Obedience, fasting, and prayer are laughed at, yet only through them lies the way to real true freedom. I cut off my superfluous and unnecessary desires, I subdue my proud and wanton will and chastise it with obedience, and with God's help I attain freedom of spirit and with it spiritual joy.

Love children especially, for they too are sinless like the angels; they live to soften and purify our hearts and, as it were, to guide us.

It is necessary that every man have at least somewhere to go. For there are times when one absolutely must go at least somewhere!

Eh, brother, but nature has to be corrected and guided, otherwise we'd all drown in prejudices. Without that there wouldn't be even a single great man.

The Russian soul is a dark place.

If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery of things.

The more incompetent one feels, the more eager he is to fight.