Top 34 Quotes & Sayings by Joan Z. Borysenko

The stereotype of aging as a progressive loss of function is generally true only for people who stop functioning.

A mystic sees beyond the illusion of separateness into the intricate web of life in which all things are expressions of a single Whole. You can call this web "God, the Tao, the Great Spirit, the Infinite Mystery, Mother or Father," but it can be known only as love.

Every act of kindness and compassion toward others gets multiplied when they, in turn, pass it on. One by one the world becomes a better place. Service is indeed the gift that keeps on giving.

Because gratification of a desire leads to the temporary stilling of the mind and the experience of the peaceful, joyful Self, it's no wonder that we get hooked on thinking that happiness comes from the satisfaction of desires. This is the meaning of the

When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't right, we will have peaceful hearts.

Busy is an opportunity, not a dirty word.

Thank God for what doesn't need healing.

Forgiveness ... is the finishing of old business that allows us to experience the present, free of contamination from the past.

Throughout the life cycle we consciously and unconsciously edit the events of our life, trying to give them meaning.

If you take a single step toward positive change, that divine energy will take a hundred steps toward you. New worlds and unbelievable possibilities will open up for you. The synchronicities that will begin appearing in your life will become a source of delight and amazement.

True peacefulness comes from abandoning the illustion that satisfying desires brings pleasure.

Forgiveness entails the authentic acceptance of our own worthiness as human beings, the understanding that mistakes are opportunities for growth, awareness and the cultivation of compassion, and the realization that the extension of love to ourselves and others is the glue that holds the universe together. Forgiveness...is not a set of behaviors, but an attitude.

Forgiveness is not the misguided act of condoning irresponsible, hurtful behavior. Nor is it a superficial turning of the other cheek that leaves us feeling victimized and martyred. Rather, it is the finishing of old business that allows us to experience the present, free of contamination from the past.

Guilt is the teacher, love is the lesson.

Keep an open mind, but don't let your brain fall out.

Everyday brings a choice: to practice stress or to practice peace.

Most research is a synthesis of problem solving and creativity.

Growth of the soul is our goal, and there are many ways to encourage that growth, such as through love, nature, healing our wounds, forgiveness, and service. The soul grows well when giving and receiving love. I nourish my soul daily by loving others and being vulnerable to their love. Love is, after all, a verb, an action word, not a noun.

Learning to listen to ourselves is a way of learning to love ourselves.

We drop like pebbles into the ponds of each other's souls, and the orbit of our ripples continues to expand, intersecting with countless others.

If we don't forgive ourselves for our mistakes, and others for the wounds they have inflicted upon us, we end up crippled with guilt. And the soul cannot grow under a blanket of guilt, because guilt is isolating, while growth is a gradual process of reconnection to ourselves, to other people, and to a larger whole.

May I be at peace. May I awaken to the light of my own true nature. May I be healed and may I be the source of healing for others.

A spiritually optimistic point of view holds that the universe is woven out of a fabric of love. Everything that is happening is ultimately for the good if we're willing to face it head-on and use our adversities for soul growth.

If we believe that the universe is unfriendly and that our very souls are in danger, peace will be elusive at best.

Learning to be aware of feelings, how they arise and how to use them creatively so they guide us to happiness, is an essential lifetime skill.

Unpredictability is closely related to uncontrollability.

Perhaps the hardest lesson to learn is not to be attached to the results of your actions.

The question is not whether we will barbecue, but how we will barbecue.

Healing is the rediscovery of who we are and who we have always been.

To nourish the soul means to become kinder, more compassionate, wiser, and more loving, often through the making of difficult choices that foster growth rather than safety. The nourishment and growth of the soul is the very reason for human life.

Have we arrived at our own faith and our own path or simply internalized the beliefs of parents, clergy, spouse, or friends?

Nature is another important aspect of nourishing the soul. After a hike in the mountains where we live, for instance, I feel a remarkable sense of gratitude and awe. My mind quiets down and allows me to see more clearly the beauty of creation. And through that gratitude, the beauty of the universe is reflected back to the creator.

The question is not if we are going to die or not, but how are we going to live.

Some tension is necessary for the soul to grow, and we can put that tension to good use. We can look for every opportunity to give and receive love, to appreciate nature, to heal our wounds and the wounds of others, to forgive, and to serve.