One beautiful and thought-provoking part of studying T'ai Chi is discovering all the quotes and pieces of wisdom. Some of these quotes aren't taken directly from classical T'ai Chi literature, but they are just as applicable to practicing T'ai Chi principles, which are essentially the principles of life.

• Discover Yourself — Wanting to reform the world without discovering one's true self is like trying to cover the world with leather to avoid the pain of walking on stones and thorns. It is much simpler to wear shoes. —Ramana Maharshi
• Be Soft and Yielding — Men are born soft and supple; dead, they are stiff and hard. Plants are born tender and pliant; dead, they are brittle and dry. Thus, whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death. Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life. The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail. —Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, translated by Stephen Mitchell
• Live Slowly — Life is so short that it must be lived very slowly. —Buddhist saying
• Be Still — Self-control is strength; right thought is mastery; calmness is power; say unto your heart, "Peace, be still." —James Allen, As a Man Thinketh
• Flow Ultimately — Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free: Stay centered by accepting what you are doing. This is the ultimate. —Chuang-Tzu, The Writings of Chuang-Tzu
• Look Inside If You Miss The Mark — The inferior archer, when he misses the mark, first looks for blame in his bow. The superior archer first looks for blame in himself. —Traditional saying of Kyudo (Japanese archery)
• Stay Strong and Gentle — It is the weak who are cruel: gentleness can only be expected from the strong. —Leo Rosten, quoted by Leo Buscaglia
• Begin Your Journey with One Step — The journey of a thousand miles begins with but a single step. —Various Buddhist and Taoist sources