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

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 trying to change your experience; it's about changing your relationship to your experience.

The root of all mind is your own present pure awareness. Rest in that essence without seeking elsewhere.

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

Knowledge must be stabilized by meditation. Without meditation, knowledge is like a child in battle.

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

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

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

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

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

In the gap between thoughts, nonconceptual wisdom shines continuously.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

Meditation is not about achieving anything. It's about letting go of everything.

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

Vipassana is the art of living. Not the art of escaping.

Meditation is the road to happiness.

Concentration and insight are like two wings of a bird: both are necessary for the flight to liberation.

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

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.

Zazen is not step-by-step meditation. Rather it is simply the easy and pleasant practice of a Buddha, the realization of the Buddha's Wisdom.

The goal of meditation is not to achieve a blank mind, but to gain insight into the nature of mind itself.

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

The quieter you become, the more you can hear.

There are many ways to meditate. But at the heart of them all is mindfulness.

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

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.

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

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

The yogi's joy is in the solitude of mountains, where all distractions naturally dissolve into emptiness.

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

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

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

In meditation, we're not trying to get rid of thoughts but to recognize their true nature.

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

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.

Maintain the state of undistractedness and distractions will fly away.

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

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.

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

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

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

When you practice zazen you should not try to attain anything. You should just sit in the complete calmness of your mind and not rely on anything.

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

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.

Concentration develops naturally through continuous noting. Don't try to force concentration to arise.

Short moments, many times. That is the essence of meditation practice.

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

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

Better to have one moment of genuine meditation than to perform religious activities for a thousand years.

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

The state of mind that exists when you sit in the right posture is, itself, enlightenment.

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

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