Learning to be silent is far more difficult and far more important than learning to recite prayers.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I Of ConstantinopleRead
... the ecological problem of our times demands a radical reevaluation of how we see the entire world; it demands a different interpretation of matter and the world, a new attitude of humankind toward nature, and a new understanding of how we acquire and make use of our material goods.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the need for a fundamental change in our perception and interaction with the environment.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I highlights the urgent necessity to rethink our relationship with nature and material possessions. He calls for a transformative shift in how humanity views the world, advocating for a deeper understanding and respect for ecological systems, which is crucial in addressing the pressing environmental issues we face today.
In practice
During a climate change conference, this quote can be used to emphasize the need for a new mindset towards environmental conservation.
Learning to be silent is far more difficult and far more important than learning to recite prayers.
Arrogance and fanaticism cause the hardening of positions taken and entrenchment can only lead to a dead end.
An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.
A flower's fragrance declares to all the world that it is fertile, available, and desirable, its sex organs oozing with nectar. Its smell reminds us in vestigial ways of fertility, vigor, life-force, all the optimism, expectancy, and passionate bloom of youth. We inhale its ardent aroma and, no matter what our ages, we feel young and nubile in a world aflame with desire.
The road was frozen. The village lay quiet under the cold sky. Komako hitched up the skirt of her kimono and tucked it into her obi. The moon shone like a blade frozen in blue ice.
Everything in nature is the result of fixed laws.
National parks and reserves are an integral aspect of intelligent use of natural resources. It is the course of wisdom to set aside an ample portion of our natural resources as national parks and reserves, thus ensuring that future generations may know the majesty of the earth as we know it today.
Humans merely share the Earth. We can only protect the land, not own it.
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