Awareness requires a rupture with the world we take for granted; then old categories of experience are called into question and revised.
—Shoshana Zuboff (b.1951) American Social Psychologist
Buddha means awareness, the awareness of body and mind that prevents evil from arising in either.
—Buddhist Teaching
The one important thing I have learned over the years is the difference between taking one’s work seriously and taking one’s self seriously. The first is imperative and the second is disastrous.
—Margot Fonteyn (1919–91) English Classical Ballet Dancer
The moment one gives a close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world unto itself.
—Henry Miller (1891–1980) American Novelist
Shall a man go and hang himself because he belongs to the race of pygmies, and not be the biggest pygmy that he can?
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Those with the greatest awareness have the greatest nightmares.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
For those who wish to climb the mountain of spiritual awareness, the path is selfless work. For those who have attained the summit of union with the Lord, the path is stillness and peace.
—The Bhagavad Gita Hindu Scripture
To become different from what we are, we must have some awareness of what we are.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
Let us not look back to the past with anger, nor towards the future with fear, but look around with awareness
—James Thurber
He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything.
—Arabic Proverb
The only thing that can save the world is the reclaiming of the awareness of the world. That’s what poetry does.
—Allen Ginsberg (1926–97) American Poet, Activist
No one is expected to achieve the impossible.
—French Proverb
Many great kings, emperors, saints and seers have left without taking anything. When you are born you don’t bring anything with you. Render service in divine awareness.
—Sathya Sai Baba (1926–2011) Indian Hindu Religious Leader
Be content with what you are, and wish not change; nor dread your last day, nor long for it.
—Martial (40–104) Ancient Roman Latin Poet
Glory is largely a theatrical concept. There is no striving for glory without a vivid awareness of an audience.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
Our entire life – consists ultimately in accepting ourselves as we are.
—Jean Anouilh (1910–87) French Dramatist
The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another.
—Thomas Merton (1915–68) American Trappist Monk
Awareness without action is worthless.
—Phil McGraw (b.1950) American TV Personality
The man with insight enough to admit his limitations comes nearest to perfection.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Whatever we are waiting for—peace of mind, contentment, grace, the inner awareness of simple abundance—it will surely come to us, but only when we are ready to receive it with an open and grateful heart.
—Sarah Ban Breathnach (b.1947) American Self-help Author
The courage to be is the courage to accept oneself, in spite of being unacceptable.
—Paul Tillich (1886–1965) American Lutheran Theologian, Philosopher
The secret of my success is that at an early age I discovered I was not God.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841–1935) American Jurist, Author
America does to me what I knew it would do: it just bumps me. The people charge at you like trucks coming down on you—no awareness. But one tries to dodge aside in time. Bump! bump! go the trucks. And that is human contact.
—D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930) English Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Essayist, Literary Critic
There is a proper balance between not asking enough of oneself and asking or expecting too much.
—May Sarton (1912–95) American Children’s Books Writer, Poet, Novelist
Even when no one is seeing, God is watching your actions always. Do everything with this awareness.
—Sathya Sai Baba (1926–2011) Indian Hindu Religious Leader
It isn’t important to come out on top, what matters is to be the one who comes out alive.
—Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956) German Poet, Playwright, Theater Personality
The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
One may understand the cosmos, but never the ego; the self is more distant than any star.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Not in the clamor of the crowded street, not in the shouts and plaudits of the throng, but in ourselves, are triumph and defeat.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
He who despises himself esteems himself as a self-despiser.
—Susan Sontag (1933–2004) American Writer, Philosopher