Showing 1 to 17 of 17 results, requested subject is "Enemy, one is one's own"
[1 of 17] Aeschylus (525-456 BC, Greece): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own": detail "‘Myrmidones’"
This is the story told in Libyan tales:
An eagle, struck with arrow from a bow,
Said, when he saw the crafty wingèd thing,
‘So not by others but by our own plumes
We’re taken.’
[2 of 17] Arabi, Muhyiddin ibn (1165-1240, Spain): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own": source "Meccan Revelations, vol.2"
You are the cloud that covers your own sun. Learn your essential reality!
[3 of 17] Arnold, Sir Edwin (1832-1904, England): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own"
Within yourselves deliverance must be sought;
Each man his prison makes.
[4 of 17] Bayazid Bistami (804-874, Iran): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own"
I regarded this world as the enemy and drew near the Creator and chose the Lord over his creatures, until the love of the Real so took possession of me that I regarded my being as the enemy. When I removed these inconveniences from in between, intimacy with God's enduring grace was mine.
[5 of 17] Boehme, Jacob (1575-1624, Germany): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own": source "Incarnation of Christ": detail "Part II, chapter 9 para.3"
Behold, O man, you are your own enemy. What you regard as a friend, that is your enemy. If you will be saved and see God, you must become the worst enemy of your best friend, ie. of the outer life. Not that you should break it, but only its will. You must do what you would not, you must become your own enemy or you cannot see God.
[6 of 17] Maneri, Sharafuddin (1263-1381, India): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own"
For the believer, self is the real enemy, while God is his friend.
[7 of 17] Maneri, Sharafuddin (1263-1381, India): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own"
My ego, without my consent, swept me along.
I had thought it was my friend, but it was my deadly foe.
Up till now, I have befriended rank and honor,
Like a moth that mistakes fire for light!
[8 of 17] Maneri, Sharafuddin (1263-1381, India): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own"
“This Way is such that you cannot reach your destination unless you first destroy yourself.” The resting place, as far as the faith is concerned, is the destruction of one's animal soul. First destroy yourself, then set out along this road! Otherwise, take your troubles and get out of the way of those who are heading toward God!
[9 of 17] Petrarch (1304-1374, Italy): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own"
Man has not a greater enemy than himself.
[10 of 17] Plautus (254 - 184 BC, Italy): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own"
Homo homini lupus: Man is a wolf unto man: the human being has no greater enemy than himself.
[11 of 17] Seneca (4 BC - AD 65, Spain): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own": detail "From Tractate 3"
Man is his own worst enemy.
[12 of 17] St. Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510, Italy): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own": detail "From the Life"
But, for one who desires to approach God, it is necessary to become the enemy of His enemies; and, as I find nothing that is worse than myself, nor that is more inimical to Him, I am compelled to hold myself in more aversion than anything else whatever, and will even despise myself and count it to be worthless.
[13 of 17] St. Hesychius (5th century, Israel): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own"
Indeed a man must cleave himself in two by his will, must rend himself by wise thought, must truly become the most implacable enemy to himself. If we wish to fulfil the first and greatest commandment, that is, blessed humility, we must have the same, or even a worse, attitude towards ourselves as we have towards a man who has mortally offended and insulted us.
[14 of 17] St. John Cassian (c. 360-435, Italy): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own": detail "From 'Conference' 18"
So let us not look for peace outside ourselves and let us not count upon another's patience to rescue us from our sins of impatience. For just as the kingdom of God is within us so too is it the case that 'the enemies of a man are of his own household' [Mt 10:36]. No one fights against me more than my own heart, which is surely close to me in my own household. If we are careful, however, we can suffer the minimum harm from the enemies within. When the enemies in our own household are not at war with us, then, in the tranquility of the spirit, the kingdom of God becomes a possession. To put the matter quite clearly to you, I cannot be harmed by the malice of any man if my own unquiet heart does not set me against myself. If I suffer harm it is not from the attack of an outsider but because of the snare of my own impatience. Strong and solid food is good for someone healthy and harmful to someone who is sick. It cannot be harmful unless the weakness of the person taking it is such as to reinforce its capacity for injury.
[15 of 17] St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582, Spain): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own": detail "From ‘Way of Perfection’ ch. 10"
Once we have detached ourselves from the world, and from our kinsfolk, and are cloistered here, it must look as if we have done everything and there is nothing left with which we have to contend. But, oh, my sisters, do not feel secure and fall asleep, or you will be like a man who goes to bed quite peacefully, after bolting all his doors for fear of thieves, when the thieves are already in the house. And you know there is no worse thief than one who lives in the house. We ourselves are always the same; unless we take great care and each of us looks well to it that she renounces her self-will, which is the most important business of all, there will be many things to deprive us of the holy freedom of spirit which our souls seek.
[16 of 17] Tauler, Johann (c. 1300-1361, Germany): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own": source "Golden Thoughts on the Higher life"
A man is too well aware then in the wide world he has no more dangerous enemy than himself, so he hates himself as much as the world hates him; for he knows that the world will attack him on his most vulnerable point – his ‘I’, therefore he strives to conquer himself, knowing that when this victory has been achieved all is overcome.
[17 of 17] Tauler, Johann (c. 1300-1361, Germany): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own": detail "From the ‘Second Sermon for the Feast of the Epiphany’"
Whatsoever is near and dear to you becomes really your enemy. If you will see all things and hear all, and if in your heart you consider all things, then in very truth your soul shall be wasted and scattered among them all. Hence a certain master says: "If a man would lead an interior life, let him draw all his powers, as it were, into a corner of his soul and hide himself with them there, far from all forms and images, and then he may act."
This is the story told in Libyan tales:
An eagle, struck with arrow from a bow,
Said, when he saw the crafty wingèd thing,
‘So not by others but by our own plumes
We’re taken.’
[2 of 17] Arabi, Muhyiddin ibn (1165-1240, Spain): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own": source "Meccan Revelations, vol.2"
You are the cloud that covers your own sun. Learn your essential reality![3 of 17] Arnold, Sir Edwin (1832-1904, England): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own"
Within yourselves deliverance must be sought;
Each man his prison makes.
[4 of 17] Bayazid Bistami (804-874, Iran): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own"
I regarded this world as the enemy and drew near the Creator and chose the Lord over his creatures, until the love of the Real so took possession of me that I regarded my being as the enemy. When I removed these inconveniences from in between, intimacy with God's enduring grace was mine.[5 of 17] Boehme, Jacob (1575-1624, Germany): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own": source "Incarnation of Christ": detail "Part II, chapter 9 para.3"
Behold, O man, you are your own enemy. What you regard as a friend, that is your enemy. If you will be saved and see God, you must become the worst enemy of your best friend, ie. of the outer life. Not that you should break it, but only its will. You must do what you would not, you must become your own enemy or you cannot see God.[6 of 17] Maneri, Sharafuddin (1263-1381, India): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own"
For the believer, self is the real enemy, while God is his friend.[7 of 17] Maneri, Sharafuddin (1263-1381, India): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own"
My ego, without my consent, swept me along.
I had thought it was my friend, but it was my deadly foe.
Up till now, I have befriended rank and honor,
Like a moth that mistakes fire for light!
[8 of 17] Maneri, Sharafuddin (1263-1381, India): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own"
“This Way is such that you cannot reach your destination unless you first destroy yourself.” The resting place, as far as the faith is concerned, is the destruction of one's animal soul. First destroy yourself, then set out along this road! Otherwise, take your troubles and get out of the way of those who are heading toward God![9 of 17] Petrarch (1304-1374, Italy): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own"
Man has not a greater enemy than himself.[10 of 17] Plautus (254 - 184 BC, Italy): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own"
Homo homini lupus: Man is a wolf unto man: the human being has no greater enemy than himself.[11 of 17] Seneca (4 BC - AD 65, Spain): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own": detail "From Tractate 3"
Man is his own worst enemy.[12 of 17] St. Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510, Italy): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own": detail "From the Life"
But, for one who desires to approach God, it is necessary to become the enemy of His enemies; and, as I find nothing that is worse than myself, nor that is more inimical to Him, I am compelled to hold myself in more aversion than anything else whatever, and will even despise myself and count it to be worthless.[13 of 17] St. Hesychius (5th century, Israel): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own"
Indeed a man must cleave himself in two by his will, must rend himself by wise thought, must truly become the most implacable enemy to himself. If we wish to fulfil the first and greatest commandment, that is, blessed humility, we must have the same, or even a worse, attitude towards ourselves as we have towards a man who has mortally offended and insulted us.[14 of 17] St. John Cassian (c. 360-435, Italy): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own": detail "From 'Conference' 18"
So let us not look for peace outside ourselves and let us not count upon another's patience to rescue us from our sins of impatience. For just as the kingdom of God is within us so too is it the case that 'the enemies of a man are of his own household' [Mt 10:36]. No one fights against me more than my own heart, which is surely close to me in my own household. If we are careful, however, we can suffer the minimum harm from the enemies within. When the enemies in our own household are not at war with us, then, in the tranquility of the spirit, the kingdom of God becomes a possession. To put the matter quite clearly to you, I cannot be harmed by the malice of any man if my own unquiet heart does not set me against myself. If I suffer harm it is not from the attack of an outsider but because of the snare of my own impatience. Strong and solid food is good for someone healthy and harmful to someone who is sick. It cannot be harmful unless the weakness of the person taking it is such as to reinforce its capacity for injury.[15 of 17] St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582, Spain): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own": detail "From ‘Way of Perfection’ ch. 10"
Once we have detached ourselves from the world, and from our kinsfolk, and are cloistered here, it must look as if we have done everything and there is nothing left with which we have to contend. But, oh, my sisters, do not feel secure and fall asleep, or you will be like a man who goes to bed quite peacefully, after bolting all his doors for fear of thieves, when the thieves are already in the house. And you know there is no worse thief than one who lives in the house. We ourselves are always the same; unless we take great care and each of us looks well to it that she renounces her self-will, which is the most important business of all, there will be many things to deprive us of the holy freedom of spirit which our souls seek.[16 of 17] Tauler, Johann (c. 1300-1361, Germany): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own": source "Golden Thoughts on the Higher life"
A man is too well aware then in the wide world he has no more dangerous enemy than himself, so he hates himself as much as the world hates him; for he knows that the world will attack him on his most vulnerable point – his ‘I’, therefore he strives to conquer himself, knowing that when this victory has been achieved all is overcome.[17 of 17] Tauler, Johann (c. 1300-1361, Germany): primary subject "Enemy, one is one's own": detail "From the ‘Second Sermon for the Feast of the Epiphany’"
Whatsoever is near and dear to you becomes really your enemy. If you will see all things and hear all, and if in your heart you consider all things, then in very truth your soul shall be wasted and scattered among them all. Hence a certain master says: "If a man would lead an interior life, let him draw all his powers, as it were, into a corner of his soul and hide himself with them there, far from all forms and images, and then he may act."