“Until we reflect basic kindness in everything we do, our political gestures will be fleeting and fragile.”

I could characterize nearly any spiritual practice as simply this: identify and quit, identify and quit, identify and quit. Identify the myriad forms of limitation and delusion we place upon ourselves, and muster the courage to quit each one.

The cause of all our personal problems and nearly all the problems of the world can be summed up in a single sentence.

The gap between our sincere values and our actual behavior is the source of all self-hatred.

Like a child standing in a beautiful park with his eyes shut tight, there’s no need to imagine trees, flowers, deer, birds, and sky.

This is the first step toward understanding the process of real, lasting change: simply knowing with certainty that you can do whatever you need to do.

Without loving and caring for others, most of us stand little chance of communing with God/the Divine Wisdom, no matter how many years we may spend in silent prayer.

Little by little deep inside us, the diamond shines, the eyes open, the dawn rises, we become what we already are.

Simple kindness may be the most vital key to the riddle of how human beings can live with each other in peace…and care properly for this planet we all share.

Little by little, deep inside us, the diamond shines, the eyes open, the dawn rises, we become what we already are.

We pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, have a good laugh about human nature, and get on with our journeys.

We’re all doing time. As soon as we get born, we find ourselves assigned to one little body, one set of desires and fears, one family, city, state, country, and planet.

You may study with the highest teachers, but you will find no one but yourself teaching you. You may travel the world over, yet find nothing but yourself, reflected the world over.

So if you now find yourself in a cell, take heart that of all the teachers in the world, out of all the places in the world, you still have with you the only ultimate ingredient of your journey: yourself.

Evolutionary circles are one of the key social forms in which people are connecting and can connect to make a difference throughout the world.

Yoga is the golden key that unlocks the door to peace, tranquility and joy.

As long as you’re having fun, that’s the key. The moment it becomes a grind, it’s over.

I’ve had terrible, terrible, terrible shows where I just thought, “That was off-key” or I forgot lines or I thought I looked like an idiot, and then you’re leaving and talking to people, and they’re like, “I had the best time of my life! That was amazing!” You just never know.

One of the main lessons I have learned during my five years as Secretary-General is that broad partnerships are the key to solving broad challenges. When governments, the United Nations, businesses, philanthropies and civil society work hand-in-hand, we can achieve great things.

The Earth is alive and contains the knowledge you seek. It is your consciousness that determines what it reveals. How to access this knowledge? And where are the keys to open it and make it yours? The Earth speaks. Love her, honor and respect her and she will reveal her secrets.

The basic building block of peace and security for all peoples is economic and social security, anchored in sustainable development. It is a key to all problems. Why? Because it allows us to address all the great issues-poverty, climate, environment and political stability-as parts of the whole.

Salvation happens every time someone with a key uses it to open a door he could lock instead.