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"In some peculiar way, indeed, the rules were now beginning to seem quite logical. It was then I knew that I had been in India long enough."
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Exlpore more Adaptation quotes
"We change when circumstances necessitate it, we adapt because we have to. The real challenge is to change when circumstances don't demand it at all."
"If you want your tree to produce plenty o' fruit, you've got to cut it back from time to time. Same thing with your neural cells. Some people might call it brain damage. I call it prunin'."
"To emend one's thinking constantly is a desirable practice, and one I often engage in--sometimes to the point of being almost schizophrenic. But there are cases where one should not parade changes just to prove one is up to date. In the field of ideas, as much as in other fields, monogamy is not necessarily a sign of absence of libido."
"But change proves that you are still alive. Change often measures our tolerance for folk different from ourselves. Can we accept their languages, their customs, their garments, and their foods into our own lives? If we can, then we form bonds, bonds that make wars less likely. If we cannot, if we believe that we must do things as we have always done them, then we must either fight to remain as we are, or die."
"We continuously make promises and create agreements with ourselves and others. Some of these agreements are mutually beneficial. However, when you realize that things you agreed to in the past are no longer helpful, possible, or relevant, renegotiate. Be invested enough in your situations or relationships for renegotiation to take place."
"There is a strong movement, especially in Protestantism, to recast the Christian message in order to make it acceptable to modern man."
"Rather than waste or eliminate items which you don't currently use, discover a new way to improve and enjoy their value. What strengths and talents can you repurpose for a new endeavor? How can you re-purpose your thoughts to ensure they help you rather than hinder?"
"Changes should not scare us because it is a natural process."
"In the current era, to take adjustments in worldly interactions is knowledge (Gnan). One is to adjust to 'disadjustments'."
"Put a man in the wrong atmosphere and nothing will function as it should. He will seem unhealthy in every part. Put him back into his proper element and everything will blossom and look healthy. But if he is not in his right element, what then? Well, then he just has to make the best of appearing before the world as a cripple."
Explore more quotes by Tahir Shah
"Real travel is not about the highlights with which you dazzle your friends once you're home. It's about the loneliness, the solitude, the evenings spent by yourself, pining to be somewhere else. Those are the moments of true value. You feel half proud of them and half ashamed and you hold them to your heart."
"The pursuit of illusion is not about studying for prizes, or for study's sake. There's no right or wrong, no pass or fail."
"As anyone who's ever taken an Ethiopian bus knows, there is an unwritten rule that the windows must remain firmly closed."
"Experience has taught me the power of trophies. You may have every knick-knack and useless contraption ever devised, but while they weigh you down, a simple trophy can go a long, long way."
"The situation was different in the jungle. Every inch of ground had to be earned, and was done so through much exertion with the blade."
"Calcutta's the only city I know where you are actively encouraged to stop strangers at random for a quick chat."
"Running an expedition can bring out the worst in a man. It can make you a power-crazed monster."
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