“Often our minds, conditioned and indoctrinated as they have been, can prevent us from perceiving the truth; sometimes our bodies can tell us more.”

“What separates us from different species is our cognizance and our consciousness, that is - our mind. When we are doing things to deteriorate our mind and body we are preventing ourselves from achieving what we can to the fullest extent and I’ve never wanted to compromise that. I’ve never wanted to be a part of the culture that does embrace and does glorify that.”

“there is a relationship between the mind and the body that can both create a physical condition and enable us to recover from it”

“Sometimes the people who don’t know us very well make better mirrors. Too often, our friends feel they have to stand off to the side so they can protect us from the hurt of seeing our true selves.”

“It can only be our familiarity with soap bubbles from our earliest recollections, causing us to accept their existence as a matter of course, that prevents most of us from being seriously puzzled as to why they can be blown at all.”

“If we are taken over by craving, no matter who or what is before us, all we can see is how it might satisfy our needs. This kind of thirst contracts our body and mind into a profound trance. We move through the world with a kind of tunnel vision that prevents us from enjoying what is in front of us. The color of an autumn leaves or a passage of poetry merely amplifies the feeling that there is a gaping hole in our life. The smile of a child only reminds us that we are painfully childless. We turn away from simple pleasures because our craving compels us to seek more intense stimulation or numbing relief.”