The most empowering relationships are those in which each partner lifts the other to a higher possession of their own being. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin More Quotes by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin More Quotes From Pierre Teilhard de Chardin I give the name of cosmic sense to the more or less confused affinity that binds us psychologically to the All which envelops us. The existence of this feeling is indubitable, and apparently as old as the beginning of thought... The cosmic sense must have been born as soon as man found himself facing the forest, the sea and the stars. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin feeling man stars sea If we are to be happy, we must first react against our tendency to follow the line of least resistance, a tendency that causes us either to remain as we are, or to look primarily to activities external to ourselves for what will provide new impetus to our lives. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin be-happy new look happy One mustn't close one's eyes to difficulty and to shortcomings; the more one recognizes them, the less they upset one. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin eyes more upset difficulty Death surrenders us totally to God: it makes us enter into him; we must, in return, surrender ourselves to death with absolute love and self-abandonment since, when death comes, all we can do is to surrender ourselves completely to the domination and guidance of God. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin surrender god love death I have finally decided to write my book on the spiritual life. I mean to put down as simply as possible the sort of ascetical or mystical teaching that I have been living and preaching so long. I call it 'Le Milieu Divin,' but I am being careful to include nothing esoteric and the minimum of explicit philosophy. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin i-am spiritual life long The history of the kingdom of God is, directly, one of a reunion. The total divine milieu is formed by the incorporation of every elected spirit in Jesus Christ. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin reunion jesus-christ god history I greatly enjoyed the Hawaiian Islands. They are a real little paradise in spite of the influx of Americans who have made it one of their most pleasant 'centers of resort': the soft climate and luxuriance of the tropics; the greenness, the fragrance, the flowers - extraordinary flowers covering the tallest trees and turning them into huge bouquets. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin trees flowers fragrance real How great is the mystery of the first cells which were one day animated by the breath of our souls! How impossible to decipher the welding of successive influences in which we are forever incorporated! In each one of us, through matter, the whole history of the world is in part reflected. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin day great history world In a way, the whole tangible universe itself is a vast residue, a skeleton of countless lives that have germinated in it and have left it, leaving behind them only a trifling, infinitesimal part of their riches. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin behind universe leaving way Man can be understood only by ascending from physics, chemistry, biology, and geology. In other words, he is first of all a cosmic problem. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin words man chemistry problem Certain though I am - and ever more certain - that I must press on in life as though Christ awaited me at the term of the universe, at the same time I feel no special assurance of the existence of Christ. Believing is not seeing. As much as anyone, I imagine, I walk in the shadows of faith. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin me faith time life The number of known human fossils only increases slowly. But the manner of regarding and assessing them is capable of progressing rapidly, as indeed it does. In the absence of any absolutely sensational discovery in prehistory, there is an up-to-date and scientific manner of understanding man, which is solidly based on palaeontology. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin human man understanding discovery Humanity is still advancing; and it will probably continue to advance for hundreds of thousands of years more, always on condition that we know how to keep the same line of advance as our ancestors towards ever greater consciousness and complexity. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin will know always humanity
