Wisdom for the Soul - Conscience

CONSCIENCE

Clear conscience never fears midnight knocking.
Chinese Saying

Reason often makes mistakes, but conscience never does.
Josh Billings
1818-1885, American Humorist

Whenever conscience speaks with a divided, uncertain, and disputed voice, it is not the voice of God. Descend still deeper into yourself, until you hear nothing but a clear, undivided voice, a voice which does away with doubt and brings with it persuasion, light, and serenity.
Henri-Frederic Amiel
1821-1881, Swiss Philosopher, Writer

The changes in our life must come from the impossibility to live otherwise than according to the demands of our conscience.
Leo Tolstoy
1828-1910, Russian Novelist, Essayist, Philosopher
in Julia Cameron, Transitions: Prayers and Declarations for a Changing Life , 1999

Conscience and cowardice are really the same things.
Oscar Wilde
1856-1900, Irish Poet, Dramatist, Critic, Wit

I should love to satisfy all, if I possibly can; but in trying to satisfy all, I may be able to satisfy none. I have, therefore, arrived at the conclusion that the best course is to satisfy one's own conscience and leave the world to form its own judgment, favorable or otherwise.
Mahatma Gandhi
1869-1948, Indian Spiritual Leader
Gandhi's View of Life

In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place.
Gandhi

Conscience can reside only in a delicately tuned breast. There is no such thing therefore as mass conscience as distinguished from the consciences of individuals. It is safe therefore to say that when a man makes everything a matter of conscience, he is a stranger to it.
Gandhi
"Under Conscious Cover," Young India , 1924 August 21

Nothing is more powerful than an individual acting out of his conscience, thus helping to bring the collective conscience to life.
Norman Cousins
1915-1990, American Editor, Humanitarian, Author

The one thing that doesn't abide majority rule is a person's conscience.
Harper Lee
1926-, American Writer

Cowardice asks the question, "Is it safe?" Expediency asks the question, "Is it politic?" Vanity asks the question, "Is it popular?" But, conscience asks the question, "Is it right?" And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because one's conscience tells one that it is right.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
1929-1968, African-American Civil Rights Leader, Cleric, 1964 Nobel Laureate

CONSCIENCE
This cross-index may help identify and delineate more closely subjective realities often hard to pin down. Related states elucidate shades of meaning and amplify nuances of feeling Syntonic elements foster and enhance well-being Dystonic factors are contraindicated and should be minimized.
Related States & Conditions	Being/Essence/Soul \| Belief/Religion \| Connection/Interbeing/Interdependence \| Conviction \| Criticism/Judgment \| Disclosure/Veracity, Ethics/Morality, Fault, Forgiveness, Giving/Serving, Goodness/Virtue, Guilt, Integrity, Love-Agape, Moderation, Oneness/Unity/Wholeness, Questioning/Doubt, Reciprocity/Reflection, Regret, Responsibility, Restraint, Shadow, Truth
Syntonic	Acceptance \| Compassion/Empathy/Kindness \| Engagement/Integration/Involvement, Introspection/Self-Knowledge, Listening, Openness/Receptivity, Patience, Release, Respect, Sincerity/Authenticity, Tolerance, Trust, Understanding, Wisdom
Dystonic	Anger \| Attachment \| Avoidance/Denial/Refusal \| Complacency \| Delusion \| Fear, Greed, Hate, Jealousy/Envy, Limitation, Revenge, War/Aggression/Violence, Worry