Illumination in the outer world is to be happy no matter what is going on. In the inner world, it's more ineffable. It's harder to express.

Everything is dependent on your ability to stop thoughts. The longer you can stop your thoughts in meditation, the faster you will evolve, the more power you will pick up and the more knowledgeable and balanced you will become.

The Zen Master was constantly attempting to break up concepts that people had about what it was like to be a spiritual teacher. We have a traditional image. Each Zen master was a complete character.

Trying to use the power of yoga to improve your life, this is a terrible mistake. Because all you are doing is binding yourself more. You're putting more of your attention into the transient world.

There was a time when you came forth from infinity, your essence that is. You've always existed, and you'll always exist. But there are different states of mind in the universe.

Spiritual people are often persecuted because of their beliefs. Christians were fed to the lions. Jews were slaughtered in concentration camps. Various forms of persecution still exist today throughout the world.

For most people this is not a conscious process, it's an inner pull that takes place, that simply draws them there.