Spiritual Work Quotes

“I don't believe the inner work ever really ends, and sometimes I'd like to take a vacation.”
― Debra Moffitt, Garden of Bliss: Cultivating the Inner Landscape for Self-Discovery

“Those in the habit of continuous prayer know that everything is an opportunity for communion with God and inner consciousness work.”
― Donna Goddard, The Love of Devotion

“Taking the one seat describes two related aspects of spiritual work. Outwardly, it means selecting one practice and teacher among all the possibilities, and inwardly, it means having the determination to stick with that practice through whatever difficulties and doubts arise until you have come to true clarity and understanding.”
― Jack Kornfield

“In this world, when no dualities affect one, when nothing affects him, and he attains the awareness of ‘I am absolute Supreme Soul (Parmatma)’; one’s well-being [spiritual work] is done.”
― Dada Bhagwan

“The Buddha never worked for his living, as far as we know. He was born into a wealthy, aristocratic family. He had lots of servants. According to all the accounts he spent most of his time in palaces with singing girls, dancing girls, and musicians. Then, after he left home as a mendicant, other people gave him food and clothing. He never did anything to earn his keep. Of course he taught the Dharma, but he would have done that anyway; it was his nature, just as the nature of the sun is to shine. He never worked for money; he never did a day’s work in his life. I have so far been referring to work in the sense of employment; but there is such a thing as creative work. Indeed, creative work is a psychological necessity. It may be in the form of bringing up and educating children. It may be in the form of writing or painting or cooking, or engaging in some constructive social venture. To produce, to create, is a human need. But it need not be linked with employment. In an ideal society, no one would have to work for wages. One would give to the community whatever one could, and the community would give to each person whatever they needed.”
― Sangharakshita, The Bodhisattva Ideal : Wisdom and Compassion in Buddhism

“In the beginning years of my consciousness-awareness, during my long daily walks, I would start off just naturally thinking about all the things that were currently preoccupying the surface of my mind. It’s easy. You go with the stream of thought. However, rather than becoming blindly immersed in the thoughts, I would watch them. I didn’t stop them. I let them continue, but I would watch and ask myself certain questions: 
'What are my fears at this moment? Am I sad or grieving anything? Am I angry with anyone? Do I want something? What are my thoughts telling me?' 
Then, I would have something live to work with. If I noticed that I was angry with someone, I would let the angry thoughts have their way, for a while, and then I would reason with them and say, 
'Come on now, you’ve had your way for a while. You know that everyone is doing the best that they can. There is no need to get so upset about this. You are safe. The Divine loves you.'
We work with our thoughts, and we try to align them with a higher perspective. After a few years of practising this, the process becomes very effective, efficient, and effortless.”
― Donna Goddard, Love's Longing

“We use all pain experiences as grist for the mill of our spiritual development. This is the place where the real spiritual work is happening.”
― Donna Goddard, The Love of Devotion

“I once asked Master B.P. Chan if the ancient qigong and martial arts masters had superior abilities to those of the present. He said, "In general, yes. But only because they were more patient." ... Most students abandon the practice and look for a new form of "entertainment". But it is precisely at this stage that the most lasting benefits are cultivated.”
― Kenneth S. Cohen, The Way of Qigong: The Art and Science of Chinese Energy Healing