I began the morning not with asana but with yoga nidra and then awareness meditation. The true value of gentleness. Gentleness – not you being gentle so much as gentleness itself. Why be hard on yourself or on others? Hardness restricts, gentleness allows.

Book of Life, 3 Feb:

If I am stupid and I say I must become intelligent, the effort to become intelligent is only a greater form of stupidity; because what is important is to understand stupidity. However much I may try to become intelligent, my stupidity will remain. I may acquire the superficial polish of learning, I may be able to quote books, repeat passages from great authors, but basically I shall still be stupid. But if I see and understand stupidity as it expresses itself in my daily life … then that very awareness brings about a breaking up of stupidity.