December 24

Spiritual growth and the diminishing of bodily strength begin from childhood. Like two cones turned with their tips towards their bases, as bodily strength diminishes, spiritual strength grows.

1

Harmonious growth, both in nature and in the human being, always takes place in silence, in stillness; that which is noisy is always destructive, vicious and crude.

And yet, few understand the necessity of living in silence and stillness for true spiritual growth and development. Most people live in hustle and bustle and feel bored when they happen to find themselves alone.

Only in the silence of solitude can a human being discover the mighty power of life and growth. Christ spoke of this when he said: “When you pray, enter into your inner room.” For peace to be realized, the world badly needs this silent growth. It is distracted from true spiritual growth by a thousand voices, all promising salvation in the form of various new teachings, which would supposedly save it.

We need to spend more time in silence, and the voice of silence will communicate to us the truth that will set us free.

— Lucy Mallory

2

An enlightened human being is always ascending in reason and insight; an unenlightened human being is always descending into ignorance and vice.

— Chinese wisdom

3

As people who lead a spiritual life grow older, their intellectual sphere continues to grow, and their consciousness becomes clearer; on the other hand, people who lead a worldly life become duller and duller with age.

— The Talmud

4

One becomes kinder with age; I have never come across a mistake which I have not already made myself.

— Goethe

5

The maturation of the soul is more precious than beauty and excess of strength, and the eternal in us must make use of the destruction done to us by time.

— Amiel

6

Physical growth is only an accumulation of reserves for spiritual work, for serving God and the people, which commences with the withering of the body.

7

Everything in the world is growing, blooming and returning to its source. To return to one’s source means enter a state of tranquility in harmony with nature. Harmony with nature means eternity; thus, the destruction of the body does not in itself present any danger.

— Laozi

8

Grow in spirit and help others do the same. This is what life is all about.

The one who does not perceive a spiritual life and its growth within himself is in a terrible state. Material life was all he had—and it is inexorably being destroyed and will soon come to an end.

Become aware of your spiritual essence, live by it, and instead of despair you will discover an ever growing, inviolable joy.