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.

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

Life is available only in the present moment.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Life is nothing but a continuous chain of sensations. Pleasant or unpleasant, observe them objectively.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Time passes unhindered. When we make mistakes, we cannot turn the clock back and try again. All we can do is use the present well.

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

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.

If you love someone, the greatest gift you can give them is your presence.

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

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

Every moment of mindfulness is a step on the path to liberation. Each step is valuable, no matter how small.

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

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

Every experience is an opportunity to practice awareness.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Our basic nature is pure awareness that simply cognizes experience. Everything else is temporary and adventitious.

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.

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

Mindfulness is not just bare attention but wise attention that leads to understanding and insight.

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

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.

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

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

Meditation is not an escape from life but a way to fully engage with life.

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