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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

Self-awareness is the key to freedom. The more we understand ourselves, the more we understand how to be free.

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.

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

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

Smile, breathe, and go slowly.

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

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

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.

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

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.

Mindfulness helps us get better at seeing the difference between what's happening and the stories we tell ourselves about what's happening.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

The practice of mindfulness begins in the small, remote cave of your unconscious mind and blossoms with the sunlight of your conscious life.

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

When mindfulness is weak, defilements are strong; when mindfulness is strong, defilements are weak.

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

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.

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

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

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.