Never say about anything, "I have lost it," but only "I have given it back." Is your child dead? It has been given back. Is your wife dead? She has been returned.

To adorn our characters by the charm of an amiable nature shows at once a lover of beauty and a lover of man.

When you close your doors, and make darkness within, remember never to say that you are alone, for you are not alone; nay, God is within, and your genius is within. And what need have they of light to see what you are doing?

We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.

When you let go of your attention for a little while, do not think you may recover it whenever you please.

Some things are up to us [eph' hêmin] and some things are not up to us. Our opinions are up to us, and our impulses, desires, aversions–in short, whatever is our own doing. Our bodies are not up to us, nor are our possessions, our reputations, or our public offices, or, that is, whatever is not our own doing.

If you would be good, first believe that you are bad.