Sit in your room as in paradise;
put the whole world behind you and forget it;
like a skilled fisherman on the lookout for fish
keep a careful eye on your thoughts.
Simple, beautiful meditation instructions from The Brief Rule of Saint Romuald, c. 1006
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away.
Maya Angelou
Proper posture is a way of blending with gravity.
Proper attitude is a way of blending with life.
Dan Millman,The Way of the Peaceful Warrior
The Pueblo Indian told me that all Americans were always uneasy and restless, “We do not understand them. We think that they are mad” Of course I was somewhat astonished and asked them why. They said – Well, ‘They say that they think with their heads . . . . We think here,’ he said, indicating his heart“
Carl Jung, on his encounter with a Native American elder he met in New Mexico in 1925
Above all, don’t try to become a future Buddha.
Your only concern should be,
as thought follows thought,
to avoid clinging to any of them.
Dogen, Buddhist priest, 1200 – 1253, Founder of the Soto school of Zen
There’s an exercise that can help us reflect on the knee-jerk tendency to cling to what makes us feel good and push away what makes us feel bad:
Sit quietly for a few minutes and become mindful of your breath as it goes in and out. Then contemplate what you do when you’re unhappy or dissatisfied and want to feel better. Even make a list if you want to. Then ask yourself: Does it work? Has it ever worked? Does it soothe the pain? Does it escalate the pain? If you’re really honest, you’ll come up with some pretty interesting observations.
Pema Chödrön, Living Beautifully: with Uncertainty and Change
