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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

Because you are alive, everything is possible.

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.

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

When you note effectively, there is no time for defilements to arise. The mind becomes pure through noting.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Life is available only in the present moment.

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

Every experience is an opportunity to practice awareness.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

In the moment of pure noting, there is no self - only the knowing and the known.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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