The Emerald Tablet

“By this means you will acquire the glory of the whole world.”

— The Emerald Tablet, circa 3000 BC

“As below, so above; and as above so below. With this knowledge alone you may work miracles.”

— The Emerald Tablet, circa 3000 BC (p. 251)

Tecumseh

“When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light, for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food and the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies with yourself.”

— Tecumseh, Shawnee Native American Leader (p. 9)

Ibn Khaldun Al Muqaddima

“Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is the key to it.”

— Ibn Khaldun Al Muqaddima, Scholar & Statesman (p. 17)

John F. Kennedy

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

— John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States (p. 21)

Willie Nelson

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”

— Willie Nelson, Singer-Songwriter (p. 29)

Maltbie D. Babcock

“Better to lose count while naming your blessings than to lose your blessings counting your troubles.”

— Maltbie D. Babcock (p. 30)

Charles Dickens

“Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes of which all men have some.”

— Charles Dickens, Writer (p. 37)

Thornton Wilder

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.”

— Thornton Wilder, Writer & Playwright (p. 45)

Virgil

“The greatest wealth is health.”

— Virgil, Roman Poet (p. 51)

John Henry Jowett

“Gratitude is a vaccine, an antitoxin, and an antiseptic.”

— John Henry Jowett, Presbyterian Preacher & Writer (p. 53)

Christian Science Hymnal

“Gratitude is riches. Complaint is poverty.”

— Christian Science Hymnal (p. 61)

Tom Robbins

“If you take any activity, any art, any discipline, any skill - take it and push it as far as it will go, push it beyond where it has ever been before, push it to the wildest edges of edges, then you force it into the realm of magic.”

— Tom Robbins, Writer (p. 69)

Bahá'u'lláh

“A thankful person is thankful under all circumstances.”

— Bahá’u’lláh, Persian Founder of the Bahá’í Faith (p. 77)

W. J. Cameron

“A thankful heart hath a continual feast.”

— W. J. Cameron, Journalist & Businessman (p. 87)

Loren Eiseley

“If there is magic on this planet it is contained in water.”

— Loren Eiseley, Anthropologist & Natural Science Writer (p. 89)

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.”

— Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Lutheran Pastor (p. 95)

Saint Ambrose

“No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.”

— Saint Ambrose, Theologian & Catholic Bishop (p. 101)

Philo of Alexandria

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”

— Philo of Alexandria, Philosopher (p. 104)

Marcus Aurelius

“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love.”

— Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor (p. 111)

J. B. Priestley

“I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning.”

— J. B. Priestley, Writer & Playwright (p. 113)

Albert Schweitzer

“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each one of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”

— Albert Schweitzer, Nobel Peace Prize-Winning Medical Missionary & Philosopher (p. 117)

Norman Vincent Peale

“Imagination is the true magic carpet.”

— Norman Vincent Peale, Writer (p. 123)

Deepak Chopra

“Intentions compressed into words enfold magical power.”

— Deepak Chopra, Medical Doctor & Writer (p. 133)

Gautama Buddha

“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.”

— Gautama Buddha, Founder of Buddhism (p. 142)

Saint Augustine

“Miracles are not contrary to nature, but only contrary to what we know about nature.”

— Saint Augustine, Theologian & Catholic Bishop (p. 149)

Hippocrates

“Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease.”

— Hippocrates, Father of Western Medicine (p. 154)

William S. Burroughs

“In the magical universe there are no coincidences and there are no accidents. Nothing happens unless someone wills it to happen.”

— William S. Burroughs, Writer & Poet (p. 157)

Eden Phillpotts

“The world is full of magical things waiting for our wits to grow sharper.”

— Eden Phillpotts, Novelist & Poet (p. 167)

Albert Einstein

“A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life depend on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving.”

— Albert Einstein, Nobel Prize-Winning Physicist (p. 175)

William A. Ward

“God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say 'thank you'?”

— William A. Ward, Writer (p. 176)

Jean-Baptiste Massieu

“Gratitude is the memory of the heart.”

— Jean-Baptiste Massieu, French Revolution Activist (p. 181)

G. K. Chesterton

“You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.”

— G. K. Chesterton, Writer (p. 187)

Thomas Carlyle

“This world, after all our science and sciences, is still a miracle; wonderful, inscrutable, magical, and more to whosoever will think of it.”

— Thomas Carlyle, Writer & Historian (p. 195)

Mary Ellen Chase

“It is quite possible to leave your home for a walk in the early morning air and return a different person – beguiled, enchanted.”

— Mary Ellen Chase, Educator & Writer (p. 201)

Thomas Leonard

“People who wait for a magic wand fail to see that they ARE the magic wand.”

— Thomas Leonard, Personal Development Coach (p. 207)

Flora Colao

“Life is playfulness... We need to play so that we can rediscover the magic all around us.”

— Flora Colao, Writer & Therapist (p. 215)

Kahlil Gibran

“The appearance of things changes according to the emotions, and thus we see magic and beauty in them, while the magic and beauty are really in ourselves.”

— Kahlil Gibran, Poet & Artist (p. 229)

Charles de Lint

“That's the thing with magic. You've got to know it's still here, all around us, or it just stays invisible for you.”

— Charles de Lint, Writer & Celtic Folk Musician (p. 235)

Johannes A. Gaertner

“To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.”

— Johannes A. Gaertner, Professor, Theologian, Poet (p. 241)

Koran (Qur’an)

“We showed him (i.e. man) the way; whether he be grateful or ungrateful (rests on his will).”

— Qur’an (Al-Insān 76:3) (p. 253)