Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind
am breathing in, and I am sitting down.” “I am breathing in and wiping the table.” “I am breathing in and smiling at myself.” “I am breathing in and lighting the stove.” Stopping both the random progression of thoughts and living in forgetfulness is a giant step forward in meditation practice. We can realize this step by following our breath and co
... See moreThich Nhat Hanh • Breathe! You Are Alive: Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing
Zazen practice and everyday activity are one thing. We call zazen everyday life, and everyday life zazen. But usually we think, “Now zazen is over, and we will go about our everyday activity.” But this is not the right understanding. They are the same thing. We have nowhere to escape. So in activity there should be calmness, and in calmness there s
... See moreShunryu Suzuki • Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice
The key—the how of Buddhist practice—lies in learning to simply rest in a bare awareness of thoughts, feelings, and perceptions as they occur. In the Buddhist tradition, this gentle awareness is known as mindfulness, which, in turn, is simply resting in the mind’s natural clarity. Just as in the example of the dog, if I were to become aware of my h
... See moreYongey Mingyur Rinpoche • The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness
The Buddha’s advice in the Lankavatara is for us to drink that cup of tea and not to concern ourselves with where that experience fits into some previously constructed matrix of the mind.