--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Rediscovering the wisdom of love and…" description: "\"Rediscovering the wisdom of love and compassion may help us survive at a time when an increasingly balkanized world so badly needs it.\" — Dean Ornish" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/dean-ornish-2921_compassion_rediscovering-the-wisdom-of-love-and-com_1217912.png" --- # Rediscovering the wisdom of love and compassion may help… ![“Rediscovering the wisdom of love and compassion may help us survive at a time when an increasingly balkanized world so badly needs it.” quote by Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/dean-ornish-2921_compassion_rediscovering-the-wisdom-of-love-and-com_1217912.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/dean-ornish-2921_compassion_rediscovering-the-wisdom-of-love-and-com_1217912.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/dean-ornish-2921_compassion_rediscovering-the-wisdom-of-love-and-com_1217912.png) > “Rediscovering the wisdom of love and compassion may help us survive at a time when an increasingly balkanized world so badly needs it.” [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Compassion and love are essential for humanity to thrive amid growing division. **In simple terms:** Love and compassion help humanity survive division. Key Takeaway Cultivate empathy and kindness daily. Themes compassion love humanity division survival Mood hopeful reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - community building - conflict resolution - global policy Key Concepts empathy social cohesion psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can we practice compassion in polarized debates? - What barriers prevent widespread empathy? A Different Perspective Compassion alone cannot solve structural inequities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love and compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-compassion/) [Love compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-compassion/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [In an era in which war and terrorism - at home and abroad - are often based on racial, religious and ethnic differences, rediscovering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/in-an-era-in-which-war-and-terrorism-at-home-and-abroad-are-often/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [“When you are appreciating someone intently and deliberately with love and compassion, your need for them to change will disappear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dash-trembley/when-you-are-appreciating-someone-intently-and-deliberately-with-love/) Dash Trembley > [Pets have more love and compassion in them than most humans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/pets-have-more-love-and-compassion-in-them-than-most-humans/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [Let us cultivate love and compassion, both of which give life true meaning. This is the religion I preach. It is simple. Its temple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/let-us-cultivate-love-and-compassion-both-of-which-give-life-true/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Let us not use bombs and guns to overcome the world. Let us use love and compassion. Peace begins with a smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/let-us-not-use-bombs-and-guns-to-overcome-the-world-let-us-use-love/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [To feel overflowing love and almost unbearable compassion for all living creatures is the best way to fulfil the wishes of all the Buddhas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dilgo-khyentse-rinpoche/to-feel-overflowing-love-and-almost-unbearable-compassion-for-all/) [Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dilgo-khyentse-rinpoche/) > [“I'm not at all sure that it isn't the case that God is not "all love," just that "love" is manifest in various ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loran-blood/i-m-not-at-all-sure-that-it-isn-t-the-case-that-god-is-not-all-love/) Loran Blood > [Look at the world with the vision of peace, love, and compassion. Then the whole world will appear loving and peaceful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/look-at-the-world-with-the-vision-of-peace-love-and-compassion-then/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [I believe in the spirit of equality and the spirit of this country as one of love and compassion and kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/i-believe-in-the-spirit-of-equality-and-the-spirit-of-this-country-as/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [It is time to fill the world with strong and powerful deeds. It is common knowledge that no great captain in the world has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-time-to-fill-the-world-with-strong-and-powerful-deeds-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To meet someone who really hurts you is to meet a rare and precious treasure. Hold that person in high esteem, and make full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dilgo-khyentse-rinpoche/to-meet-someone-who-really-hurts-you-is-to-meet-a-rare-and-precious/) [Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dilgo-khyentse-rinpoche/) > [One can overcome the forces of negative emotions, like anger and hatred, by cultivating their counter-forces, like love and compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/one-can-overcome-the-forces-of-negative-emotions-like-anger-and/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The whole purpose of religion is to facilitate love and compassion, patience, tolerance, humility, and forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-whole-purpose-of-religion-is-to-facilitate-love-and-compassion/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [I would like my life to be a statement of love and compassion--and where it isn't, that's where my work lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/i-would-like-my-life-to-be-a-statement-of-love-and-compassion-and/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [“surround yourself with people who allow you to be yourself, it does not mean be around others who do not have a sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasha-hoggatt/surround-yourself-with-people-who-allow-you-to-be-yourself-it-does/) [Tasha Hoggatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasha-hoggatt/) ## More by Dean Ornish > [People don't dislike change, they dislike being changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/people-don-t-dislike-change-they-dislike-being-changed/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [Think about it: Heart disease and diabetes, which account for more deaths in the U.S. and worldwide than everything else combined, are completely preventable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/think-about-it-heart-disease-and-diabetes-which-account-for-more/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [There's a tendency to dismiss anything having to do with love and intimacy in medicine because it's hard to measure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/there-s-a-tendency-to-dismiss-anything-having-to-do-with-love-and/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [No one has all the answers, so whatever a woman who has the BRCA mutation chooses to do requires courage and an element of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/no-one-has-all-the-answers-so-whatever-a-woman-who-has-the-brca/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [The power of the Internet is also its limitation - it provides access to large amounts of information without providing guidance on how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/the-power-of-the-internet-is-also-its-limitation-it-provides-access/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [Anything that takes you out of the context of being separate is healing. Anything that takes you out of the context of separateness is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/anything-that-takes-you-out-of-the-context-of-being-separate-is/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [Nobody wants to feel controlled or treated like a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/nobody-wants-to-feel-controlled-or-treated-like-a-child/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [An Asian way of eating and living may help prevent and even reverse the progression of coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, prostate cancer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/an-asian-way-of-eating-and-living-may-help-prevent-and-even-reverse/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [The healing power of love and relationships has been documented in an increasing number of well-designed scientific studies involving hundreds of thousands of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/the-healing-power-of-love-and-relationships-has-been-documented-in-an/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [When I use the word spirituality, I don't necessarily mean religion; I mean whatever it is that helps you feel connected to something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/when-i-use-the-word-spirituality-i-don-t-necessarily-mean-religion-i/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [Eating a vegetarian diet, walking (exercising) everyday, and meditating is considered radical. Allowing someone to slice your chest open and graft your leg veins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/eating-a-vegetarian-diet-walking-exercising-everyday-and-meditating/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [An educated patient is empowered; thus, more likely to become healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/an-educated-patient-is-empowered-thus-more-likely-to-become-healthy/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [Real power is not given to us or even created; real power is realized. It comes from realizing an inner sense of peace, self-worth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/real-power-is-not-given-to-us-or-even-created-real-power-is-realized/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [In a global economy, the Bush doctrine of unilateralism - going it alone - has been disastrous. It's becoming increasingly clear that we're all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/in-a-global-economy-the-bush-doctrine-of-unilateralism-going-it-alone/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [Getting through the day becomes more important than living a long life when you have no one else to live for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/getting-through-the-day-becomes-more-important-than-living-a-long/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) [Explore all 145 Dean Ornish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) Segun Magbagbeola > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) Talib al Habib > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) [Browse all 9,892 Compassion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Rediscovering the wisdom of love and compassion may help us survive at a time when an increasingly balkanized world so badly needs it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dean Ornish" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/rediscovering-the-wisdom-of-love-and-compassion-may-help-us-survive/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Compassion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/rediscovering-the-wisdom-of-love-and-compassion-may-help-us-survive/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/dean-ornish-2921_compassion_rediscovering-the-wisdom-of-love-and-com_1217912.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/dean-ornish-2921_compassion_rediscovering-the-wisdom-of-love-and-com_1217912.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/dean-ornish-2921_compassion_rediscovering-the-wisdom-of-love-and-com_1217912.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Rediscovering the wisdom of love and compassion may help us survive at a time when an increasingly…” — Dean Ornish", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dean Ornish", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Rediscovering the wisdom of love and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/rediscovering-the-wisdom-of-love-and-compassion-may-help-us-survive/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/rediscovering-the-wisdom-of-love-and-compassion-may-help-us-survive/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```