BEST OF THE BEST
| Sir Isaac Newton PRS (25 December 1642 – 20 March 1726/27) was an English mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, theologian, and author (described in his time as a “natural philosopher”), widely recognised as one of the greatest mathematicians and physicists of all time and among the most influential scientists. He was a key figure in the philosophical revolution known as the Enlightenment.
“Nature is pleased with simplicity.” |
| Hippocrates of Kos (c. 460 – c. 370 BC), also known as Hippocrates II, was a Greek physician of the classical period who is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine. He is traditionally referred to as the “Father of Medicine” in recognition of his lasting contributions to the field, such as the use of prognosis and clinical observation, the systematic categorization of diseases, or the formulation of humoural theory.
“Let thy food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” “If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.” |
| Jane Seymour Fonda (born December 21, 1937) is an American actress, activist, and former fashion model. Recognized as a film icon, Fonda is the recipient of various accolades including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, seven Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, the AFI Life Achievement Award, the Golden Lion Honorary Award, the Honorary Palme d’Or, and the Cecil B. DeMille Award.
“Whatever kind of workout you settle on, it should include the Big Three of exercise for health and fitness : aerobics, resistance exercises, and stretching.” |
| Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African-American president of the United States. Obama previously served as a U.S. senator from Illinois from 2005 to 2008 and as an Illinois state senator from 1997 to 2004.
“We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it.” |
| Friedrich Wilhelm Christian Karl Ferdinand von Humboldt (22 June 1767 – 8 April 1835) was a Prussian philosopher, linguist, government functionary, diplomat, and founder of the Humboldt University of Berlin, which was named after him in 1949 (and also after his younger brother, Alexander von Humboldt, a naturalist). He is especially remembered as a linguist who made important contributions to the philosophy of language, ethnolinguistics and to the theory and practice of education. He made a major contribution to the development of liberalism by envisioning education as a means of realizing individual possibility rather than a way of drilling traditional ideas into youth to suit them for an already established occupation or social role.
“True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body; the two are ever united.” |
| Morihei Ueshiba (植芝 盛平, Ueshiba Morihei, December 14, 1883 – April 26, 1969) was a Japanese martial artist and founder of the martial art of aikido. He is often referred to as “the founder” Kaiso (開祖) or Ōsensei (大先生/翁先生), “Great Teacher”.
“The purpose of training is to tighten up the slack, toughen the body, and polish the spirit.” |
| Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreographer for the Laker Girls, where she was discovered by The Jacksons. After choreographing music videos for Janet Jackson, Abdul became a choreographer at the height of the music video era and soon thereafter she was signed to Virgin Records.
“Find fitness with fun dancing. It is fun and makes you forget about the dreaded exercise.” |
| Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was previously the second vice president of the United States under John Adams and the first United States secretary of state under George Washington. The principal author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson was a proponent of democracy, republicanism, and individual rights, motivating American colonists to break from the Kingdom of Great Britain and form a new nation. He produced formative documents and decisions at state, national, and international levels.
“If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.” |
| Socrates (c. 470–399 BC) was a Greek philosopher from Athens who is credited as the founder of Western philosophy and among the first moral philosophers of the ethical tradition of thought. An enigmatic figure, Socrates authored no texts and is known mainly through the posthumous accounts of classical writers, particularly his students Plato and Xenophon.
“If we pursue our habit of eating animals, and if our neighbor follows a similar path, will we not have need to go to war against our neighbor to secure greater pasturage, because ours will not be enough to sustain us, and our neighbor will have a similar need to wage war on us for the same reason?” |
| Idries Shah (June 1924 – 23 November 1996), also known as Idris Shah, né Sayed Idries el-Hashimi, and by the pen name Arkon Daraul, was an author and thinker, and a teacher in the Sufi tradition. Shah wrote over three dozen books on topics ranging from psychology and spirituality to travelogues and culture studies.
“The impatient person is his own enemy; he slams the door on his own progress.” |
| Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900) was a German philosopher, cultural critic and philologist whose work has exerted a profound influence on modern intellectual history. He began his career as a classical philologist before turning to philosophy. He became the youngest person ever to hold the Chair of Classical Philology at the University of Basel in 1869 at the age of 24.
“He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying.” |
| Albert Einstein (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theory of relativity, but he also made important contributions to the development of the theory of quantum mechanics. Relativity and quantum mechanics are together the two pillars of modern physics. His work is also known for its influence on the philosophy of science…His intellectual achievements and originality resulted in “Einstein” becoming synonymous with “genius”.
“I truly believe in a Vegetarian lifestyle and I have faith and hopes in change in human destiny, thanks to the physical effects and benefits of a healthier diet and its influence on the character of the people. It will bring about some benefit and improvement to human society.” “So I am living without fats, without meat, without fish, but am feeling quite well this way. It always seems to me that man was not born to be a carnivore.” “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” “Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” |
| Benjamin Franklin FRS FRSA FRSE (January 17, 1706 – April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Among the leading intellectuals of his time, Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, a drafter and signer of the United States Declaration of Independence, and the first United States Postmaster General.
“My refusing to eat meat occasioned inconveniency, and I have been frequently chided for my singularity. But my light repast allows for greater progress, for greater clearness of head and quicker comprehension.” |
| Richard David Bach (born June 23, 1936) is an American writer widely known as the author of some of the 1970s’ biggest sellers, including Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1970) and Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah (1977). Bach has written numerous works of fiction, and also non-fiction flight-related titles. Most of Bach’s books have been semi-autobiographical, using actual or fictionalized events from his life to illustrate his philosophy. Bach’s books espouse his philosophy that our apparent physical limits and mortality are merely appearance. Bach is noted for his love of aviation and for his books related to flying in a metaphorical context.
“Any powerful idea is absolutely fascinating and absolutely useless until we choose to use it.” “An author is a writer who didn’t give up.” “Whatever harm I would do to another, I shall do first to myself. “Sooner or later, those who win are those who think they can.” “Commerce is idea and choice expressed. Look about you this moment: Everything you see and touch was once invisible idea until someone chose to bring it into being.” |
| Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist and political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign for India’s independence from British rule, and to later inspire movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. The honorific Mahātmā (Sanskrit: “great-souled”, “venerable”), first applied to him in 1914 in South Africa, is now used throughout the world.
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” “It is very significant that some of the most thoughtful and cultured men are partisans of a pure vegetable diet.” |
| Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventions, which include the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and early versions of the electric light bulb, have had a widespread impact on the modern industrialized world. He was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of organized science and teamwork to the process of invention, working with many researchers and employees. He established the first industrial research laboratory.
“Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages.” |
| Sharon Gannon (born July 4, 1951 in Washington, D.C.) is a yoga teacher, animal rights advocate, musician, author, dancer and choreographer. Along with David Life, she is the co-founder of the Jivamukti Yoga method.
“Don’t wait for a better world. Start now to create a world of harmony and peace. It is up to you, and it always has been. You may even find the solution at the end of your fork.” |
| Colleen Patrick-Goudreau (born March 8, 1970, in Westfield, New Jersey) is an American author, lecturer,TEDx speaker, cultural commentator, and podcaster. Patrick-Goudreau advocates veganism as a means by which to prevent cruelty to animals.
“We don’t “crave” animal-based meat, dairy, and eggs, but we do crave fat, salt, flavor, texture, and familiarity.” 🙂 |
| Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī, but more popularly known simply as Rumi (30 September 1207 – 17 December 1273), was a 13th-century Persian poet, Hanafi faqih, Islamic scholar, Maturidi theologian, and Sufi mystic originally from Greater Khorasan in Greater Iran. Rumi’s influence transcends national borders and ethnic divisions. Rumi has been described as the “most popular poet” and the “best selling poet” in the United States.
“Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form.” 🙂 “Start a huge, foolish project, like Noah…it makes absolutely no difference what people think of you.” 🙂 “Where there is ruin, there is hope for a treasure.” 😉 “Patience with small details makes perfect a large work, like the universe.” “As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.” |
| George Bernard Shaw, (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist, and once said :
“Animals are my friends…and I don’t eat my friends.” 🙂 “There is no sincerer love than the love of food.” |
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