Quotessence
Home / Authors / Surya Das
Surya Das

Surya Das Quotes

Poet

Filter quotes by topic

AllSpiritualKnowsThinkingPeopleWayWorldNeedsHeartIfsMay

Famous Surya Das Quotes

“Who can keep us from recreating our life as we would like it to be-as it could, and should be? No one but ourselves can keep us from being artists, rather than marching forward like mere consumers, corporate robots, sheep. No one but ourselves can keep us from dancing with life instead of goose-stepping. In every moment recognizing our own creative imagination, the living picture we paint on the canvas of our lives. Everything is imagination. And imagination is freedom, but it can also be conditioning, bondage.”

ShouldMomentsArtistImaginationCreativeOur LivesDancingMerePaintConsumersCorporateSheepCanvasRobotsRecognizingBondageConditioningGeeseBeing An ArtistCreative ImaginationMarching Forward
Author:Surya Das
Create image

“Ram Dass, Krishna Dass, we all spoke through interpreters. There were good interpreters there, educated people in India speak English but Maharaji was the One, the Baba, Holy Man, mendicant, he didn't speak English. We talked to him and it was hard to know him, he was an ancient holy man and I was a 21 year old seeker. So I never knew what was going on, I mean I don't really know what's going on now, my guess work is a little better perhaps.”

PeopleKnowsMenYearsMeanLittlesHardSpeakHolyIndiaAncientEducatedSpokesSeekersKrishnaBabaInterpreterSpeak EnglishRamsHoly Man
Author:Surya Das
Create image

“I never really wanted to have a Guru, I was more interested in Buddhist philosophy and meditation, and had a psychological background in college, but he had so much love. To be with him, there was nowhere else to be and nothing else to do. Nothing he taught, philosophy or meditation, are the things I went to India to look for, or was interested in, but he sort of jumped into my heart and then pulled, he pried it open.”

LooksHeartPhilosophyWantedMeditationTaughtCollegeMy HeartIndiaBackgroundsPsychologicalBuddhistGuruMuch LoveBuddhist Philosophy
Author:Surya Das
Create image

“The religions are the buildings or the institutions, the groups, but inside of that is what moves, is what's alive, is the beating heart of spirituality, and really, the heart's blood is the mystical experience. Not airy fairy vague mystical experience, but transformative, intimate experience that really touches your heart with love, and not just sex.”

HeartMovingSpiritualitySexAliveGroupsBloodBuildingInstitutionsIntimateFairyVagueMysticalAiryMystical Experiences
Author:Surya Das
Create image

“However, we need to participate and manage skillfully, helpfully, and harmoniously, for a better world, family and society to be possible. So everybody's spiritual by nature I believe, not that they necessarily have to be religious. Everybody wants, or cares about, and has values even if they don't talk about them all the time explicitly, like some noisy preachers do with their foghorn voices and dogmatic views.”

IfsWorldWantNeedsBelieveCareSpiritualValuesI BelieveVoiceReligiousViewsManagePreacherNoisyDogmatic
Author:Surya Das
Create image

“Everybody has similar values. You travel around the world and everybody is different, but everybody is also the same in those ways. There's so much difference but there's so much similarity. Nobody wants to be harmed, or have their children, or their mates, or their relatives, or their families harmed, exploited, bombed, starved, dislocated, or become homeless refugees. So we're all similar in that way and spiritual life and religion is supposed to be part of the solution not part of the problem.”

WorldWayWantChildrenDifferentProblemSpiritualValuesDifferencesSolutionsAround The WorldSupposed To BeMatesSpiritual LifeHomelessRefugeeSimilarity
Author:Surya Das
Create image

“Really, whatever I was seeking and looking into in those days like creative arts, chant, the muse being in touch with the muse for poetry and writing and music. It's all part of the spirit and if we look particularly at Hinduism and Buddhism, the tantric stream of those traditions totally embraces all aspects of human life and life on this world.”

IfsWorldWritingHumansLooksArtSpiritCreativeThis WorldBuddhismAspectTraditionEmbraceSeekingHuman LifeStreamsHinduismMuseCreative ArtHinduism And Buddhism
Author:Surya Das
Create image

“I think that's what's important, to see how we ourselves can become all that we are and can be. Everybody says they want to change, but it's not that simple, it's not that easy. Who's ready to change and give up? Who's ready to get out of their rut and leave it behind, not just pour honey or syrup over their heads and over the rut? Who's ready to change and give up that rut, who's ready willing and able?”

ThinkingWantGivingImportantAbleEasySimpleBehindsWillingReadyGiving UpHoneyWhat's ImportantRutsSyrup
Author:Surya Das
Create image

“Contributing to others, not converting others, but for those who are interested, going where invited, speaking when asked, teaching when asked and so on, not proselytizing and missionary-izing. Not shoving the truth down people's throats, as if we know what's good for them. But being open when asked, when appropriate, and being very inclusive and open minded.”

PeopleIfsKnowsTeachingAppropriateThroatMissionaryInvitedOpen MindOpen MindedContributingConvertingProselytizing
Author:Surya Das
Create image