August 11

Just as a human being dies alone, so does a human being live his inner spiritual life always alone.

1

The happiest country is always the one which relies on few imports, or even none at all; likewise, the happiest human being is the one who is satisfied with his inner riches and requires little or nothing for his existence from outside. Imports are costly, they make one dependent on them, pose their own risks, incite disgruntlement and ultimately serve as a bad replacement for products that can be made at home. In general, one should not expect much from others with respect to anything. What someone can be for another is tightly limited—ultimately, everyone will stay themselves, and so the only question is who is the one with whom a human being is to remain with when he is left by himself.

— Schopenhauer

2

Whenever something unpleasant happens to us or we experience difficulties, we all tend to blame it on other people or our fate instead of realizing that if something external, something that is outside of our control becomes unpleasant or difficult for us, then it means that something is wrong with us.

— Epictetus

3

What a man does, that he has. Let him regard no good as solid, but that which is in his nature, and which must grow out of him as long as he exists.

— Emerson

4

You yourself commit sin, you yourself plot evil, you yourself flee from sin, you yourself purify your intentions, you yourself are evil or pure, no one else can save you.

— The Dhammapada

5

The most common and harmful delusion people have is the idea that something can obstruct their freedom and good.

6

A human being asks people or God for help; but no one can help him except himself, because the only thing that can help him is his leading a good life. And that is something only he can do.

Every human being has a depth of inner life, the essence of which cannot be communicated to another. Sometimes you want to convey it to others. But you immediately sense that it is impossible to convey it fully to another person. This need is the need to communicate with God. Establish this communication and seek no other.