Every time we become aware of a thought, as opposed to being lost in a thought, we experience that opening of the mind.

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

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.

Mindfulness means keeping one's consciousness alive to the present reality.

Mindfulness is being aware of what is happening right now, without wishing it were different.

Every experience is an opportunity to practice awareness.

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

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

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

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

This is the real secret of life -- to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.

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.

Be happy at the moment, that's enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.

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

Awareness is always with us. We don't need to create it or achieve it - we just need to recognize what's already there.

Moment after moment, completely devote yourself to listening to your inner voice.

Try to be mindful and let things take their natural course. Then your mind will become still in any surroundings, like a clear forest pool.

The things that matter most in our lives are not fantastic or grand. They are the moments when we touch one another.

The perfect moment is this one, not the one you're waiting for.

The past is for learning from, not for living in.

In the spiritual world there are no time divisions such as the past, present and future; for they have contracted themselves into a single moment of the present where life quivers in its true sense.

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

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.

The Buddha's teachings are not about abandoning our lives but about bringing the fullness of our attention to our lives.

Past thoughts are traceless, clear, and empty. Future thoughts are unborn and fresh. The present moment abides naturally and unconstructed.

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.

When walking, just walk. When sitting, just sit. Above all, don't wobble.

When you note pain, you should not dwell on the thought, "I feel pain." Simply recognize the presence of pain.

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

In the spring, hundreds of flowers; in autumn, a harvest moon; in the summer, a refreshing breeze; in winter, snow will accompany you. If useless things do not hang in your mind, any season is a good season for you.

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

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

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

When we are mindful, deeply in touch with the present moment, our understanding of what is going on deepens, and we begin to be filled with acceptance, joy, peace and love.

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

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

Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment.

The practice of mindfulness is simply to bring awareness to what we are doing, what we are saying, and what we are thinking.

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.

Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.

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

Smile, breathe, and go slowly.

We can learn to be present with whatever is happening in our lives, and in this way, we can begin to transform our relationship to difficulty.

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

No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.

The awareness that you are here, right now, is the ultimate fact.

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

The idea of Zen is to catch life as it flows. There is nothing extraordinary or mysterious about Zen. I raise my hand; I take a book from the other side of the desk; I hear the boys playing ball outside my window; I see the clouds blown away beyond the neighboring wood: all these I do in Zen.

The key to transformation is not to fight with our experience but to open to it with awareness.

Because you are alive, everything is possible.

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

The five aggregates are not a theoretical model but a description of lived experience to be investigated through mindfulness.

Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.

The mind can go in a thousand directions, but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, the wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms.

Mindfulness is the key to transformation. It enables us to see our experience as it really is, free from distortion and bias.

Impermanence, suffering, and non-self are not philosophical concepts but realities to be directly perceived through mindfulness practice.

The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly alive.

Just know what is happening in your mind - not happy or sad about it, not attached. If you suffer, see it, know it, be empty.

When you note pain, you are not trying to make it go away. You are trying to understand its true nature.