Quotes About Mindfulness

The main thing is to pay attention. Pay close attention to everything, notice what no one else notices. Then you'll know what no one else knows, and that's always useful.

The main thing is to pay attention. Pay close attention to everything, notice what no one else notices. Then you'll know what no one else knows, and that's always useful.

You don't have to be a wreck. You don't have to be sick. One's aim in life should be to die in good health. Just like a candle that burns out.

The key to coping with questionable emotions is knowing that we are in control of them, and not the other way around.

One thing I've learned, Father--that in this life it's best to keep the then and the now and the what's-to-be as close together in your thoughts as you can. It's when you let gaps creep in, when you separate out the intervals and dwell on them, that you can't bear the sorrow.

in this life it's best to keep the then and the now and the what's-to-be as close together in your thoughts as you can. It's when you let gaps creep in, when you separate out the intervals and dwell on them, that you can't bear the sorrow.

And yet that's the best way to watch television actively: with your eyes closed.

The meditative mind sees disagreeable or agreeable things with equanimity, patience, and good-will. Transcendent knowledge is seeing reality in utter simplicity. (146)

It [speaking with words that bring about harmony] consists of speaking of what is good about people, instead of what is wrong with them. For some people this is an almost impossible exercise, for they have become totally habituated to speaking critically. We all seem to have a special talent for finding critical things to say about the world, about others, and about ourselves! (117)

The ego is like a clever monkey, which can co-opt anything, even the most spiritual practices, so as to expand itself. (155)

May sleep envelop you as a bed sheet floating gently down, tickling your skin and removing every worry. Reminding you to consider only this moment.

I need neither future nor past, but to learn to take today not too fast.

Maybe the meaning of your life is what your life means to you now. It's hard to understand that time doesn't exist because we have such a clear experience of past, present and future, but we don't really experience past and future, only present. Past and future are just ideas in the present. This means that there is only now, but what is now? We can't say what now is because there is no not-now. It's always now. There is only now.

It's like I can hum a few bars but I have forgotten most of the words. I can't stand in line at the grocery and carry on a normal conversation if it gets much past the weather.

Try to take it one step at a time. Even looking two steps ahead can be very intimidating, know what I mean? Breathe more deeply, drink more water, meditate more often. Take it easy. You're not struggling to climb from hell into heaven, you're just having an in-the-body experience. It's not evil, it's just life, and when it's over, you die; easy as falling off a log.

The point isn't to make yourself feel that you're a part of everything, but to stop for one minute insisting with every thought and feeling that you're not.

You observe events and you allow the flow of things to do the steering and you go where you go.

The reason for writing it down on paper or on a computer where you can see it is because the brain, unlikely as it may sound, is no place for serious thinking. Any time you have serious thinking to do, the first step is to get the whole shootin' match out of your head and set it up someplace where you can walk around it and see it from all sides. Attack, switch sides and counter-attack. You can't do that while it's still in your head.

A poem by Ryokan comes to mind: Too lazy to be ambitious, I let the world take care of itself. Ten days worth of rice in my bag; a bundle of twigs by the fireplace. Why chatter about delusion and enlightenment? Listening to the night rain on my roof, I sit comfortably, with both legs stretched out. One of my favorites.

The fear of no-self is the mother of all fears, the one upon which all others are based. No fear is so small or petty that the fear of no-self isn't at its heart. All fear is ultimately fear of no-self.

Unhappiness is caused when we cannot let go of our memories.

3. Buy many small pleasures instead of few big ones

You've got to take care of yourself on the path, not just when you cross the goal line, because don't forget, wherever you are, that's the goal line.

Always maintain a joyful mind. Appreciate the struggles as opportunities to wake up.