Psychic development is a necessary skill in leading a successful and happy life. Your intellectual processes and your senses don't give you enough information to distinguish the real from the unreal.

Our purpose in this life is to gain the view of ourselves; otherwise, we are total slaves to others who psychically drain us, abuse us.

In poetry, and in my study in graduate school, I was drawn to a particular poet, Theodore Roethke. I did a dissertation on "The Evolution of Matter and Spirit in the Poetry of Theodore Roethke" for my Ph.D.

Keep the deepest feelings of your heart to yourself. They tend to stay more pure if you do. There is a wisdom to that.

When we love others we see our oneness with others.

Avoid the things in your life that take away from your stillness. Find things that add to that stillness. Bring them more into your life. It doesn't matter what works or doesn't. It is all individual.

I don't put much stock in powers that people have to hurt others, in sorcery and all this nonsense. There are murders and there are dictators. That is just a part of life. The intelligent use of power in yoga can assist you avoiding that side of humanity.