Quotations: Nondoing, Rest, & Return

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Nondoing, Rest, & Return


“Those that live their full life in Tao achieve realization of their nature in inaction.” —Confucius


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Quotations on Nondoing

Quotations Various Sources

Listed Alphabetically

“As far as I’m concerned, I believe the subject chooses the writer.” —Mario Vargas Llosa

“Beings are living and doings are dying.” —Kevin Everett FitzMaurice

“Do not wish to be anything but what you are.” —Saint Francis de Sales

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” —Ephesians 2:8

“Good instincts tell you what to do long before your head has figured it out.” —Michael Burke

“I never change, I simply become more myself.” —Joyce Carol Oates

“In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired. In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped.” —Lao Tzu

“Instinct is untaught ability.” —Alexander Bain

“It’s [music composition] the most effortless thing in the world because you don’t do anything. I hate to say it like that, but it’s the truth.” —Michael Jackson

“Live calmly. The time will come when the flowers bloom by themselves.” —Buddhist saying

“Look into that closed room, the empty chamber where brightness is born! Fortune and blessing gather where there is stillness. But if you do not keep still—this is what is called sitting but racing around.” —Chuang Tzu

“LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.” —Isaiah 26:12

“Nothing is done by doing. Everything is done by hosting.” —Kevin Everett FitMaurice

“Nothing you think you do, do you actually do.” —Kevin Everett FitzMaurice

“People do not change, they are merely revealed.” —Anne Enright

“Reach for it, and you will miss it; let it loose, and it will follow you.” —Buddhist saying

“The only good thing I can do is nothing and my flesh does not want to do it.” —Kevin Everett FitzMaurice

“The way to do is be.” —Lao Tzu

“Those that live their full life in Tao achieve realization of their nature in inaction.” —Confucius

“Thirty spokes connect to the wheel’s hub; yet, it is the center hole that makes it useful. Clay is shaped into a vessel; yet, it is the emptiness within that makes it useful. Doors and windows are cut for a room; yet it is the space where there is nothing that makes it useful. Therefore, though advantage comes from  what is; usefulness comes from what is not.” —Lao Tzu

“To begin the spiritual life, stop trying to do.” —Kevin Everett FitzMaurice

“To move from one unselfish action to another with God in mind. Only there, delight and stillness.” —Marcus Aurelius

“You are free to host anything as long as you only host, that is, as long as you do nothing but host.” —Kevin Everett FitzMaurice


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Quotations on Nondoing

Quotations from Scripture

“And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hands.” —I Samuel 17:47

“And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” —II Chronicles 20:15

“Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.” —Psalm 4:4

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” —Psalm 46:10

“LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.” —Isaiah 26:12

“For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.” —Isaiah 30:15

“Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.” —Matthew 5:36

“But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” —Matthew 5:37

“Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?” —Matthew 6:27

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” —Matthew 11:28

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” —Matthew 16:24

“And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” —Mark 8:34

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” —Luke 9:23

“And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?” —Luke 12:25

“So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” —Luke 17:10

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” —John 1:12-13

“But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” —John 3:21

“John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.” —John 3:27

“Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” —John 5:19

“I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” —John 5:30

“How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?” —John 5:44

“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” —John 6:44

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” —John 6:63

“Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.” —John 8:28

“If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.” —John 9:33

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” —John 15:5

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” —John 15;16

“And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?” —Acts 3:12

“For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.” —Romans 4:2

“Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;” —Romans 9:32

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” —Romans 12:19

“And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” —Romans 14:23

“So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” —I Corinthians 3:7

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” —II Corinthians 4:7

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:” —II Corinthians 10:3

“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” —Galatians 5:6

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.” —Galatians 6:15

“Not of works, lest any man should boast.” —Ephesians 2:9

“For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.” —Hebrews 4:10

“Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.” —James 4:13-16

“But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” —James 5:12


  • Read the best book for understanding how nondoing, rest, and returning work.

 Returning, and Related Ideas

Related Pages of Free Information

  1. Non-Doing: List of Related Pages
  2. Scripture by Topic: Non-Doing
  3. Scripture by Topic: Rest

Non-Doing & Faith

  • Consider how all of these ideas are interdependent, linked, and related:
  • faith, having a childlike nature, hosting, humility, inner peace, inner quietude, inner stillness, non-doing, resting in God, returning to God, suffering for God, surrender to God, trusting in God, vessel nature, weakness before God, waiting upon God.

3D: Daily Dose of Discernment: 2020

#Nondoing #Mindfulness: 2020-07-25

  1. You cannot meditate because meditation is not an act of the ego or mind.
  2. You cannot be here now because you have nothing to do that will not keep you from being here now.
  3. You cannot be mindful because mindfulness is not a thing that you can do, no matter the method you try.
  4. You cannot be present in the moment because you are not capable of simulating presence or approaching presence.
  5. You cannot be where you are and do what you are doing because all effort will take you out of life and put you in your mind.

  • Read the best book for understanding how nondoing, rest, and returning work.

 Returning, and Related Ideas

6 Groups of Topics Menu


  • Read the best book for understanding how nondoing, rest, and returning work.

 Returning, and Related Ideas