our first attempt at cosmology, 

making sense of where we are in the universe, 

our first attempt at health care, 

believing in faith healing, 

our first attempt at philosophy.

A work of art is 

above all 

an adventure of the mind.

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. 

Learn as if you were to live forever.

Do you not see 

how necessary a world of pains and troubles is 

to school an intelligence 

and make it a soul?

Hence poetry is something more philosophic and of graver import than history, 

since its statements are rather of the nature of universals, 

whereas those of history are singulars.

There is pleasure in the pathless woods, 

there is rapture in the lonely shore, 

there is society where none intrudes, 

by the deep sea, 

and music in its roar; 

I love not Man the less, 

but Nature more.

My atheism, 

like that of Spinoza, 

is true piety towards the universe 

and denies only gods fashioned by men 

in their own image, 

to be servants of their human interests.

It is wrong always, 

everywhere, 

and for everyone, 

to believe anything 

upon insufficient evidence.

Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.

The best way to find out 

if you can trust somebody 

is to trust them.

Life isn't about finding yourself.

Life is about creating yourself.

The key is to keep company 

only with people who uplift you, 

whose presence calls forth your best.

No one can confidently say that he will still be living tomorrow.

It does not require many words to speak the truth.

A change in the weather is sufficient to recreate the world and ourselves.