“The old dispute about the relative virtues of the active way and the contemplative way is a spurious one. We require both.

They are phases of a single rhythm like the pulsing of the heart, the in drawing and letting go of breath, the ebb and flow of the tides. So we go deep, deep inwards in  meditation to consolidate our vital energy, and then, with greater love and wisdom, we come out into the family, the community, the world. Without action we lack opportunities for changing our old ways, and we increase our self-will rather than lessen it; without  contemplation, we lack the strength to change and are blown away by our conditioning. “

– Eknath Easwaran