The great gift of meditation is that it returns us to the simplicity of our own being.

Meditation is like a gym in which you develop the powerful mental muscles of calm and insight.

The rising and falling of the abdomen is not the main object. The main object is to develop mindfulness, concentration, and insight.

The view is like a lion - it cannot be led around by anything else. Meditation is like an eagle - it cannot be distracted by anything else. Action is like a madman - it is free from accepting and rejecting.

Meditation is like catching a fish. If you try to catch it quickly, you'll miss it. If you have patience and know how to wait, the fish will come.

Understanding at the intellectual level is not enough. There must be experience at the actual level.

Each breath is a new beginning, a fresh opportunity to awaken.

Don't think that only sitting with the eyes closed is practice. If you do think this way, then quickly change your thinking.

Meditation is not about escaping from difficulty but about meeting it with awareness.

In the monastery of your body, the monk of your mind must stay in retreat.

Meditation is not an escape from reality but a way to understand reality as it truly is.

The practice of mindfulness is simple: whatever you experience, you observe and note it.

The goal of meditation is not to reach some highest place, but to remain in the place where you already are.

When thoughts arise, recognize them as the display of your own awareness, like recognizing your own children in a crowd.

The purpose of meditation is not to create a mental vacuum but to come to know one's own mind.

In true vipassana practice, there is no room for likes and dislikes. There is only observation.

The purpose of meditation is not to create a new state of mind, but to recognize what is already present.

The affairs of the world will go on forever. Do not delay the practice of meditation.

The essence of meditation is not something complicated or exotic. It is simply taking a break from our habitual patterns.

Don't expect or desire anything. Just keep noting whatever arises in the present moment.

The mind is like a wild monkey, jumping here and there. But through meditation, we learn to see whatever arises in our mind with more spaciousness and clarity.

Sankharas are the seeds of consciousness that manifest as sensations. By observing sensations equanimously, we stop creating new sankharas.

The master's introduction is direct recognition of one's own nature. Meditation is maintaining the continuity of this recognition.

Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile.

The technique of self-observation is the technique of observing the reality about oneself at the experiential level.

When you run after your thoughts, you are like a dog chasing a stick. Every time a stick is thrown, you run after it. Instead, be like a lion who, rather than chasing after the stick, turns to face the thrower.

Just observe whatever arises. Don't try to create anything, and don't reject anything.

The greatest obstacle to meditation is our expectation about what it should be.

The object of meditation and the mind which knows it must be noted as they occur. If they are not noted, desire arises and disturbs concentration.

The most profound meditation is to think nothing at all.

Meditation is not about getting rid of thoughts; it's about changing the way we relate to them.

The practice of meditation requires both energy and patience, both effort and relaxation.

The only way to fail at meditation is to stop doing it.

The practice of meditation is like learning to play an instrument - it takes patience, regular practice, and a gentle touch.

Meditation is the ultimate mobile device; you can use it anywhere, anytime, unobtrusively.

Meditation is the road to happiness.

Meditation is not about trying to change ourselves. Meditation is about being aware of what is.

The noting mind and the object noted appear to occur as a pair. Through concentration they are seen to arise and vanish together.

The key to meditation is to recognize the nature of your mind rather than trying to change it.

Meditation is not about trying to change your experience; it's about changing your relationship to your experience.

The purpose of meditation is to make our mind calm and peaceful. If our mind is peaceful, we will be free from worries and mental discomfort.

Maintain the state of undistractedness and distractions will fly away.

The supreme path is not to fabricate anything. The supreme meditation is not to be distracted.

Meditation in the midst of activity is a thousand times superior to meditation in stillness.

Meditation practice isn't about trying to throw ourselves away and become something better. It's about befriending who we are already.

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.

The challenge in meditation is not to eliminate thinking but to understand the nature of thought itself.

Leave your front door and your back door open. Allow your thoughts to come and go. Just don't serve them tea.

The practice of meditation is like tuning an instrument. Too tight, and the strings break. Too loose, and they won't play.

Meditation is not about stopping thoughts, but recognizing that we are not our thoughts.

Meditation is not about getting away from it all. It's about getting into it all.

The more you meditate, the more you understand yourself and the better friend you become to yourself.

Concentration is a cornerstone of mindfulness practice. Your mindfulness will only be as robust as your capacity to ground your attention in the present moment.

Meditation is not an escape from life but a way to fully engage with life.

Let go of what has passed. Let go of what may come. Let go of what is happening now. Don't try to figure anything out. Don't try to make anything happen. Relax, right now, and rest.

In meditation, we are continuously discovering who and what we are.

Meditation is not just about sitting quietly, it's about transforming the mind.

The moment you note a thought, it disappears. The noting mind keeps the hindrances away.

The zazen I speak of is not meditation practice. It is simply the dharma gate of joyful ease.

The most important things in our practice are our physical posture and our way of breathing.