Daisaku Ikeda Quotes

I don't meditate in any formal way, but I often lie in bed or find myself in nature and enter into that state of quiet where I get images, feelings, or melodies.

Whether you call it meditation, self-reflection or just shutting everything out, I am quite good at that.

Quiet time and solitude are vital to helping me keep perspective. I consider myself fortunate to have so much quiet built into my profession. I spend long hours by myself at my easel. And while I work, I think-of the future, of my loved ones, of God's goodness and the many exciting opportunities that surround me. I ponder the challenges I face, the needs of others, the direction my life is going.

In solitude we are in the presence of mere matter (even the sky, the stars, the moon, trees in blossom), things of less value (perhaps) than a human spirit. Its value lies in the greater possibility of attention.

When I open my eyes to the outer world I feel myself as a drop in the sea. But when I close my eyes and look within, I see the whole universe as a bubble raised in the ocean of my heart.

When you first awaken or before drifting off to sleep, quiet your mind, lift up your heart, muse, mull over, make discoveries. Consider, conceive, create, connect, concede that it all starts within.

When the act of reflection takes place in the mind, when we look at ourselves in the light of thought, we discover that our life is embosomed in beauty.

Running fills a need so we make fewer demands on others. Running reveals the roots of negative thinking, so the weeds can be pulled. Running reconnects the soul to the source, inspiring hope and creativity.

One of the greatest necessities in America is to discover creative solitude.

I am deeply in tune with my heart and core, and it's made me a better writer, artist, and most of all woman. It's made me more myself.

For me, writing is a way of thinking. I write in a journal a lot. I'm a very impatient person, so writing and meditation allow me to slow down and watch my mind; they are containers that keep me in place, hold me still.

Writing is a very focused form of meditation. Just as good as sitting in a lotus position.

Any time I sit down and write music, the first part of that is always centering myself and thinking about who I currently am.

Contemplation and wisdom are highest achievements and man is not totally at home with them.

Sometimes it seems like we're closer to our manicurists than we are our own souls. We have to find ways to get in touch with that and to listen to it and to hear it.

Singing is a form of meditation... apparently the only one that I have command over.

You'll never find peace of mind until you listen to your heart.

My goal is to get quieter as I get older.

Meditation has been a loyal friend to me. It has helped me write my books.

I have always preferred the reflection of the life to life itself.

You can know what's in your life when you know what's in your heart.

When you walk 10 hours, 11 hours a day by yourself, you are doing a walking meditation.

At times I think and at times I am.

I enjoy my own thoughts sometimes.

I decided to try celibacy because I heard it would help the meditation, and I tried meditation because I heard it would help with the music. So, it all really comes back to the music.