“A society which disregards those who are weak and non-productive risks exaggerating the development of reason, organization, aggression and the desire to dominate. It becomes a society without heart, without kindness — a rational and sad society, lacking celebration, divided within itself and given to competition, rivalry and, finally violence.” ~Jean Vanier from Man and Woman, God Made Them Hear more of Jean Vanier in The Wisdom of Tenderness Photo by Craig Allen / Flickr, cc by nc-nd-2.0
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“A society which disregards those who are weak and non-productive risks exaggerating the development of reason, organization, aggression and the desire to dominate.

It becomes a society without heart, without kindness — a rational and sad society, lacking celebration, divided within itself and given to competition, rivalry and, finally violence.”

~Jean Vanier from Man and Woman, God Made Them

Hear more of Jean Vanier in The Wisdom of Tenderness

Photo by Craig Allen / Flickr, cc by nc-nd-2.0

“Usually when we hear or read something new, we just compare it to our own ideas. If it is the same, we accept it and say it is correct. If it is not, we say it is incorrect. In either case, we learn nothing. If we read or listen with an open mind and an open heart, the rain of the Dharma will penetrate the soil of our consciousness.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh from Heart of Buddha’s Teaching Hear more Thich Nhat Hanh in Brother Thay: A Radio Pilgrimage photo by Martina K. / Flickr, cc by 2.0
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“Usually when we hear or read something new, we just compare it to our own ideas. If it is the same, we accept it and say it is correct. If it is not, we say it is incorrect.

In either case, we learn nothing.

If we read or listen with an open mind and an open heart, the rain of the Dharma will penetrate the soil of our consciousness.”

~Thich Nhat Hanh from Heart of Buddha’s Teaching

Hear more Thich Nhat Hanh in Brother Thay: A Radio Pilgrimage

photo by Martina K. / Flickr, cc by 2.0

“Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless in facing them. Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain but for the heart to conquer it.” ~Rabindranath Tagore, from Works of Rabindranath Tagore Photo by Fergal of Claddagh, OP, cc by-nc-sa 2.0
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“Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless in facing them. Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain but for the heart to conquer it.”

~Rabindranath Tagore, from Works of Rabindranath Tagore

Photo by Fergal of Claddagh, OP, cc by-nc-sa 2.0

“Your mindfulness will only be as robust as the capacity of your mind to be calm and stable. Without calmness, the mirror of mindfulness will have an agitated and choppy surface, and will not be able to reflect things with any accuracy.” ~Jon Kabat-Zinn from Wherever You Go, There You Are Hear more of Jon Kabat-Zinn in Opening to Our Lives Photo by Giampaolo Macorig / Flickr, cc by-nc-nd 2.0
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“Your mindfulness will only be as robust as the capacity of your mind to be calm and stable. Without calmness, the mirror of mindfulness will have an agitated and choppy surface, and will not be able to reflect things with any accuracy.”

~Jon Kabat-Zinn from Wherever You Go, There You Are

Hear more of Jon Kabat-Zinn in Opening to Our Lives

Photo by Giampaolo Macorig / Flickr, cc by-nc-nd 2.0

“The tendency nowadays to wander in wildernesses is delightful to see. Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life.” ~John Muir from The Writings of John Muir Read more about wilderness in “The Last Quiet Places” with Gordon Hempton Photo by Jeremy Dunlop / Flickr, cc by-nc-nd 2.0
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“The tendency nowadays to wander in wildernesses is delightful to see.

Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life.”

~John Muir from The Writings of John Muir

Read more about wilderness in “The Last Quiet Places” with Gordon Hempton

Photo by Jeremy Dunlop / Flickr, cc by-nc-nd 2.0

“The main thing is the YOU beneath the clothes and skin — the ability to do, the will to conquer, the determination to understand and know this great, wonderful, curious world. Don’t shrink from new experiences and custom. Take the cold bath bravely. Enter into the spirit of your big bed-room. Enjoy what is and not pine for what is not. Read some good, heavy, serious books just for discipline: Take yourself in hand and master yourself. Make yourself do unpleasant things, so as to gain the upper hand of your soul.” ~W.E.B. Du Bois in a letter to his daughter Yolande (1914) photo by Matteo Mazzadri / Flickr, cc by-nc-nd 2.0
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“The main thing is the YOU beneath the clothes and skin — the ability to do, the will to conquer, the determination to understand and know this great, wonderful, curious world.

Don’t shrink from new experiences and custom. Take the cold bath bravely. Enter into the spirit of your big bed-room. Enjoy what is and not pine for what is not.

Read some good, heavy, serious books just for discipline: Take yourself in hand and master yourself. Make yourself do unpleasant things, so as to gain the upper hand of your soul.”

~W.E.B. Du Bois in a letter to his daughter Yolande (1914)

photo by Matteo Mazzadri / Flickr, cc by-nc-nd 2.0

“I have found it easier to identify with the characters who verge upon hysteria, who were frightened of life, who were desperate to reach out to another person…they have a certain appearance of fragility, but they are really strong.” ~Tennessee Williams, from Conversations with Tennessee Williams  Photo by Emmanuele Contini / Flickr, cc by-nc-sa 2.0
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“I have found it easier to identify with the characters who verge upon hysteria, who were frightened of life, who were desperate to reach out to another person…they have a certain appearance of fragility, but they are really strong.”

~Tennessee Williams, from Conversations with Tennessee Williams

 Photo by Emmanuele Contini / Flickr, cc by-nc-sa 2.0

“Intellect, worshipped by all, brings us as far as natural science, and this science, although very great, is incomplete. Redemption from mere nature is the work of feeling and of the awakened eye of the Spirit. The body, she says, is subject to the force of gravity. But the soul is ruled by levity, pure.” ~Saul Bellow from Him With His Foot in His Mouth: And Other Stories photo by Sheree Zielke / Flickr, cc by-nc-nd 2.0
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“Intellect, worshipped by all, brings us as far as natural science, and this science, although very great, is incomplete. Redemption from mere nature is the work of feeling and of the awakened eye of the Spirit.

The body, she says, is subject to the force of gravity. But the soul is ruled by levity, pure.”

~Saul Bellow from Him With His Foot in His Mouth: And Other Stories

photo by Sheree Zielke / Flickr, cc by-nc-nd 2.0

“The fact that nature talks mathematics, I find it miraculous. I spent my early days calculating very, very precisely how electrons ought to behave. Well, then somebody went into the laboratory and the electron knew the answer. The electron somehow knew it had to resonate at that frequency which I calculated. So that, to me, is something at the basic level we don’t understand. Why is nature mathematical? But there’s no doubt it’s true. And, of course, that was the basis of Einstein’s faith.” ~Freeman J. Dyson,from Einstein’s God Photo by An Nguyen / Flickr, cc by-nc-nd 2.0
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“The fact that nature talks mathematics, I find it miraculous. I spent my early days calculating very, very precisely how electrons ought to behave. Well, then somebody went into the laboratory and the electron knew the answer. The electron somehow knew it had to resonate at that frequency which I calculated. So that, to me, is something at the basic level we don’t understand. Why is nature mathematical? But there’s no doubt it’s true. And, of course, that was the basis of Einstein’s faith.”

~Freeman J. Dyson,from Einstein’s God

Photo by An Nguyen / Flickr, cc by-nc-nd 2.0

“Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing in the end can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a stone. Remember that, my child. Remember you are half water. If you can’t go through an obstacle, go around it. Water does.” ~Margaret Atwood, The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus Photo by Courtney Carmody/Flickr, cc by 2.0
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“Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing in the end can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a stone.

Remember that, my child. Remember you are half water. If you can’t go through an obstacle, go around it. Water does.”

~Margaret Atwood, The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus

Photo by Courtney Carmody/Flickr, cc by 2.0