be satisfied with thinking on your chosen subject simply and easily; suffer yourself to be led gently to the truths which affect you, and which you find to nourish your heart…Avoid likewise all refined speculation; confine yourself to simple reflections, and recur to them frequently. Those who pass too rapidly from one truth to another, feed their curiosity and restlessness; they even distract their intellect by too great a multiplicity of views.

—François Fénelon, Spiritual Progress

Be content, then, to follow with simplicity, and without too many reflections, the emotions which God shall excite in view of your subject, or of any other truth. As for higher things, have no thoughts of them; there is a time for everything, and it is of the greatest importance that nothing should be precipitated.

—François Fénelon, Spiritual Progress

An intelligent person who, nonetheless, lacks the knowledge of the proper meaning of words will lack precision in his expression.

—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Characteristics of the Spiritual Path

The one who loves learning learns from everything (and everyone).

—Pope Shenouda III, Words of Spiritual Benefit Vol. 1

​​That books do not take the place of experience, and that learning is no substitute for genius, are two kindred phenomena; their common ground is that the abstract can never take the place of the perceptive.

ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER

“You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.”

―Albert Camus

However great your knowledge may be, you cannot understand as long as you do not love. Love is much nobler than intellect. The logic of love is much more sublime than that of the intellect.
…
Human beings have more knowledge than wisdom. Their theories have become in their minds like the fog on the mountains and in the valleys; they prevent them from seeing things as they are. Their theories rob them of sight.

—St. Charbel, Love is a Radiant Light

Humble knowledge of self is a surer path to God than the ardent pursuit of learning. Not that learning is to be considered evil, or knowledge, which is good in itself and so ordained by God; but a clean conscience and virtuous life ought always to be preferred. Many often err and accomplish little or nothing because they try to become learned rather than to live well.

—Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ