it takes only a few breaths

“It takes only a few breaths to generate the energy of mindfulness and to bring us back to the present moment.”

- Thich Nhat Hanh. “Work.” Parallax Press.

the best thing we can do for the future

“We should live the present moment in such a way that peace and joy are possible in the here and the now—that love and understanding are possible. That is the best thing we can do for the future.”

- Thich Nhat Hanh. “Work.” Parallax Press.

no amount of sitting will get you there

"...wisdom which may never get stale, but no amount of sitting will get you there until you just experience it standing up."

- Stacia Trask, "Hot Cross Buns, Magnum PI's Grin, & the Anger That Arises in Meditation (w Yin-Tangy, Not Quite White Icing)," www.peacefoodlove.com

our true sense of sameness

"With so much verbiage flying about this week over same-sex marriage, and so much in the news about gendered play and toys, it occurred to me that it's we, the supposed grown-ups, who have lost our true sense of sameness."

- Stacia Trask, "Yolking It Together: from Play Therapy to Dancing With the Star Wars," www.peacefoodlove.com

the principle of warriorship

"This is the principle of warriorship: overwhelming odds do not daunt us. In fact, as more challenges arise, the courage and vigor of the warrior increase. So with the proper training, we are able to see the confusion of this dark age as an opportunity to sharpen our weapons of gentleness, fearlessness, and precision."

- Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, "Are We Basically Good?", Shambhala Sun, May 2013

love penetrates our usual shield of defenses

"A relationship that has any depth and power at all will inevitably penetrate our usual shield of defenses, exposing our most tender and sensitive spots, and leaving us feeling vulnerable--literally, 'able to be wounded.'"

- John Welwood. "Journey of the Heart: The Path of Conscious Love." HarperPerennial, 1996

don't resist change

"Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow."

- Lao Tzu

fully live the life that is arriving

"The problem with our life does not lie in the individual circumstances or occurrences of our day-to-day existence. It’s not that they’re inherently meaningless and boring. The problem is that we make them meaningless and boring; because we are so invested in maintaining our own sense of self, we actually don’t relate to anything in a direct way. Unwilling to fully live the life that is arriving in our bodies moment by moment, we find ourselves left with no real life at all."

- Reggie Ray, "Touching Enlightenment"

secret of happiness

"The secret of happiness is to count your blessings while others are adding up their troubles."

- William Penn

the obstacle is fear

"In order to practice, we have to surrender, we have to take a risk. Otherwise what we’re doing is standing back in order to judge, in order to feel superior. Often the obstacle is fear: we don’t think we’ll ever succeed. And so we’d rather stand apart and be cynical, to feel protected in that way, not having to try."

- Sharon Salzberg, "Sitting on the Fence"

love only responds to love

“Ram loves only love,” which means that love only responds to love. There can be no manipulation in love. You can’t rip a heart open, or force a heart to feel love. When we know that, then we know the truth, and when we open to that love, we allow it to flow.”

- Krishna Das. “Chants of a Lifetime.” Hay House, Inc., 2012-07-14.

the path is about love

“Even so, it’s not about the concept of God for me. The path is about love; it’s about being connected, feeling that presence, and being in that love. That’s the place I sing to. And that place is always here because it’s not outside—it’s inside. So all I have to do is remember to look for it and move into it.”

- Krishna Das. “Chants of a Lifetime.” Hay House, Inc., 2012-07-14.

true freedom

"True freedom comes when we follow our Buddha nature, the natural goodness of our heart."

- Jack Kornfield

allow joy to come out

"Joy is not something we have to manufacture. It is already in us when we come into the world. We need only release the layers of contraction and fear that keep us from it."

- James Baraz, “Lighten Up!”

be grateful for your mistakes

"It’s only our mistakes that bring us to the place where we should have been all along."

- Pico Iyer, "My Bad"

something will happen

"Without concentration, our minds spin off into the future in a way that isn't like skillful planning but more like exhausting rumination. When I see my own mind beginning that arc of anxiety, I have a saying I use to help restore me to balance: 'Something will happen.' ...Something will happen. I can't figure it all out right now."

- Sharon Salzberg, "Meditation: Start Here," Mindful Magazine, April 2013

don't hold on

"We don't have to let go, we simply have to not hold on."

- Joseph Goldstein, "Empty Phenomena Rolling On"

how we speak to ourselves

"The Buddha saw that we are always engaged in relationships, starting with that most significant relationship: the one with ourselves. On the cushion we notice how we speak to ourselves—sometimes with compassion, sometimes with judgment or impatience. Our words are a powerful medium with which we can bring happiness or cause suffering." - Allan Lokos, "Skillful Speech"

your strongest link

“You have been told that, even like a chain, you are as weak as your weakest link. This is but half the truth. You are also as strong as your strongest link.” - Kahlil Gibran. “The Prophet.” Vigo Books, 2010-11-01.

not too tight and not too loose

"Once when the Buddha was asked about the optimal way to be, he answered, using the analogy of a stringed instrument, 'Not too tight and not too loose.' Even the Buddha could not define or formulate this state; he could only say what it was not, and invite his questioner to find it for himself." - John Welwood. "Journey of the Heart: The Path of Conscious Love." HarperPerennial, 1996

enlightenment is found where you are

“Enlightenment and liberation are not found in the Himalayas, nor in some ancient monasteries. They are only found where you are.” - Jack Kornfield. “Bringing Home the Dharma.” Shambhala Publications.

when love comes down to earth

"When love comes down to earth--bringing to light those dark corners we would prefer to ignore, encompassing all the different parts of who we are--it gains depth and power." - John Welwood. "Journey of the Heart: The Path of Conscious Love." HarperPerennial, 1996