Week 2024-13: Yoshida Shoin - Collected Quotes

"If a general and his men fear death and are apprehensive over possible defeat, then they will unavoidably suffer defeat and death. But if they make up their minds, from the general down to the last footsoldier, not to think of living but only of standing in one place and facing death together, then, though they may have no other thought than meeting death, they will instead hold on to life and gain victory." (Yoshida Shoin)

"If Heaven does not completely abandon this land of the Gods, there must be an uprising of grass-roots heroes." (Yoshida Shoin)

"If the body dies, it does no harm to the mind, but if the mind dies, one can no longer act as a man even though the body survives." (Yoshida Shoin)

"In relations with others, one should express resentment and anger openly and straightforwardly. If one cannot express them openly and straightforwardly, the only thing to do is forget about them. To harbor grievances in one's heart, awaiting some later opportunity to give vent to them, is to act like a weak and petty man-in truth, it can only be called cowardice. The mind of the superior man is like Heaven. When it is resentful or angry, it thunders forth its indignation. But once having loosed its feelings, it is like a sunny day with a clear sky: within the heart there remains not the trace of a cloud. Such is the beauty of true manliness." (Yoshida Shoin)

"Life and death, union and separation, follow hard upon one another. Nothing is steadfast but the will, nothing endures but one's achieve­ments. These alone count in life." (Yoshida Shoin)

"Once a man's will is set, he need no longer rely on others or expect anything from the world. His vision encompasses Heaven and earth, past and present, and the tranquility of his heart is undisturbed." (Yoshida Shoin)

"Once the will is resolved, one's spirit is strengthened. Even a peasant's will is hard to deny, but a samurai of resolute will can sway ten thou­sand men." (Yoshida Shoin)

"One who aspires to greatness should read and study, pursuing the True Way with such a firm resolve that he is perfectly straightforward and open, rises above the superficialities of conventional behavior, and refuses to be satisfied with the petty or commonplace." (Yoshida Shoin)

"To consider oneself different from ordinary men is wrong, but it is right to hope that one will not remain like ordinary men." (Yoshida Shoin)

"What is important in a leader is a resolute will and determination. A man may be versatile and learned, but if he lacks resoluteness and determination, of what use will he be?" (Yoshida Shoin)

Week 2024-12: On Samurais

"Samurai should always wish to keep to the righteous path and try not to fall into the way of depravity, no matter what happens. Those samurai who keep on with the right path will achieve high honours with the aid of Buddha and the gods, while those who have fallen into a corrupt way will naturally meet with misfortune and be laughed at by the people of the world." (Musha Monogatari, 1654) 

"As samurai, the following is the primary principle to keep in mind during daily life: in a time of order you should prepare  for war and in a time of disorder you should seek peace." (Heika Jödan, cca 1670)

"Samurai should hone themselves by first disciplining their minds. Alongside mastery over the mind should be mastery over the body. 'Discipline' means preparation, and to be 'prepared in the body ' means that a samurai must have a good foundation with the weapons that they carry: the katana, the wakizashi and all other kinds of martial tools." (Heika Jödan, cca 1670)

"Swordsman-ship is not something you persevere in just to achieve victory over others. It is also an art through which you can face troubles and clarify issues of life and death. This is an attitude that samurai must always strive to maintain, and so you should master this art." (Issai Chozan, "The Mysterious Skills of the Old Cat" ["Neko No Myoujutsu"], 1727)

"The hands manipulate the sword, the mind manipulates the hands. Cultivate the mind and do not be deceived by tricks, feints, and schemes. They are the properties of the magician, not the samurai." (Saito Yakuro, cca 19th century)

"Once the will is resolved, one's spirit is strengthened. Even a peasant's will is hard to deny, but a samurai of resolute will can sway ten thou­sand men." (Yoshida Shoin)

Week 2024-11: Koichi Tohei - Collected Quotes

"Aikido, though praised as a healthful system of self-defense techniques, would be nothing apart from the laws of the great universe. The martial way begins and ends with courtesy, itself an attitude of thankfulness to and reverence for nature. To be mistaken on this basic point is to make of the martial arts no more than weapons of injury and death." (Koichi Tohei, "Book of Ki: Co-ordinating Mind and Body in Daily Life", 1976)

"Countless people have attempted to define the absolute power of the world of nature. Some praise it as god, some call it the Buddha, others call it truth. Still others convert nature into a philosophy by which they attempt to sound its deepest truth. Such attempts to define the power of nature are no more than striving to escape its effects." (Koichi Tohei, "Book of Ki: Co-ordinating Mind and Body in Daily Life", 1976)

"Let us have a Universal Mind that loves and protects all creation and helps all things grow and develop. To unify mind and body and become one with the Universe is the ultimate purpose of our study." (Koichi Tohei, "Book of Ki: Co-ordinating Mind and Body in Daily Life", 1976)

"The very name Aikido indicates its dependence on the laws of nature, which we term ki. Aikido means the way to harmony with ki. That is to say, Aikido is a discipline to make the heart of nature our own heart, to understand love for all things, and to become one with nature. Techniques and physical strength have limits; the great way of the universe stretches to infinity." (Koichi Tohei, "Book of Ki: Co-ordinating Mind and Body in Daily Life", 1976)

"There is no conflict in the absolute universe, but there is conflict in the relative world." (Koichi Tohei, "Book of Ki: Co-ordinating Mind and Body in Daily Life", 1976)

"You must practice to be able to return to essential principles at any moment." (Koichi Tohei, "Book of Ki: Co-ordinating Mind and Body in Daily Life", 1976)

"After realizing a principle, unless you learn it with your body you cannot expect to get true understanding. Scholars in particular tend to learn in theory only." (Koichi Tohei)

"Be vigorous and full of energy, and make ceaseless efforts. This means that little things do not discourage you and that you approach all things boldly and with an attitude of determination." (Koichi Tohei)

"If might is right, then the world will tear itself apart. We must strive to create a world in which right is might." (Koichi Tohei)

"It is as true for individuals as it is for the world itself: everything comes in waves. If you ride the waves of change, you succeed. If you ignore them, you fail. When the wave is down, most people resist it by trying to go up. When the wave goes up, you should go up with it. When it comes down, you go down." (Koichi Tohei)

"Our lives are born of the Ki of the universe. Let us give thanks for being born not as plants and animals, but as human beings blessed with a universal mind. Let us pledge to fulfill our missions by helping to guide the development and creation of the universe." (Koichi Tohei)

"Pour some water into a tub and stir it up. Now try as hard as you can to calm the water with your hands; you will succeed in agitating it further. Let it stand undisturbed a while, and it will calm down by itself. The human brain works much the same way." (Koichi Tohei)

"Practice is not a matter of years and months. It is a matter of concentration." (Koichi Tohei)

"They say that a lion puts his all, even into catching a rabbit. You should make it a habit of putting your all into every little thing you do." (Koichi Tohei)

"When a watch is broken you take it apart to analyze what is wrong with it. When a technique does not work, if you analyze it carefully you can always find out what is wrong." (Koichi Tohei)

"When you coordinate your mind and body, you have unlimited access to the wisdom of the universe." (Koichi Tohei)

Week 2024-10: Sadami Yamada - Collected Quotes

"Aikido means the oneness of the way of the spirit, of being at one with the life force." (Sadami Yamada, "Principles and Practice of Aikido", 1966)

"[...] before you can control your opponent's body you must first control his mind." (Sadami Yamada, "Principles and Practice of Aikido", 1966)

"Seek to become conscious of being filled with ki, the power of the universe, and to use that power well. To be at one with this great power is aikido, the way of the spirit." (Sadami Yamada, "Principles and Practice of Aikido", 1966)

"However keen you may be to begin your study, before you venture on to the mat and attempt any of the basic techniques it is necessary to know something of the principles that govern aikido, for unless you do understand a little about posture, movement, balance, gentleness and courtesy, you will not be a satisfactory pupil." (Sadami Yamada, "Principles and Practice of Aikido", 1966)

"To appreciate the best opportunity for attack and defence, you must fully understand the rhythm of movement." (Sadami Yamada, "Principles and Practice of Aikido", 1966)

"To gain mastery you must unite the qualities of spirit, strength, technique and the ability to take the initiative." (Sadami Yamada, "Principles and Practice of Aikido", 1966)

"We face the enemy and contend with him - if he turns away we let him go." (Sadami Yamada, "Principles and Practice of Aikido", 1966)

Week 2024-09: On Technique (Just the Quotes)

"Outer forms are taught to indicate the direction we should follow, so though they do, in fact, contain the truth - but if you specialize in them, jumping from one to another and devising new variations, you will lack the essence of the skills of the old masters. Using your own cleverness, you’ll end up as a collector of techniques and your skill will amount to nothing." (Issai Chozan, "The Mysterious Skills of the Old Cat" ["Neko No Myoujutsu"], 1727)

"Regarding technique, from ancient times it has been said that movements must fly like lightning and attacks must strike like thunder." (Morihei Ueshiba, "Budo", 1938)

"Having only techniques without principles amounts to nothing more than giving up one’s capital in order to follow an inferior scheme [to invest in a losing business venture]." (Yearning K Chen, "T’ai Chi Ch’uan: Sword, Saber, Staff, and Dispersing-Hands Combined", 1943)

"A chance to try your technique is in one instant never to be regained, so try it without hesitation." (Kyuzo Mifune, "Canon of Judo: Principle and Technique", 1956)

"In order to improve techniques we have to change the teaching method little by little, but I don’t think we will do something unreasonable like fixing a framework and forcing everything into it. I think we shouldn’t do that. The way aikido should be is spontaneous and naturalness itself. [...] Aiki techniques are varied and multi-faceted. They seem to be separate from one another, however, there is a unity and single order about them. This is where the exquisiteness of aikido lies, I think. Therefore, we have no intention of fixing a framework whether it be political, ideological or economic, that is, to form an organizational structure and force everything into it." (Kisshmaru Ueshiba, [interview] 1978)

"The subtle working of ki is the maternal source that affects changes in breath. It is also the source of martial art as love. When one unifies mind and body by virtue of ki and manifests ai-ki (harmony of ki), delicate changes in breath-power occur spontaneously and 'waza' (proper technique) flows freely." (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, "The Spirit of Aikido", 1981)

"In extreme situations, the entire universe becomes our foe; at such critical times, unity of mind and technique is essential - do not let your heart waver!" (Morihei Ueshiba, "The Art of Peace", 1991)

"In our techniques we enter completely into, blend totally with, and control firmly an attack. Strength resides where one's ki is concentrated and stable; confusion and maliciousness arise when ki stagnates." (Morihei Ueshiba, "The Art of Peace", 1991)

"Learning a technique is not an end in itself, it merely indicates where you need to start." (Masaaki Hatsumi, "The Way of the Ninja", 2004)

"Any technique, however worthy and desirable, becomes a disease when the mind is obsessed with it." (Bruce Lee)

"Art calls for complete mastery of techniques, developed by reflection within the soul." (Bruce Lee)

"Art is the expression of the self. The more complicated and restricted the method, the less the opportunity for expression of one's original sense of freedom. Though they play an important role in the early stage, the techniques should not be too mechanical, complex or restrictive. If we cling blindly to them, we shall eventually become bound by their limitations. Remember, you are expressing the techniques and not doing the techniques. If somebody attacks you, your response is not Technique No.1, Stance No. 2, Section 4, Paragraph 5. Instead you simply move in like sound and echo, without any deliberation. It is as though when I call you, you answer me, or when I throw you something, you catch it. It's as simple as that - no fuss, no mess. In other words, when someone grabs you, punch him. To me a lot of this fancy stuff is not functional." (Bruce Lee)

"A master is one who returns day after day to the basic techniques and fundamentals. Mastery is a matter of daily struggle to perfect the simplest of techniques and ideas." (maxim)

"Although it is important to study and train for skill in techniques, for the man who wishes to truly accomplish the way of budo, it is important to make his whole life in training and therefore not aiming for skill and strength alone, but also for spiritual attainment." (Mas Oyama)

"Before and after practicing Judo or engaging in a match, opponents bow to each other. Bowing is an expression of gratitude and respect. In effect, you are thanking your opponent for giving you the opportunity to improve your technique." (Jigoro Kano)

"Do not place hope in finding a secret technique. Polish the mind through ceaseless training; that is the key to effective techniques." (Kyuzo Mifune)

"Give up thinking as though not giving it up. Observe techniques as though not observing." (Bruce Lee)

"I believe that the only way to teach anyone proper self-defence is to approach each individual personally. Each one of us is different and each one of us should be taught the correct form. By correct form I mean the most useful techniques the person is inclined toward. Find his ability and then develop these techniques. I don't think it is important whether a side kick is performed with the heel higher than the toes, as long as the fundamental principle is not violated. Most classical martial arts training is a mere imitative repetition - a product - and individuality is lost." (Bruce Lee)

"In a fight between a strong technique and a strong body, technique will prevail. In a fight between a strong mind and a strong technique, mind will prevail, because it will find the weak point." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"In combat, spontaneity rules; rote performance of technique perishes." (Bruce Lee)

"In primary freedom, one utilizes all ways and is bound by none, and likewise uses any techniques or means which serves one's end. Efficiency is anything that scores." (Bruce Lee)

"It is known that, when we learn or train in something, we pass through the stages of shu, ha, and ri. These stages are explained as follows. In shu, we repeat the forms and discipline ourselves so that our bodies absorb the forms that our forebears created. We remain faithful to these forms with no deviation. Next, in the stage of ha, once we have disciplined ourselves to acquire the forms and movements, we make innovations. In this process the forms may be broken and discarded. Finally, in ri, we completely depart from the forms, open the door to creative technique, and arrive in a place where we act in accordance with what our heart/mind desires, unhindered while not overstepping laws." (Endō Seishirō)

"Since Karate exists for cultivating the spirit and training the body, it must be a moral way surpassing mere techniques." (Mas Oyama)

"Studying the martial Way is like climbing a cliff: keep going forward without rest. Resting is not permissible because it causes recessions to old adages of achievement. Persevering day in, day out improves techniques, but resting one day causes lapses. This must be prevented." (Mas Oyama)

"Technical knowledge is not enough. One must transcend techniques so that the art becomes an artless art, growing out of the unconscious." (Daisetzu T Suzuki)

"The highest technique is to have no technique. My technique is a result of your technique; my movement is a result of your movement. A good JKD man does not oppose force or give way completely. He is pliable as a spring; he is the complement and not the opposition to his opponent’s strength. He has no technique; he makes his opponent's technique his technique. He has no design; he makes opportunity his design. One should not respond to circumstance with artificial and "wooden" prearrangement. Your action should be like the immediacy of a shadow adapting to its moving object. Your task is simply to complete the other half of the oneness spontaneously." (Bruce Lee)

"The techniques should not be practised simply so they can be performed in the kata. Since karate is a fighting art each technique and movement has its own meaning. The karateka must consider their meaning, how and why they are effective, and practise accordingly." (Shigeru Egami)

"The techniques, though they play an important role in the early stage, should not be too restrictive, complex or mechanical. If we cling to them, we will become bound by their limitation. Remember, you are expressing the technique, and not doing Technique number two, Stance three, Section four?" (Bruce Lee)

"True budo is to discipline the self and to lose the will to fight  [...] It is to lose all enemies, and is an absolute path for self-completion. The martial techniques provide discipline for the journey of uniting the spirit and the body through channeling the laws of heaven. Techniques provide the medium for ‘Way’." (Morihei Ueshiba)

"When performing the movements, always use your imagination. Picture your adversary attacking, and use Jeet Kune-Do techniques in response to this imagined attack. As these techniques become more innate, new meaning will begin to emerge and better techniques can be formulated." (Bruce Lee)

"When the swordsman stands against his opponent, he is not to think of the opponent, nor of himself, nor of his enemy's sword movements. He just stands there with his sword which, forgetful of all technique, is ready only to follow the dictates of the unconscious. The man has effaced himself as the wielder of the sword. When he strikes, it is not the man but the sword in the hand of the unconscious that strikes." (Takuan)

Week 2024-08: Kisshomaru Ueshiba - Collected Quotes

"When (someone) studies aikido with the intention of using it as a tool for fighting, they don’t last long. Budo is not like dancing or watching a movie. Rain or shine, you must practice at all times during your daily life in order to progress. In particular, aikido is like spiritual training practiced using a budo form. lt can never be cultivated as a tool by those who would use it for fighting. Also, individuals inclined towards violence cease to behave in that manner when they learn aikido." (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, [interview] 1957)

"In order to improve techniques we have to change the teaching method little by little, but I don’t think we will do something unreasonable like fixing a framework and forcing everything into it. I think we shouldn’t do that. The way aikido should be is spontaneous and naturalness itself. [...] Aiki techniques are varied and multi-faceted. They seem to be separate from one another, however, there is a unity and single order about them. This is where the exquisiteness of aikido lies, I think. Therefore, we have no intention of fixing a framework whether it be political, ideological or economic, that is, to form an organizational structure and force everything into it." (Kisshmaru Ueshiba, [interview] 1978)

"One becomes vulnerable when one stops to think about winning, losing, taking advantage, impressing or disregarding the opponent. When the mind stops, even for a single instant, the body freezes, and free, fluid movement is lost." (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, "The Spirit of Aikido", 1981)

"Simply stated, aikido is a budo open to all people who aspire to unify the ki of the universe with the ki of oneself. For all members of the human race, it is the path to attaining harmony with all beings. The gates of aikido are open to people of all ages, classes, sexes, nationalities and races. Non-discrimination and non-exclusiveness are basic characteristics of aikido." (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, "The Spirit of Aikido", 1981)

"The burning desire of the Founder in establishing aikido was to keep the most valuable legacy of budo alive in the modern world. In order to accomplish his goal he went beyond differences in outward form to grasp the essence of each martial art and to bring it to life in a new form. The motivating force was his intense spiritual quest to discover a life-giving and life-affirming philosophy in budo. The result was the transformation of the heart of budo into the heart of aikido, the way of harmony and love."  (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, "The Spirit of Aikido", 1981)

"The subtle working of ki is the maternal source that affects changes in breath. It is also the source of martial art as love. When one unifies mind and body by virtue of ki and manifests ai-ki (harmony of ki), delicate changes in breath-power occur spontaneously and 'waza' (proper technique) flows freely." (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, "The Spirit of Aikido", 1981)

"Ultimately, physical, psychological and spiritual mastery are one and the same. The egoless self is open, flexible, supple, fluid and dynamic in body, mind and spirit." (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, "The Spirit of Aikido", 1981)

Week 2024-07: On Budo

"True Budo is done for the sake of 'building peace'. Train every day so as to make peace between this spirit [Budo] and all things manifested on the face of the Earth." (Morihei Ueshiba, "Budo Training in Aikido", 1933)

"True Budo is practiced not only to destroy an enemy, it must also make him, or his own will, gladly lose his spirit (seishin) to oppose you." (Morihei Ueshiba, "Budo Training in Aikido", 1933)

"When (someone) studies aikido with the intention of using it as a tool for fighting, they don’t last long. Budo is not like dancing or watching a movie. Rain or shine, you must practice at all times during your daily life in order to progress. In particular, aikido is like spiritual training practiced using a budo form. lt can never be cultivated as a tool by those who would use it for fighting. Also, individuals inclined towards violence cease to behave in that manner when they learn aikido." (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, [interview] 1957)

"Simply stated, aikido is a budo open to all people who aspire to unify the ki of the universe with the ki of oneself. For all members of the human race, it is the path to attaining harmony with all beings. The gates of aikido are open to people of all ages, classes, sexes, nationalities and races. Non-discrimination and non-exclusiveness are basic characteristics of aikido." (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, "The Spirit of Aikido", 1981)

"The burning desire of the Founder in establishing aikido was to keep the most valuable legacy of budo alive in the modern world. In order to accomplish his goal he went beyond differences in outward form to grasp the essence of each martial art and to bring it to life in a new form. The motivating force was his intense spiritual quest to discover a life-giving and life-affirming philosophy in budo. The result was the transformation of the heart of budo into the heart of aikido, the way of harmony and love."  (Kisshomaru Ueshiba, "The Spirit of Aikido", 1981)

"What I want you to do is just take it as it is. Don't think too much. If you get involved with thinking about it, the whole thing gets lost or loses its purity. Don't think during practice - DO! The more you think, the further from the truth of budo you get: Budo is NOT an academic subject!" (Masaaki Hatsumi, "The Grandmaster's Book of Ninja Training", 1988)

"Although it is important to study and train for skill in techniques, for the man who wishes to truly accomplish the way of budo, it is important to make his whole life in training and therefore not aiming for skill and strength alone, but also for spiritual attainment." (Mas Oyama)

"Always remember that the true meaning of Budo is that soft overcomes hard, small overcomes large." (Mas Oyama)

"Budo is not about destroying other human beings with one’s strength or weapons, or annihilating the world by force of arms. True budo is channeling the universal energy (ki) to protect world peace, to engender all things fittingly, nurture them and save them from harm." (Morihei Ueshiba) 

"Budo training is to protect all things and nurture the power of unconditional divine love within" (Morihei Ueshiba) 

"If budo is not able to be utilized by people living in the modern age in the course of their everyday life, then surely it has no purpose." (Kisshomaru Ueshiba)

"It is a grave mistake to think that budo is about being stronger than your partner or opponent and that you have to defeat him. In true budo, there is no partner. Th ere is no enemy. True budo is to become one with the universe. It is to be united with the universe’s center. In aikido, we do not train to become strong or to defeat opponents, but to make even a small contribution to peace for all people in the world. To that purpose we must strive to harmonize with the center of the universe."  (Morihei Ueshiba)

"Karate is Budo and if Budo is removed from Karate it is nothing more than sport karate, show karate, or even fashion karate-the idea of training merely to be fashionable." (Mas Oyama

"Karate that has discarded Budo has no substance.  It is nothing more than a barbaric method of fighting or a promotional tool for the purpose of profit.  No matter how popular it becomes, it is meaningless." (Mas Oyama)

"The true value of Budo is to train the mind to see clearly and maintain spiritual strength." (Toshitsugu Takamatsu)

"True budo is to discipline the self and to lose the will to fight  [...] It is to lose all enemies, and is an absolute path for self-completion. The martial techniques provide discipline for the journey of uniting the spirit and the body through channeling the laws of heaven. Techniques provide the medium for ‘Way’." (Morihei Ueshiba) 

Week 2024-06: Taisen Deshimaru - Collected Quotes

"During zazen, brain and consciousness become pure. It's exactly like muddy water left to stand in a glass. Little by little, the sediment sinks to the bottom and the water becomes pure." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"If we achieve satori and the satori shows, like a bit of dogshit stuck to the top of our nose, that is not so good." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"In a fight between a strong technique and a strong body, technique will prevail. In a fight between a strong mind and a strong technique, mind will prevail, because it will find the weak point." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"Harmonizing opposites by going back to their source is the distinctive quality of the Zen attitude, the Middle Way: embracing contradictions, making a synthesis of them, achieving balance." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"If you are not happy here and now, you never will be." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"Keep your hands open, and all the sands of the desert can pass through them. Close them, and all you can feel is a bit of grit." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"Religions remain what they are. Zen is meditation. Meditation is the foundation of every religion. People today feel an intense need to go back to the source of religious life, to the pure essence in the depths of themselves which they can discover only through actually experiencing it. They also need to be able to concentrate their minds in order to find the highest wisdom and freedom, which is spiritual in nature, in their efforts to deal with the influences of every description imposed upon them by their environment. Human wisdom alone is not enough, it is not complete. Only universal truth can provide the highest wisdom. Take away the word Zen and put Truth or Order of the Universe in its place." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"Think with the whole body." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"Time is not a line, but a series of now-points." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"The body moves naturally, automatically, without any personal intervention or awareness. If we think too much, our actions become slow and hesitant." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"To practice Zen or the Martial Arts, you must live intensely, wholeheartedly, without reserve - as if you might die in the next instant." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"To receive everything, one must open one's hands and give." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"Train the body and develop stamina and endurance. But the spirit of competition and power that presides over them is not good, it reflects a distorted vision of life. The root of the martial arts is not there." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"Zen is not a particular state but the normal state: silent, peaceful, unagitated. In Zazen neither intention, analysis, specific effort nor imagination take place. It's enough just to be without hypocrisy, dogmatism, arrogance - embracing all opposites." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"We feel our shell keeps us safe, but it crushes us and others, and keeps out light and sun." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"We should learn to think with our fingers." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"What is called zazen is sitting on a zafu [pillow] in a quiet room, absolutely still, in the exact and proper position and without uttering a word, the mind empty of any thought, good or wicked. It is continuing to sit peacefully, facing a wall, and nothing more. Every day." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"You cannot separate any part from the whole: interdependence rules the cosmic order." (Taisen Deshimaru)

"You must concentrate upon and consecrate yourself wholly to each day, as though a fire were raging in your hair." (Taisen Deshimaru)

Week 2024-05: Huangbo Xiyun - Collected Quotes

"As soon as the mouth is opened, evils spring forth. People either neglect the root and speak of the branches, or neglect the reality of the 'illusory' world and speak only of Enlightenment. Or else they chatter of cosmic activities leading to transformations, while neglecting the Substance from which they spring - indeed, there is NEVER any profit in discussion." (Huangbo Xiyun)

"Consider the sunlight. You may say that it is near, yet if you pursue it from world to world you will never catch it. You may say it is far, yet it is right before your eyes. Chase it and it always eludes you; run from it and it is always there. From this example you can understand how it is with the true nature of things." (Huangbo Xiyun)

"Here it is - right now. Start thinking about it and you miss it." (Huangbo Xiyun)

"Nothing is born, nothing is destroyed. Away with you dualism, your likes and dislikes. Every single thing is just One Mind. When you have perceived this, you will have mounted the Chariot of the Buddhas." (Huangbo Xiyun)

"Observe things as they are and don't pay attention to other people." (Huangbo Xiyun)

"Our original nature is [...] void, omnipresent, silent, pure; it is glorious and mysterious peaceful joy - and that is all. Enter deeply into it by awakening yourself." (Huangbo Xiyun) (Huangbo Xiyun)

"People are scared to empty their minds
fearing that they will be engulfed by the void.
What they don't realize is that
their own mind is the void." (Huangbo Xiyun)

'Studying the Way' is just a figure of speech, a method of arousing people's interest in the early stages of their development. In fact, the Way is not something which can be studied. Study leads to the retention of concepts, and so the Way is entirely misunderstood." (Huangbo Xiyun)

"The foolish reject what they see, not what they think; the wise reject what they think, not what they see." (Huangbo Xiyun)

"The nature of the Absolute is neither perceptible nor imperceptible; and with phenomena it is just the same. But to one who has discovered his real nature, how can there be anywhere or anything separate from it? [...] Therefore it is said: 'The perception of a phenomenon IS the perception of the Universal Nature, since phenomena and Mind are one and the same.'" (Huangbo Xiyun)

Week 2024-04: Seungsahn Haengwon - Collected Quotes

"Clear mind is like the full moon in the sky. Sometimes clouds come and cover it, but the moon is always behind them. Clouds go away, then the moon shines brightly. So don't worry about clear mind: it is always there. When thinking comes, behind it is clear mind. When thinking goes, there is only clear mind. Thinking comes and goes, comes and goes, You must not be attached to the coming or the going." (Seungsahn Haengwon)

"Craziness is good. Crazy people are happy, free, they have no hindrance. But since you have many attachment, you are only a little crazy. This is not crazy enough. You must become completely crazy. Then you will understand." (Seungsahn Haengwon)

"If you are thinking, you can't understand Zen. Anything that can be written in a book, anything that can be said - all this is thinking [...] but if you read with a mind that has cut off all thinking, then Zen books, sutras and Bibles are all the truth. So is the barking of a dog or the crowing of a rooster. All things are teaching you at every moment, and these sounds are even better teaching than Zen books." (Seungsahn Haengwon)

"If you want something then you lose everything. If you don’t want anything then you already have everything." (Seungsahn Haengwon)

"If you throw away all thoughts of attainment, you will then come to see the real purpose of your quest." (Seungsahn Haengwon)

"In the past, kong-an (koan) practicing meant checking someone's enlightenment. Now we use kong-ans to make our lives correct. [...]You must use kong-ans to take away your opinions. When you take away your opinions, your mind is clear like space, which means from moment to moment you can reflect any situation and respond correctly and meticulously." (Seungsahn Haengwon)

"Meditation means always keeping one mind, not-moving mind." (Seungsahn Haengwon)

"Perceiving your own voice means perceiving your true self or nature. When you and the sound become one, you dont hear the sound; you are the sound." (Seungsahn Haengwon)

"The Great Way has no gate. Clear water has no taste. The tongue has no bone. In complete stillness, a stone girl is dancing." (Seungsahn Haengwon)

"The one who praises you is a thief. The one who criticizes you is your true friend." (Seungsahn Haengwon)

"The Truth is realized in an instant; the Act is practiced step by step." (Seungsahn Haengwon)

"Throwing away Zen mind is correct Zen mind. Only keep the question, 'What is the best way of helping other people?'" (Seungsahn Haengwon)

"When reading, only read. When eating, only eat. When thinking, only think." (Seungsahn Haengwon)

"Zen is very easy! It's like touching your nose when you wash your face in the morning!" (Seungsahn Haengwon)

Week 2024-03: Sheng-yen [Zhang Baokang] - Collected Quotes

"A prerequisite to progress on the path is to realize that you are ignorant." (Sheng Yen, "Song of Mind: Wisdom from the Zen Classic Xin Ming", 2004)

"If moment by moment you can keep your mind clear then nothing will confuse you." (Sheng-yen, "Getting the Buddha Mind: On the Practice of Chan Retreat", 2005)

"Those who do not have faith in others will not be able to stand on their own." (Sheng-yen, "Dharma drum: The life and heart of Chan practice", 2006)

"Any method can settle the mind in the present moment, but with Silent Illumination you can be relieved of even the present moment. Just take this attitude: don’t worry about the past or the future, and let go of the present too. Just stay in awareness. Chan is called the 'gateless gate' because it has no door to enlightenment." (Sheng Yen, "The Method of No-Method: The Chan Practice of Silent Illumination", 2008)

"One method for calming the mind is to contemplate the transient nature of our thoughts. When you are aware that your thoughts arise and perish of their own accord, there will be no need to be ruled or conditioned by them. Your mind will settle into observing them with detached awareness and your emotions will become even. If you can do this, you will soon be able to pacify your mind." (Sheng Yen, "The Method of No-Method: The Chan Practice of Silent Illumination", 2008)

"Be soft in your practice. Think of the method as a fine silvery stream, not a raging waterfall. Follow the stream, have faith in its course. It will go on its own way, meandering here, trickling there. It will find the grooves, the cracks, the crevices. Just follow it. Never let it out of your sight. It will take you." (Sheng-yen)

"I follow four dictates: face it, accept it, deal with it, then let it go." (Sheng-yen)

"In meditation, silently and serenely, all words are transcended.
In Illumination, all things appear as is.
Silence is the ceasing of ego-grasping. Illumination is the functioning of the wonder of wisdom.
The unity of these two is awakening to Buddha Nature." (Sheng-yen)

Week 2024-02: Thubten Zopa Rinpoche - Collected Quotes

"As long as the mind is unsubdued, there is always outside harm. Once the mind is subdued, once there is no anger in the mental continuum, there is no outside enemy. An outside enemy exists only if there is anger inside." (Thubten Zopa Rinpoche, "The Door to Satisfaction: The Heart Advice of a Tibetan Buddhist Master", 1994)

"A sick body with a good heart is more beneficial to future lives than a fit, healthy body that is used for self-cherishing." (Thubten Zopa Rinpoche)

"By renouncing samsara, we renounce our habitual grasping, unhappy minds. And by renouncing samsara, we embrace our potential for enlightenment." (Thubten Zopa Rinpoche)

"Each one of us is responsible for other living beings' happiness, besides our own. As a result, your loving kindness is the most wish-fulfilling thing in life, more precious than anything else in this world. That makes for a most satisfying, fulfilling life." (Thubten Zopa Rinpoche)

"If one does not remember death, one does not remember Dharma." (Thubten Zopa Rinpoche)

"If you know the psychological nature of your own mind, depression is spontaneously dispelled; instead of being enemies and strangers, all living beings become your friends. The narrow mind rejects; wisdom accepts. Check your own mind to see whether or not this is true." (Thubten Zopa Rinpoche)

"It is great that even before we become enlightened or generate any lam-rim realizations we are able to offer incredible benefit to others. The person who does this is a very fortunate person and should rejoice very often." (Thubten Zopa Rinpoche)

"Live with compassion. Work with compassion. Die with compassion. Meditate with compassion. Enjoy with compassion. When problems come, experience them with compassion." (Thubten Zopa Rinpoche)

"Mindfulness meditation should be more than just watching what you are doing. What you really need to watch is your motivation." (Thubten Zopa Rinpoche)

"When it is impossible for anger to arise within you, you find no outside enemies anywhere. An outside enemy exists only if there is anger inside." (Thubten Zopa Rinpoche)

"When there is hallucination, there is the truth, by recognising it as hallucination. Where there is suffering, there is peace and bliss, by letting go and experiencing it for numberless suffering sentient beings. Always think of how others are kind and precious Treat them as you would like to be treated." (Thubten Zopa Rinpoche)

"Whenever you hear that someone else has been successful, rejoice. Always practice rejoicing for others-whether your friend or your enemy. If you cannot practice rejoicing, no matter how long you live, you will not be happy." (Thubten Zopa Rinpoche)

Week 2024-01: Viktor E Frankl - Collected Quotes

"At any moment, man must decide, for better or for worse, what will be the monument of his existence." (Viktor E Frankl, "Man's Search for Meaning", 1946)

"At such a moment, it is not the physical pain which hurts the most (and this applies to adults as much as to punished children); it is the mental agony caused by the injustice, the unreasonableness of it all." (Viktor E Frankl, "Man's Search for Meaning", 1946)

"For the meaning of life differs from man to man, from day to day and from hour to hour. What matters, therefore, is not the meaning of life in general but rather the specific meaning of a person's life at a given moment." (Viktor E Frankl, "Man's Search for Meaning", 1946)

"How can we dare to predict the behavior of man? We may predict the movements of a machine, of an automaton; more than this, we many even try to predict the mechanisms or 'dynamisms' of the human psyche as well. But man is more than psyche." (Viktor E Frankl, "Man's Search for Meaning", 1946)

"Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." (Viktor E Frankl, "Man's Search for Meaning", 1946)

"Love is the only way to grasp another human being in the innermost core of his personality." (Viktor E Frankl, "Man's Search for Meaning", 1946)

"Man does not simply exist but always decides what his existence will be, what he will become the next moment. By the same token, every human being has the freedom to change at any instant." (Viktor E Frankl, "Man's Search for Meaning", 1946)

"When we are no longer able to change a situation we are challenged to change ourselves." (Viktor E Frankl, "Man's Search for Meaning", 1946)

"What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him. What he needs is not the discharge of tension at any cost, but the call of a potential meaning waiting to be fulfilled by him." (Viktor E Frankl, "Man's Search for Meaning", 1946)

"It is a peculiarity of man that he can only live by looking to the future." (Viktor Frankl, "From Death-camp to Existentialism: A Psychiatrist's Path to a New Therapy", 1959)

"Ever more people today have the means to live, but no meaning to live for." (Viktor E Frankl, "The Unheard Cry for Meaning: Psychotherapy and Humanism", 1978)

"There is nothing in the world that empowers a human being to overcome external difficulties or internal hardships so much as the awareness that one has a task in life." (Viktor E Frankl)

Week 2023-52: Ekai [Mumon Wumen Huikai] - Collected Quotes

"Arouse your entire body with its three hundred and sixty bones and joints and its eighty-four thousand pores of the skin. Summon up a spirit of great doubt and concentrate on this word “mu.” In order to do so, hold to the problem from morning to night without letting it go even for one second, and become one with the word “mu” (void) with all your strength." (Ekai)

"Awaken your three hundred and sixty bones and eighty-four thousand pores into one great body of inquiry and concentrate yourself into this mu (void)." (Ekai)

"Enlightenment always comes after the road of thinking is blocked." (Ekai, "The Gateless Gate", cca. 13the century)

"If anyone thinks that the one’s insight exceeds the other’s, he has no eyes." (Ekai, "The Gateless Gate", cca. 13the century)

"If you want to study Zen, you must study it with your heart." (Ekai, "The Gateless Gate", cca. 13the century)

"Just concentrate your whole energy into this Mu, and do not allow any discontinuation. When you enter this Mu and there is no discontinuation, your attainment will be as a candle burning and illuminating the whole universe." (Ekai, "The Gateless Gate", cca. 13the century)

"[Nansen:] The Way is not a matter of knowing or not knowing. Knowing is delusion; not knowing is confusion. When you have really reached the true Way beyond doubt, you will find it as vast and boundless as space. How can it be talked about on the level of right and wrong?" (Mumon Ekai, Mumonkan)

"Repeat mu (void) with all the spiritual power you possess." (Ekai)

"Zen has no gates. The purpose of Buddha’s words is to enlighten others. Therefore Zen should be gateless." (Ekai, "The Gateless Gate", cca. 13the century)

Week 2023-51: Kekuan [Niwa Jurozaemon Tadaaki] - Collected Quotes

"But if your thoughts intrude, even a little, you have intention, and your body will not move naturally. Therefore the opponent’s mind will not give in to you but continuously oppose you." (Issai Chozan, "The Mysterious Skills of the Old Cat" ["Neko No Myoujutsu"], 1727)

"[…] first, you should concentrate on the principle of life and death, with an unbending will, without doubt or hesitation, using neither cleverness nor calculation; if you can keep your mind calm, dignified and free in its normal state, you can respond without constraint even to constantly changing conditions." (Issai Chozan, "The Mysterious Skills of the Old Cat" ["Neko No Myoujutsu"], 1727)

"It is easy to teach, and easy to hear the words we are taught, but difficult to find it within ourselves and make it our own. This is called ‘self-realization’. ‘Enlightenment’ is waking up to see the dream for what it is. Self-realization is the same. There is no difference." (Issai Chozan, "The Mysterious Skills of the Old Cat" ["Neko No Myoujutsu"], 1727)

"Outer forms are taught to indicate the direction we should follow, so though they do, in fact, contain the truth - but if you specialize in them, jumping from one to another and devising new variations, you will lack the essence of the skills of the old masters. Using your own cleverness, you’ll end up as a collector of techniques and your skill will amount to nothing." (Issai Chozan, "The Mysterious Skills of the Old Cat" ["Neko No Myoujutsu"], 1727)

"Swordsman-ship is not something you persevere in just to achieve victory over others. It is also an art through which you can face troubles and clarify issues of life and death. This is an attitude that samurai must always strive to maintain, and so you should master this art." (Issai Chozan, "The Mysterious Skills of the Old Cat" ["Neko No Myoujutsu"], 1727)

"Whatever has form, has opposition, but if your mind has no form, it can have no opposition. When there is no opposition, there is no opponent." (Issai Chozan, "The Mysterious Skills of the Old Cat" ["Neko No Myoujutsu"], 1727)

"You have to consider things yourselves. This is the way things are passed down from the masters: they can teach theory only. You are the ones who have to get the truth from it. [….] You must educate yourself. Teaching is just pointing out what you cannot see without help. You are not ‘given’ anything by the teacher." (Issai Chozan, "The Mysterious Skills of the Old Cat" ["Neko No Myoujutsu"], 1727)

Week 2023-50: Gyalwa Karmapa - Collected Quotes

"Contentment is a wealth that gives the highest satisfaction, and we can gain it simply by mining our own mental resources, and knowing our own mind. We can cultivate the perspective that what we have is enough. We can see that we do not actually need more than we already have, and can be completely satisfied with that." (Gyalwa Karmapa)

"If in our minds we are joyful and peaceful, then this will show in the way we use our bodies and speech." (Gyalwa Karmapa)

"In order to meditate, it is very important to first identify what we are meditating on. If we meditate without identifying that, there is the danger it will become idiot meditation or idiot Dharma. If we do not first fully comprehend through listening and contemplating the meaning of what we are meditating on, how can we practice?" (Gyalwa Karmapa)

"Much of our work is based on the use of our brains, by which I mean our intelligence. But compassion is something that arises or is present at a much deeper level of the mind, very much just as the roots of a tree - unlike its branches - are present within and beneath the ground." (Gyalwa Karmapa)

"On a day when the wind is perfect, the sail just needs to open and the world is full of beauty. Today is such a day." (Gyalwa Karmapa)

"One of the attributes of Buddhahood is that the way things appear and the way things are, or their true nature, are no longer different or distinct from one another." (Gyalwa Karmapa)

"Our existence is always based on and dependent on our relationship to and the existence of others." (Gyalwa Karmapa)

"The main purpose of dharma practice is to transform your mind." (Gyalwa Karmapa)

"The past is over - it’s already done. We don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. So the only time that we have is now." (Gyalwa Karmapa)

"To secure our own happiness and causes of happiness, we must first act to create wholesome causes of happiness. We must create virtue. We must engage in good conduct. We must generate wholesome attitudes. These are important." (Gyalwa Karmapa)

"We mistakenly believe that our welfare, our wellbeing, is utterly independent from the well-being of others. Based on that, we have decided my welfare alone is important and the welfare of others is unimportant." (Gyalwa Karmapa)

"We must ask the question, 'What is actually going to do us good? What can we do that will actually be of benefit to ourselves?' Certainly, it is obvious that to callously and selfishly ignore the welfare of others and attempt to achieve our own well-being does not really help us. In fact, it harms us." (Gyalwa Karmapa)

"We need to concern ourselves with the wellbeing of all beings that surround us and of all living things because we depend upon them and we cannot really separate our welfare from theirs." (Gyalwa Karmapa)

"When, because of external or internal circumstances there comes some sort of a change, we need to be able to go along with that change. So whatever happens, we go with the flow of events. If we are able to do this, then in our own mind we can be more relaxed. We can be more expansive. When we go along with that we can be comfortable, relaxed and spacious in our minds. If we are able to do this then we are able to be happy, and to have a comfortable and content life."  (Gyalwa Karmapa)

"When I have difficulties, I feel like sometimes it's good to just close the door, relax a little bit, let my mind be a little bit looser and more spacious. I feel that this is helpful, and this is probably something that will be helpful for you as well."  (Gyalwa Karmapa)

"Without those things that produce the air that we breathe, there would be no air for us to breathe. In that way, we always depend on others and everything around us and therefore our well-being depends upon their wellbeing as well." Gyalwa Karmapa

Week 2023-49: Pierre T de Chardin - Collected Quotes

"Religion and science are the two conjugated faces of phases of one and the same act of complete knowledge - the only one which can embrace the past and future of evolution so as to contemplate, measure and fulfill them." (Pierre T de Chardin, "The Phenomenon of Man", 1955)

"Science, philosophy and religion are bound to converge as they draw nearer to the whole." (Pierre T de Chardin, "The Phenomenon of Man", 1955)

"The time has come to realise that an interpretation of the universe - even a positive one - remains unsatisfying unless it covers the interior as well as the exterior of things; mind as well as matter. The true physics is that which will, one day, achieve the inclusion of man in his wholeness in a coherent picture of the world." (Pierre T de Chardin, "The Phenomenon of Man", 1955)

"The world can no more have two summits than a circumference can have two centres." (Pierre T de Chardin, "The Divine Milieu", 1960)

"All that really matters is devotion to something bigger than ourselves." (Pierre T de Chardin)

"Driven by the force of love, the fragments of the world seek each other that the world may come into being." (Pierre T de Chardin)

"Historically, the stuff of the universe goes on becoming concentrated into ever more organized forms of matter." (Pierre T de Chardin)

"Life does not work by following a single thread, nor yet by fits and starts. It pushes forward its whole network at one and the same time." (Pierre T de Chardin)

"Love alone is capable of uniting living beings in such a way as to complete and fulfill them, for it alone takes them and joins them by what is deepest in themselves." (Pierre T de Chardin)

"Some day, after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the tides, and gravity, we shall harness the energies of love. Then, for the second time in the history of the world, humankind will have discovered fire." (Pierre T de Chardin)

"The most satisfying thing in life is to have been able to give a large part of oneself to others." (Pierre T de Chardin)

"The universe as we know it is a joint product of the observer and the observed." (Pierre T de Chardin)

"To discover and know has always been a deep tendency of our nature." (Pierre T de Chardin)

"To our critical eyes, the threads of which the past is woven are, by nature, endless and indivisible. Scientifically speaking, we cannot grasp the absolute beginning of anything: everything extends backwards to be prolonged by something else." (Pierre T de Chardin)

"What is imponderable in the world is greater than what we can handle." (Pierre T de Chardin)

"We are not humans having a spiritual experience. Instead, we are spirits having a human experience." (Pierre T de Chardin)

Week 2023-48: Publilius Syrus - Collected Quotes

"A thing is worth whatever the buyer will pay for it." (Publilius Syrus)

"A wise man never refuses anything to necessity." (Publilius Syrus)

"Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm." (Publilius Syrus)

"Audacity augments courage; hesitation, fear." (Publilius Syrus)

"Avarice is as destitute of what it has as poverty is of what it has not." (Publilius Syrus)

"Each day should be passed as though it were our last." (Publilius Syrus)

"Friendship neither finds nor makes equals." (Publilius Syrus)

"From the errors of others, a wise man corrects his own." (Publilius Syrus)

"He gives twice who gives promptly." (Publilius Syrus)

"He is much to be dreaded who stands in dread of poverty." (Publilius Syrus)

"He who is shipwrecked twice is foolish to blame the sea." (Publilius Syrus)

"He who lives only for himself is truly dead to others." (Publilius Syrus)

"How unhappy is he who cannot forgive himself." (Publilius Syrus)

"If you wish to reach the highest, begin at the lowest." (Publilius Syrus)

"It is a bad plan that admits of no modification." (Publilius Syrus)

"It is more easy to get a favor from fortune than to keep it." (Publilius Syrus)

"It's a bad plan that can't be changed." (Publilius Syrus)

"Learn to see in another's calamity the ills which you should avoid." (Publilius Syrus)

"No man is happy unless he believes he is." (Publilius Syrus)

"No one knows what he can do until he tries." (Publilius Syrus)

"No one reaches a high position without daring." (Publilius Syrus)

"Prosperity makes friends, adversity tries them." (Publilius Syrus)

"Speech is a mirror of the soul: as a man speaks, so he is." " (Publilius Syrus)

"The opportunity is often lost by deliberating." (Publilius Syrus)

"To do two things at once is to do neither." (Publilius Syrus)

"Unless you bear with the faults of a friend you betray your own." (Publilius Syrus)

"We die as often as we lose a friend." (Publilius Syrus)

"We may with advantage at times forget what we know." (Publilius Syrus)

"We must master our good fortune, or it will master us." (Publilius Syrus)

"What we fear comes to pass more speedily than what we hope." (Publilius Syrus)

"When you are at sea, keep clear of the land." (Publilius Syrus)

Week 2023-47: Ole Hallesby - Collected Quotes

 "A humble and contrite heart knows that it can merit nothing before God, and that all that is necessary is to be reconciled to one's helplessness and let our holy and almighty God care for us, just as an infant surrenders himself to his mother's care." (Ole Hallesby)

"As impossible as it is for us to take a breath in the morning large enough to last us until noon, so impossible is it to pray in the morning in such a way as to last us until noon. Let your prayers ascend to Him constantly, audibly or silently, as circumstances throughout the day permit." (Ole Hallesby)

"As white snow flakes fall quietly and thickly on a winter day, answers to prayer will settle down upon you at every step you take, even to your dying day. The story of your life will be the story of prayer and answers to prayer." (Ole Hallesby)

"Be sure to remember that nothing in your daily life is so insignificant and so inconsequential that the Lord will not help you by answering your prayer" (Ole Hallesby)

"Begin to realize more and more that prayer is the most important thing you do. You can use your time to no better advantage than to pray whenever you have an opportunity to do so, either alone or with others; while at work, while at rest, or while walking down the street. Anywhere!" (Ole Hallesby)

"By prayer we couple the powers of heaven to our helplessness, the powers which can capture strongholds and make the impossible possible." (Ole Hallesby)

"Do not forget that prayer is ordained for the purpose of glorifying the name of God. Therefore, whether you pray for big things or for little things, say to God, "If it will glorify Thy name, then grant my prayer and help me."" (Ole Hallesby)

"God alone fully understands what each one of us needs; we make mistakes continually and pray for things which would be harmful to us if we received them. Afterwards we see our mistakes and realize that God is good and wise in not giving us these things, even though we plead ever so earnestly for them." (Ole Hallesby)

"Helplessness becomes prayer the moment that you go to Jesus and speak candidly and confidently with him about your needs. This is to believe." (Ole Hallesby)

"Helplessness is unquestionably the first and the surest indication of a praying heart. [...] Prayer and helplessness are inseparable. Only he who is helpless can truly pray." (Ole Hallesby)

"If God does not give you something you ask for, wait on Him. He will speak with you tenderly and sympathetically about the matter until you yourself understand that He cannot grant your prayer." (Ole Hallesby)

"If we pray for anything according to the will of God, we already have what we pray for the moment we ask it. We do not know exactly when it will arrive; but we have learned to know God through the Spirit of God, and have learned to leave this in His hands, and to live just as happily whether the answer arrives immediately or later." (Ole Hallesby)

"If we will make use of prayer to call down upon ourselves and others those things which will glorify the name of God, then we shall see the strongest and boldest promises of the Bible about prayer fulfilled. Then we shall see such answers to prayer as we had never thought were possible." (Ole Hallesby)

"It is God's will not only to hear our prayer, but to give us the best and the richest answer which He, the almighty and omniscient God, can devise. He will send us the answer when it will benefit us and His cause the most." (Ole Hallesby)

"It is necessary for us to withdraw at regular intervals and enable our souls to attain that quietude and inward composure which are essential if we would hear the voice of God." (Ole Hallesby)

"It is not only blessed to give thanks; it is also of vital importance to our prayer life in general. If we have noted the Lord's answers to our prayers and thanked Him for what we have received of Him, then it becomes easier for us, and we get more courage, to pray for more." (Ole Hallesby)

"It is only when we pray for something according to the will of God that we have the promise of being heard and answered." (Ole Hallesby)

"It is the will of our heavenly Father that we should come to Him freely and confidently and make known our desires to Him, just as we would have our children come freely and of their own accord and speak to us about the things they would like to have." (Ole Hallesby)

"Jesus is moved to happiness every time He sees that you appreciate what He has done for you. Grip His pierced hand and say to Him, "I thank Thee, Savior, because Thou hast died for me." Thank Him likewise for all the other blessings He has showered upon you from day to day. It brings joy to Jesus." (Ole Hallesby)

"Listen, my friend! Your helplessness is your best prayer. It calls from your heart to the heart of God with greater effect than all your uttered pleas. He hears it from the very moment that you are seized with helplessness, and He becomes actively engaged at once in hearing and answering the prayer of your helplessness." (Ole Hallesby)

"My helpless friend, your helplessness is the most powerful plea which rises up to the tender father-heart of God. You think that everything is closed to you because you cannot pray. My friend, your helplessness is the very essence of prayer." (Ole Hallesby)

"My praying friend, continue to make known your desires to God in all things.... Let Him decide whether you are to receive what you ask for or not." (Ole Hallesby)

"Nothing is so blessed as quiet, unbroken communication with our Lord. The sense of the Lord's nearness, which then fills our souls, is greater than any other peace, joy, inner satisfaction, or security which we have known." (Ole Hallesby)

"Our groanings, which cannot be uttered, rise to Him and tell Him better than words how dependent we are upon Him." (Ole Hallesby)

"Our prayer life will become restful when it really dawns upon us that we have done all we are supposed to do when we have spoken to Him about it. From the moment we have left it with Him, it is His responsibility." (Ole Hallesby)

"Pray a little each day in a childlike way for the Spirit of prayer. If you feel that you know, as yet, very little concerning the deep things of prayer and what prayer really is, then pray for the Spirit of prayer. There is nothing He would rather do than unveil to you the grace of prayer." (Ole Hallesby)

"Pray for whatsoever you will. In the name of Jesus you have permission, not only to stand in the presence of God, but also to pray for everything you need." (Ole Hallesby)

"Prayer brings a good spirit in our homes. For God hears prayer. Heaven itself would come down to our homes. And even though we who constitute the home all have our imperfections and our failings, our home would, through God's answer to prayer, become a little paradise." (Ole Hallesby)

"Prayer can assume very different forms, from quiet, blessed contemplation of God, in which eye meets eye in restful meditation, to deep sighs or sudden exclamations of wonder, joy, gratitude or adoration." (Ole Hallesby)

"Prayer is a condition of mind, an attitude of heart, which God recognizes as prayer whether it manifests itself in quiet thinking, in sighing or in audible words." (Ole Hallesby)

"Prayer is a fine, delicate instrument. To use it right is a great art, a holy art. There is perhaps no greater art than the art of prayer. Yet the least gifted, the uneducated and the poor can cultivate the holy art of prayer." (Ole Hallesby)

"Prayer is something deeper than words. It is present in the soul before it has been formulated in words. And it abides in the soul after the last words of prayer have passed over our lips." (Ole Hallesby)

"See to it, night and day, that you pray for your children. Then you will leave them a great legacy of answers to prayer, which will follow them all the days of their life. Then you may calmly and with a good conscience depart from them, even though you may not leave them a great deal of material wealth." (Ole Hallesby)

"The more helpless you are, the better you are fitted to pray, and the more answers to prayer you will experience." (Ole Hallesby)

"The quiet hour of prayer is one of the most favorable opportunities He has in which to speak to us seriously. In quietude and solitude before the face of God our souls can hear better than at any other time." (Ole Hallesby)

"The shower of answers to your prayers will continue to your dying hour. Nor will it cease then. When you pass out from beneath the shower, your dear ones will step into it. Every prayer and every sigh which you have uttered for them and their future welfare will, in God's time, descend upon them as a gentle rain of answers to prayer." (Ole Hallesby)

"There come times when I have nothing more to tell God. If I were to continue to pray in words, I would have to repeat what I have already said. At such times it is wonderful to say to God, "May I be in Thy presence, Lord? I have nothing more to say to Thee, but I do love to be in Thy presence."" (Ole Hallesby)

"To pray is nothing more involved than to open the door, giving Jesus access to our needs and permitting Him to exercise His own power in dealing with them." (Ole Hallesby)

"To pray is to open the door unto Jesus and admit Him into your distress. Your helplessness is the very thing which opens wide the door unto Him and gives Him access to all your needs." (Ole Hallesby)

"We need to learn to know Him so well that we feel safe when we have left our difficulties with Him. To know Jesus in that way is a prerequisite of all true prayer." (Ole Hallesby)

"We should not be afraid, when praying to God, to give expression to a definite desire, even though we are in doubt at the time we are praying whether it is really the right thing to pray for or not." (Ole Hallesby)

"We should say to God as we mingle with our dear ones each day, "God, give them each Thy blessing. They need it, because they live with me, and I am very selfish and unwilling to sacrifice very much for them, although I do love them."" (Ole Hallesby)

"When it becomes clear to us that prayer is a part of our daily program of work, it will also become clear to us that we must arrange our daily program in such a way that there is time also for this work, just as we set aside time for other necessary things, such as eating and dressing." (Ole Hallesby)

"When prayer is a struggle, do not worry about the prayers that you cannot pray. You yourself are a prayer to God at that moment. All that is within you cries out to Him. And He hears all the pleas that your suffering soul and body are making to Him with groanings which cannot be uttered." (Ole Hallesby)

"When we go to our meeting with God, we should go like a patient to his doctor, first to be thoroughly examined and afterwards to be treated for our ailment. Then something will happen when you pray." (Ole Hallesby)

"When we in prayer seek only the glorification of the name of God, then we are in complete harmony with the spirit of prayer. Then our hearts are at rest both while we pray and after we have prayed. Then we can wait for the Lord." (Ole Hallesby)

"When we succeed in truly thanking God, we feel good at heart. The reason is that we have been created to give glory to God, now and forever-more. And every time we do so, we feel that we are in harmony with His plans and purposes for our lives. Then we are truly in our element. That is why it is so blessed." (Ole Hallesby)

"When you enter your secret chamber, take plenty of time before you begin to speak. Let quietude wield its influence upon you. Let the fact that you are alone assert itself. Give your soul time to get released from the many outward things. Give God time to play the prelude to prayer for the benefit of your distracted soul." (Ole Hallesby)

Week 2023-46: Zig Ziglar - Collected Quotes

"A goal properly set is halfway reached." (Zig Ziglar)

"Don't be distracted by criticism. Remember, the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you." " (Zig Ziglar)

"Doubt, fear and worry will only slow you down. Focus on doing your best and celebrate every step of the way." (Zig Ziglar)

"Hope is the power that gives a person the confidence to step out and try." (Zig Ziglar)

"If you can dream it, then you can achieve it. You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want." (Zig Ziglar)

"If you have enough push, you don't have to worry about the pull." (Zig Ziglar)

"It's not what you've got, it's what you use that makes a difference." (Zig Ziglar)

"Let your dreams be bigger than your fears and your actions louder than your words." (Zig Ziglar)

"Look back in forgiveness, forward in hope, down in compassion and up in gratitude." (Zig Ziglar)

"Motivation needs to be a part of your own life for you to be effective in conveying it to others." (Zig Ziglar)"

"Other people can stop you temporarily. You're the only one who can stop you permanently." (Zig Ziglar)

"Some people find fault like there's a reward for it." (Zig Ziglar)

"The choice to have a great attitude is something nobody or no circumstance can take from you." (Zig Ziglar)

"The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more things you'll have to express gratitude for."(Zig Ziglar)

"We don't meet people by accident. They are meant to cross our path for a reason." (Zig Ziglar)

"What you GET by achieving your goals is not near as important as what you BECOME by achieving your goals." (Zig Ziglar)

"When you do the right things in the right way you have nothing to lose because you have nothing to fear." (Zig Ziglar)

"When you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear." " (Zig Ziglar)

"When you touch someone's heart they will never be quite the same again. Part of you will live in their life always." (Zig Ziglar)

"Where you start is not nearly as important as where you finish." (Zig Ziglar)

"You are not alone, and this is not the end of your story." (Zig Ziglar)

"You are the only one who can use your ability. It's an awesome responsibility." (Zig Ziglar)

"You are what you are and where you are because of what has gone into your mind. You can change what you are and where you are by changing what goes into your mind." (Zig Ziglar)

"You can start where you are with what you've got and go to wherever it is you want to go." (Zig Ziglar)

"You never know when a moment and a few sincere words will have an impact on a life." (Zig Ziglar)

"You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win." (Zig Ziglar)