Since God often sends us inspirations by means of His angels, we should frequently return our aspirations to him by means of the same messengers.
Retire at various times into the solitude of your own heart, even while outwardly engaged in discussions or transactions with others, and talk to God.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Finding solitude in your heart allows for personal reflection and spiritual connection, even amidst external engagements.
This quote by Saint Francis De Sales emphasizes the importance of inner solitude and reflection, suggesting that one should regularly retreat inward to foster a relationship with the divine, despite being involved in the hustle and bustle of everyday interactions. It highlights that true understanding and connection come from moments of quietness and introspection, enabling individuals to maintain their spiritual bonds regardless of external distractions.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a meditation retreat, I shared this quote to inspire participants to seek their inner stillness.
More from Saint Francis De Sales
All quotes βYou can attract more bees with a spoonful of sugar than a cupful of vinegar.
Be patient with everyone, but above all with yourself. I mean do not be disheartened by your imperfections, but always rise up with fresh courage
Represent to yourself a dark city all burning and stinking with fire and brimstone. The damned are in the depth of hell within this woful city, where they suffer unspeakable torments in all their senses and members. Consider above all the eternity of their pains, which above all things makes hell intolerable.
Lately I was near the beehives and some of the bees flew onto my face. I wanted to raise my hand, and brush them off. 'No,' said a peasant to me, 'do not be afraid, and do not touch them. They will not sting you at all, if you touch them they will bite you.' I trusted him; not one bit me. Trust me; do not fear these temptations. Do not touch them; they will not hurt you.
There is no better means of attainment to the spiritual life Than by continually beginning again.
Similar quotes
The more honest and authentic we are, the more deeply we go into the mystery of our own being.
A war, with its attendant human suffering, must, when that evil is unavoidable, be made to fragment more than buildings: It must shatter the foundations of thought and re-create. Only in this way does every individual share in the cataclysm and understand the purpose of sacrifice.
There's a collective knowing that a dimension of reality exists beyond the material plane, and that sense of knowing is causing a mystical resurgence on the planet today. It's not just children who are looking for a missing piece. It is a very mature outlook to question the nature of our reality.
Intolerance betrays want of faith in one's cause.
Introspection is always retrospection
You've only got to begin to do anything to find out how few honest, honourable people there are. Sometimes, when I can't sleep, I think: "Oh Lord, you've given us huge forests, infinite fields, and endless horizons, and we, living here, ought really to be giants.