Tag Archives: Quotes

“Now we have the attitude of, ‘Well, how does the dharma fit in with my life?’ The dharma can’t fit in with our life. The dharma is our life, and it’s not about convenience.” ~  Natalie Goldberg from “Face-to-Face with … Continue reading →

“When you admit to yourself, ‘I must make this change to be more happy’—not because the Buddha said so, but because your heart recognized a deep truth—you must devote all your energy to making the change. You need strong determination … Continue reading →

Serendipity landed two e-mails from very different sources in my e-mail box this morning, but addressing the exact same subject:  dealing with the challenge of pain. As you can see from the quotes, the  ‘pain’ referred to is not just … Continue reading →

“Awareness itself is the primary currency of the human condition, and as such it deserves to be spent carefully. Sitting quietly in a serene environment, letting go of the various petty disturbances that roil and diminish consciousness, and experiencing as … Continue reading →

“People are often careless about the thoughts they give rise to, assuming that once they forget about a thought, that thought is finished. This is not true. Once you give rise to a thought, it keeps functioning, and eventually its … Continue reading →

“Equanimity is a protection from what are called the Eight Worldly Winds: praise and blame, success and failure, pleasure and pain, fame and disrepute. Becoming attached to or excessively elated with success, praise, fame, or pleasure can be a setup … Continue reading →

‘No matter what comes up, we can learn new ways of being with it.’ ‘We have a capacity to meet any thought or emotion with mindfulness and balance.’ ‘Whatever disagreeable emotion is coursing through us, we can let it go.’ … Continue reading →

image source There is a vast potential, latent within human beings that remains undiscovered because of the limitations placed on consciousness by habitual preoccupations. The recommendation that all cravings be relinquished does not mean that detachment itself is the goal; … Continue reading →

Excerpt of image of “Buddha’s Blue Meditation” by Paul Heussenstamm from mandalas.com What is anger? As Tulku Urgyen taught, a deluded emotion like anger is a movement of the mind not knowing its own nature. Anger is a strong aversion … Continue reading →

“When attention to the present moment falters and we drift into some version of ‘I have to have it my way,’ a gap is created in our awareness of reality as it is, right now. Into that gap pours all … Continue reading →

Green Mountains and White Clouds, detail of scroll by Wu Li (1632-1718) “A person of the Way fundamentally does not dwell anywhere. The white clouds are fascinated with the green mountain’s foundation. The bright moon cherishes being carried along with … Continue reading →

“It is important to sit with the clear intention to be present. At the same time, we need to let go of expectations. In a very real sense, what happens when we sit is none of our business. The practice … Continue reading →

Two excerpts from “Your Mind Is Your Religion,” reprinted by Tricycle from “Make Your Mind an Ocean: Aspects of Buddhist Psychology” (1999). This is a rich piece for reflection. Read the longer excerpt here: One day the world looks so … Continue reading →