Joseph Goldstein Quotes
Joseph Goldstein (born 1944), co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society, is one of the first American vipassana teachers. Trained in India and Burma, he has been teaching meditation worldwide since 1974 and is a significant figure in bringing Buddhist mindfulness practices to the West.
The great gift of meditation is that it returns us to the simplicity of our own being.
Joseph Goldstein
Compassion is not something we develop. It arises naturally as we see the truth of what is.
Joseph Goldstein
The dharma is not about collecting more beliefs but about becoming free from the power of belief itself.
Joseph Goldstein
The essence of the spiritual journey is the uncovering of what is always already present.
Joseph Goldstein
The first noble truth of the Buddha is that life contains suffering. The second noble truth is that the cause of suffering is craving.
Joseph Goldstein
We can learn to be present with whatever is happening in our lives, and in this way, we can begin to transform our relationship to difficulty.
Joseph Goldstein
Each moment of mindfulness is a moment of purification.
Joseph Goldstein
Our task is to learn to see clearly what is happening in each moment, rather than be lost in our reactions and judgments.
Joseph Goldstein
Mindfulness is the quality and power of mind that is aware of what's happening—without judgment and without interference.
Joseph Goldstein
The path is not about perfecting ourselves, but about perfecting our love.
Joseph Goldstein
The more we understand the nature of our mind, the more we understand the nature of our world.
Joseph Goldstein
Meditation is not about trying to change ourselves. Meditation is about being aware of what is.
Joseph Goldstein
Freedom is not found in the absence of difficulty, but in our relationship to it.
Joseph Goldstein
Every time we become aware of a thought, as opposed to being lost in a thought, we experience that opening of the mind.
Joseph Goldstein
The deepest happiness comes from having an enduring sense of purpose, one that gives our lives meaning beyond the endless pursuit of pleasure and success.
Joseph Goldstein
The mind creates the abyss, and the heart crosses it.
Joseph Goldstein
In meditation, we are continuously discovering who and what we are.
Joseph Goldstein
The more we understand impermanence, the more we understand that we can't hold on to anything.
Joseph Goldstein
The willingness to empty ourselves and then seek our true nature is an expression of great and courageous love.
Joseph Goldstein
The practice is simply this: keep coming back to your breath during the day. This will give your mind a steadiness and your life a balance.
Joseph Goldstein