Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts.

One moment can change a day, one day can change a life, and one life can change the world.

When mindfulness becomes continuous, the distinction between the observer and the observed begins to break down.

Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes.

Every experience is an opportunity to practice awareness.

Ardently do today what must be done. Who knows? Tomorrow, death comes.

The future is completely open, and we are writing it moment to moment.

Who would then deny that when I am sipping tea in my tearoom I am swallowing the whole universe with it and that this very moment of my lifting the bowl to my lips is eternity itself transcending time and space?

The art of living... is neither careless drifting on the one hand nor fearful clinging to the past on the other. It consists in being sensitive to each moment, in regarding it as utterly new and unique, in having the mind open and wholly receptive.

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth.

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

Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.

The quality of every moment depends on the state of our minds.

Mindfulness is the quality and power of mind that is aware of what's happening—without judgment and without interference.

Whatever we do, we should see ourselves. Reading books doesn't show us our defilements. Watch yourself. Watch your mind.

Life is available only in the present moment.

Mindfulness is the key to the present moment. Without it we cannot see the world clearly, and we cannot make the wisest choices in our lives.

Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes.

Every moment is a fresh beginning. Every breath is a new chance.

The more precisely you note, the more clearly you understand. The more clearly you understand, the stronger your insight becomes.

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

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

Through continuous mindfulness practice, the true nature of physical and mental phenomena becomes clear.

Treat every moment as your last. It is not preparation for something else.

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.

The practice of mindfulness is the practice of being alive in the present moment.

The only way to experience truth is to look within, to observe oneself.

When you see forms or hear sounds fully engaging body-and-mind, you intuit dharma intimately.

Mindfulness is attention to life, and life itself is sacred.

When we rest in awareness, we discover a peace that is always present, regardless of circumstances.

What you are is what you have been. What you'll be is what you do now.

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.

Study the Buddha's teaching which is present in every moment.

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

Each moment of mindfulness is a moment of purification.

When you do something, you should burn yourself completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself.

The signs of practice are not in extraordinary experiences but in extraordinary awareness of ordinary experiences.

There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live.

Awareness is the basis, or what you might call the "support," of the mind. It is steady and unchanging, like the pole to which the flag of ordinary consciousness is attached.

The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.

The real purpose of Zen is to see things as they are, to observe things as they are, and to let everything go as it goes.

The past is gone, the future is not yet here. Live in the present moment with awareness.

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

When we get too caught up in the busyness of the world, we lose connection with one another – and ourselves.

The true purpose of Zen is to see things as they are, to observe things as they are, and to let everything go as it goes.

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.

Each moment of clear seeing is a moment of freedom from the illusion of permanence, satisfaction, and self.

Mindfulness isn't difficult, we just need to remember to do it.

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

The present moment is the only moment available to us, and it is the door to all moments.

The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.

Sensations are not your enemy. They are your teacher. Through observing them, you understand the truth of existence.

When we look directly at our thoughts, they dissolve like bubbles in water.

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

Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay.

Observe the reality as it is, not as you wish it to be.

Awareness is like the sun. When it shines on things, they are transformed.

The four foundations of mindfulness are not separate practices but different aspects of the same practice of clear awareness.

Because you are alive, everything is possible.

The practice of mindfulness leads naturally to concentration. Concentration leads naturally to wisdom.