David Jones

“For most of us, especially for businessmen, in whose eyes nature does not exist, unless it be in its strict utility relationship with their business interests, the fantastic reality of life becomes strangely blunted. M. G. registers it constantly; his memory and his eyes are full of it.”
― Charles Baudelaire, The Painter of Modern Life

“Tai Gong’s list of errors that generals should avoid includes ‘being courageous and treating death lightly, being hasty and impatient, being benevolent but unwilling to inflict suffering, being wise but fearful, being trustworthy and liking to trust others, being wise but indecisive’. The same errors apply when using Tai Chi for self-defence, but can be overcome by training. The samurai in Old Japan practised Zen, painted and studied calligraphy as well as training in the martial arts, because they believed these activities would help them to develop the key skill of harmonious spontaneity. Practice of the more Yin aspects of Tai Chi and the unpredictable nature of free Pushing Hands training similarly help to develop that spontaneity.”
― Dan Docherty, The Complete Tai Chi Tutor: A structured course to achieve professional expertise

“A guilty system recognizes no innocents.”
― Iain M. Banks, The Player of Games

“And as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen
Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing
A local habitation and a name”
― William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream