“If you seek to understand the whole universe, you will understand nothing at all. If you seek to understand yourself, you will understand to whole universe.”

“Seek to understand the root. — It is futile to argue as to which single leaf, which design of branch, or which attractive flower you like; when you understand the root, you understand all its blossoming.”

“If you don't understand yourself you don't understand anybody else.”

“If you follow the classical pattern, you are understanding the routine, the tradition, the shadow -- you are not understanding yourself.”

“… you realize that you don't understand yourself any better than you understand anyone else.”

“To understand others, you must first learn to understand yourself.”

“You must understand the whole of life,
not just one little part of it.
that is why you must read,
that is why you must look at the skies,
that is why you must sing and dance,
and write poems and suffer and understand,
for all that is life.”

“You don't understand music: you hear it. So hear me with your whole body.”

“You will understand the true spirit neither of science nor of religion unless seeking is placed in the forefront.”

“There is a saying that to understand is to forgive, but that is an error, so Papa used to say. You must forgive in order to understand. Until you forgive, you defend yourself against the possibility of understanding.”