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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

Through our eyes, the universe is perceiving itself. Through our ears, the universe is listening to its harmonies. We are the witnesses through which the universe becomes conscious of its glory, of its magnificence.

Each moment of mindfulness is a moment of purification.

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

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

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

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

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.

Mindfulness is the gentle effort to be continuously present with experience.

The practice of mindfulness transforms the mind from a place of suffering into an instrument of enlightenment.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Every experience is an opportunity to practice awareness.

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

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

When mindfulness and concentration are strong, insight into the three characteristics naturally unfolds.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

Each moment of noting is a moment of purification, a moment of cultivating the path.

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?

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

Every sensation shares the same characteristic - arising, passing. Arising, passing. Learn to observe objectively.

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

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

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

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

Mindfulness is being aware of what's going on, not trying to control what's going on.

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

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

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

The color of the mountains is Buddha's body; the sound of running water is his great speech.

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.

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

The past is just a memory. The future is just a dream. Be here now.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The difference between being caught in thoughts and being mindful of thoughts is like the difference between being in a movie and watching a movie.

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.