Quotes About Mindfulness

Gentleness can be developed with simple thoughts. First, appreciate who you are and make friends with yourself. Look at what you can do, and don't allow what you cannot do to oppress you. Rather, regard it as a future adventure. The practice of meditation allows for this development to take place.

Past events are already gone, and the future is yet to happen. It is only in the present that we can be in our life. The present is the joystick, controlling the moment, and thus the direction our life takes. Being with the breath is the most effective way of being in the present. It completely connects us with reality.

when we are brave enough to be in the present, we have the power to transform the world.

The breath is like the waves in the ocean that help circulate the water so that it does not become stagnant.

When the mind is totally present, it is relaxed, nimble, and sensitive. It feels lighter and clearer. It notices everything, but it is not distracted by anything. It is the feeling of knowing exactly where you are and what you are doing.

Our minds become more supple as we develop ourselves on the meditation seat. Each time we acknowledge a fantasy or thought, we're softening up our mind by becoming less bound to concepts and emotions. Following the technique fosters curiosity instead of dullness, appreciation instead of disheartenment, and imagination instead of limitation.

I have always found a natural relationship between running and meditation. Running can be a support for meditation, and meditation can be a support for running.

Similarly, our mind has developed enough mindfulness and awareness to drive to work, but if we had to drive across the country, we might not have the stamina to stay on the road. Someone who makes long drives all the time, like a trucker, can do it much more easily.

Long periods of overstimulation—too much activity—begin to affect the organs and blood flow. Mentally we may become dull or jaded. Most important, we are not able to have deeper, more contemplative thoughts.

Benevolence requires the steadiness of an elephant—a sense of trusting ourselves and remembering the suffering of others—because it is easy to become irritated with people.

Obviously it is not good to keep checking your watch, as you might discover that you have supernatural powers that can slow down the time.

When we contemplate our motivation, we expand our attitude from being concerned with just ourselves to caring for the whole world.

in meditation, the mind will get stronger if we keep exercising our mindfulness.

We can use the time recovering from an injury to train our mind in gentleness and firmness.

The point of handling our motivation is not necessarily to channel it into a drive to be successful; that would be ambition. Rather, the point is to

I learned a vital lesson when I began meditation: if I did not respect what I was doing, nobody else would. Meditation has further demonstrated to me that once you begin to respect yourself and what you do—not in an egocentric way, but with appreciation and self-worth—then any activity becomes meaningful. Life is to be respected, appreciated, and lived fully—instead of chastised or rushed through.

The tiger incorporates meditation and running as a natural part of the daily routine, for these endeavors can bring health of body and mind only if we are consistent in practicing them.

To be gentle is to encourage ourselves.

Contemplation is essentially a process of convincing ourselves. We have read books and heard lectures, but now we must make our motivation personal.

1. Running with the Mind of Meditation

My meditation teachers taught me that with aggression, you may accomplish some things, but with gentleness, you can accomplish all things.

The practice of overcoming hope is recognizing our positive qualities. With excessive hope, we begin to belittle what we have achieved. We might then feel inadequate and have fear of not achieving more.

Bringing heaven down to earth, into our daily life, is how we rule our world.

Remember why you are meditating: to balance the activity of your life by working with your mind.