Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances.

Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none.

You know, it’s not the world that was my oppressor, because what the world does to you, if the world does it to you long enough and effectively enough, you begin to do to yourself.

We do not need to proselytise either by our speech or by our writing. We can only do so really with our lives. Let our lives be open books for all to study.

I’m reflective only in the sense that I learn to move forward. I reflect with a purpose.

Do something everyday for no other reason than you would rather not do it, so that when the hour of dire need draws nigh, it may find you not unnerved and untrained to stand the test.

Meditation is to get insight, to get understanding and compassion, and when you have them, you are compelled to act.

Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will be as one.

The image is one thing and the human being is another. It’s very hard to live up to an image, put it that way.

The dreams and passions stored within hearts are powerful keys which can unlock a wealth of potential.

I am not handsome or sexy. Of course, it’s not like I am hopeless.

I have found that no exertion of the legs can bring two minds much nearer to one another.

It’s a very strange thing being recognized or looked upon as someone special.

Hollywood is not suited for me, and I am not suited for it.

You can have no dominion greater or less than that over yourself.

The reason that I’m here at all is because of my relationship with my family and their encouragement of me to be a musician and to work hard. As long as I stay there in that space, I can do anything. That’s my truth.

Imaginary evils soon become real one by indulging our reflections on them.

I write for no other purpose than to add to the beauty that now belongs to me. I write a book for no other reason than to add three or four hundred acres to my magnificent estate.

Don’t run if you can walk. Don’t walk if you can stand. Don’t stand if you can sit. Don’t sit if you can lie down.

I began writing at the age of 5, but there was a dark period between the ages of 8 and 16 when I didn’t write. I started again at 16 and have no idea why, but it was suddenly the only thing I wanted to do.

When I understand myself, I understand you, and out of that understanding comes love.

Some people would like me to be round again.

To know yet to think that one does not know is best; Not to know yet to think that one knows will lead to difficulty.

I never expected to be anybody important.

Guarding your heart and protecting your dignity are a little bit more important than clarifying the emotions of someone who’s only texting you back three words. I’ve learned that from trying to figure out people who don’t deserve to be figured out.

In the struggle between yourself and the world second the world.

True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing.

Our present moment is a mystery that we are part of. Here and now is where all the wonder of life lies hidden. And make no mistake about it, to strive to live completely in the present is to strive for what already is the case.

I liked his ability to deal with a lot of the negativity that surrounded him. Even though he was in a world that he didn’t want to be in, he still saw the bigger picture.

The final proof of greatness lies in being able to endure criticism without resentment.

Sometimes you must suffer through something to defeat your fear of it.

O wretched man, wretched not just because of what you are, but also because you do not know how wretched you are!

The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.

We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aid, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn.

Only by contending with challenges that seem to be beyond your strength to handle at the moment you can grow more surely toward the stars.

It didn’t even occur to me that I’m the last person in the world who should play salsa or Brazilian music.

The man never feels the want of what it never occurs to him to ask for.

Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.

I am trying to find myself. Sometimes that’s not easy.

When one has the feeling of dislike for evil, when one feels tranquil, one finds pleasure in listening to good teachings; when one has these feelings and appreciates them, one is free of fear.

What’s the good of drawing in the next breath if all you do is let it out and draw in another?

If you have fear, you are bound by tradition, you follow some leader or guru. When you are bound by tradition, when you are afraid of your husband or your wife, you lose your dignity as an individual human being.

A mother takes twenty years to make a man of her boy, and another woman makes a fool of him in twenty minutes.

I’m not who people expect me to be. I’m not Henry Kissinger.

At one time, I was very angry. I even treated fashion like a kind of crusade: you were either with us or against us, that kind of feeling. Now I know we need ideas, not kicking down a door.

We think too much and feel too little.

If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there’d be peace.

I had a really good childhood up until I was nine, then a classic case of divorce really affected me.

It’s like a jar of salad dressing sitting on a shelf… most of the seasoning settles to the bottom of the bottle. But when you shake that bottle up, all the ingredients mix together and then the dressing can add flavor to a salad. In the same way, we can stir ourselves up and regain the reverence, respect and awe we once had for the Lord.

War will never cease until babies begin to come into the world with larger cerebrums and smaller adrenal glands.

No one but a fool is always right.

I am not very good with relationships. With anyone. I can’t be locked up with anyone for too long.

I think that’s the single best piece of advice: constantly think about how you could be doing things better and questioning yourself.

When I was very young I was sort of floored by the fact that my mother and my father and everyone I knew was going to die one day, and myself too. I had a sort of a philosophical crisis. I couldn’t believe that we were mortal.

From my perspective, I absolutely believe in a greater spiritual power, far greater than I am, from which I have derived strength in moments of sadness or fear. That’s what I believe, and it was very, very strong in the forest.

When I was married, I definitely went through a lying period.

You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might also pray in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance.

I never looked at my mantel and envisioned an MVP trophy sitting there. This is pretty crazy.

Sadly, the truth is, there aren’t many people who can be put in high positions who won’t start thinking highly of themselves.

All my big mistakes are when I try to second-guess or please an audience. My work is always stronger when I get very selfish about it.

The question isn’t, ‚What do we want to know about people?‘, It’s, ‚What do people want to tell about themselves?‘