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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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 life but a way to fully engage with life.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Breathing in, there is only the present moment. Breathing out, it is a wonderful moment.

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

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

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

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

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

Sleep is the best meditation.

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.

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

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

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

The most profound meditation is to think nothing at all.

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

The quieter you become, the more you can hear.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.

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

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

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

The practice of meditation is not about achieving states of bliss but about seeing things as they really are.

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

In the gap between thoughts, nonconceptual wisdom shines continuously.

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

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

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

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

The purpose of meditation is to gain right understanding of the true nature of mental and physical phenomena.

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

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