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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sleep is the best meditation.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Silence is so much more productive of wisdom and clarity than thinking.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The quieter you become, the more you can hear.

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

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

Meditation is the road to happiness.

In the gap between thoughts, nonconceptual wisdom shines continuously.