a lot less important to control circumstances, because you know you can handle moments of uncertainty or awkwardness or disappointment without an
escape plan.”
—David Cain
“By identifying impermanence as a fundamental characteristic of existence itself, rather than a problem to be solved, the Buddhists are encouraging us to let go our hold on illusory solidity and learn to swim freely in the sea of change.”
—Andrew Olendzki
Be a Buddha
So to be a human being is to be a Buddha.
Buddha nature is just another name for human nature,
our true human nature. Thus even though
you do not do anything,
you are actually doing something.
You are expressing yourself.
You are expressing your true nature.
Your eyes will express;
your voice will express;
your demeanor will express.
The most important thing is to express your true nature
in the simplest, most adequate way
and to appreciate it in the smallest existence.
—Shunryu Suzuki
Power Thoughts: Mindfulness Mantras
from the Masters
“Mindfulness is deliberately paying full attention to what is happening around you—in your body, heart, and mind. Mindfulness is awareness, without criticism or judgment.”
—Hab Chozen Bays
“Mindfulness has helped me succeed in almost every dimension of my life. By stopping regularly to look inward and become aware of my mental state, I stay connected to the source of my actions and thoughts, and can guide them with considerably more intention.”
—Dustin Moskovitz
“Paying attention to, and staying with finer and finer sensations within the body, is one of the surest ways to steady the wandering mind.”
—Ravi Ravindra
“Sati—sampajanna (‘Mindfulness and clear comprehension’) should be examined carefully from the point of view of the centipede who could not walk when she thought about how she moved her limbs. And also from the point of view of absorption in, say, artistic creation, and detached observation of it. Absorption in piano playing or painting seems to be ‘successful,’ but detached observation or enjoyment of ‘my playing’…seems to have the centipede effect.”
—Nanamoli Thera
“The most fundamental aggression to ourselves, the most fundamental harm we can do to ourselves, is to remain ignorant by not having the courage and the respect to look at ourselves honestly and gently.”
—Pema Chödrön
Engage and Immerse: Quiet Observation Meditation (Five to Fifteen Minutes)
The quiet observation meditation is intended to bring you back to where you are and to what you already have, all round you. I use it when I want to remind myself of how much life has given me, and to appreciate it in a new and greater way.
Sit or stand in a maintainable, comfortable position. Begin by taking a deep breath in, and as you breathe out, slowly close your eyes. Take a few regular breaths and focus on your breathing, on how your body moves with each intake, on how your muscles soften each time you exhale. When you are ready, gently let go of that focus. Take a few moments to listen. What do you hear? Is there a faint buzzing from machinery? Can you hear the wind outside? Are people talking nearby? Be careful to observe your surroundings without judgment. When you are ready, open your eyes and slowly examine what you can see. Notice the details of every object around you. Acknowledge the existence of each and every thing that you can see and hear. When you have finished, let go of that observational focus, and mindfully resume your day.
“If you meditate in perfect peace, and then flash someone an irritable look because they make noise or their child cries, you are entirely missing the point.”
—Khandro Rinpoche
“It stands to reason that anyone who learns to live well will die well. The skills are the same: being present in the moment, and humble, and brave, and keeping a sense of humor.”
—Victoria Moran
“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.”
—Jon Kabat-Zinn
“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. The latter procedure, however, is disagreeable and therefore not popular.”
—C. G. Jung
“You might be tempted to avoid the messiness of daily living for the tranquility of stillness and peacefulness. This of course would be an attachment to stillness, and like any strong attachment, it leads to delusion. It arrests development and short-circuits the cultivation of wisdom.”
—Jon Kabat-Zinn
“If you live the sacred and despise the ordinary, you are still bobbing in the ocean of delusion.”
—Linji Yixuan
Learn as You Go: How Should I Sit When I Meditate?
When you meditate, you don’t have to sit on the floor with your legs crossed in some amazingly flexible way. In fact, if you don’t normally sit on the floor or cross your legs, you should avoid doing either of those things! Instead, you can sit on a chair in an easily maintainable position, your feet flat on the floor and your back straight, but not rigid. Meditation is supposed to help you, so it’s important to set yourself up for success by sitting in a comfortable position.
“Feelings, whether of compassion or irritation, should be welcomed, recognized, and treated on an absolutely equal basis; because both are ourself. The tangerine I am eating is me. The mustard greens I am planting are me. I plant with all my heart and mind. I clean this teapot with the kind of attention I would have were I giving the baby Buddha or Jesus a bath. Nothing should be treated more carefully than anything else.”
—Thích Nhất Hạnh
“In a true you-and-I relationship, we are present mindfully, nonintrusively, the way we are present with things in nature. We do not tell a birch tree it should be more like an elm. We face it with no agenda, only an appreciation that becomes participation: ‘I love looking at this birch’ becomes ‘I am this birch,’ and then ‘I and this birch are opening to a mystery that transcends and holds us both.’ ”
—David Richo
“It takes a little bit of mindfulness and a little bit of attention to others to be a good listener, which helps cultivate emotional nurturing and engagement.”
—Deepak Chopra
“With silence comes mindfulness, and thus we become better at choosing our words with kind intent before we express them.”
—Alaric Hutchinson
“When you open your mind, you open new doors to new possibilities for yourself, and new opportunities to help others.”
—Roy Bennett
“Respond; don’t react.
Listen; don’t talk.
Think; don’t assume.”
—Raji Lukkoor
“When you practice mindfulness, you bloom like a flower.”
—Debasish Mridha