Taking A Moment To Consider Mindfulness and Meditation

Take a moment to focus...concentrate...contemplate and appreciate the moment. Take a moment for #ThoughtsAndObservations about #Mindfulness and #Meditation.

“Life is a dance. Mindfulness is witnessing that dance.” Amit Ray - Indian author, known for his teachings on meditation, yoga, peace, creativity and non-violence as well as contributions to quantum computing and artificial intelligence (compassionate AI).

“How we pay attention to the present moment largely determines the character of our experience, and therefore, the quality of our lives.” Sam Harris – U.S. author, podcast host, work covers a wide range of topics, including rationality, religion, ethics, free will, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, meditation, politics and terrorism.

“Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.” Hermann Hesse - German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter, best-known for books about the search for authenticity, self-knowledge and spirituality including Steppenwolf, Siddhartha, and The Glass Bead Game, received the Nobel Prize in Literature.

“After the (Covid19) pandemic began, the city (New York City) placed an emphasis on S.E.L. (Social Emotional Learning). It is now part of the curriculum in almost a thousand schools. Meanwhile, Mayor Eric Adams, who leads his staff through breathing exercises and has said that he wants police officers to meditate before and after every shift (“You cannot hate …. if you meditate!”), has underscored the importance of mindfulness in the classroom; all public-school students, he has said, should start their day with twenty minutes of meditation.”?Parker Henry, U.S. writer, researcher, published in The New Yorker.

“Meditating helps reduce cortisol, a stress hormone. Cortisol can generate damage for your brain – especially over the long term. Meditation also increases blood flow to your brain, studies show, which can lead to more volume in the cortex and the hippocampus.” U.S. Government National Library of Medicine – National Center of Biotechnology Information.

“Meditation means dissolving the invisible walls that unawareness has built.” Sadhguru - Indian yoga guru, proponent of spirituality.

“Strong minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Weak minds discuss people.” Socrates - Greek philosopher, considered the founder of Western philosophy.

“Every time we become aware of a thought, as opposed to being lost in a thought, we experience that opening of the mind.” Joseph Goldstein – U.S. teacher, writer, co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society with Jack Kornfield and Sharon Salzberg.

“Every experience, no matter how bad it seems, holds within it a blessing of some kind. The goal is to find it.” Attributed to Buddha – Nepal born/Indian ascetic, spiritual teacher, taught a path to Nirvana, freedom from ignorance, craving, rebirth and suffering.

“The things that matter most in our lives are not fantastic or grand. They are moments when we touch one another.” Jack Kornfield -?U.S. psychologist, author, one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West, founder of both the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts and the Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California.

“The little things? The little moments? They aren’t little.”?Jon Kabat-Zinn – U.S. professor emeritus of medicine and creator of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

“So come the storms of winter and then the birds in spring again. I have no fear of time. For who knows how my love grows? And who knows where the time goes?” Sandy Denny – U.K. singer, songwriter.

“The only way to live is by accepting each minute as an unrepeatable miracle(...) Mindfulness is a pause – the space between stimulus and response: that’s where the choice lies.”?Tara Brach – U.S. psychologist, author, proponent of Buddhist meditation, co-founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, D.C.

“Mindfulness is deliberately paying full attention to what is happening around you– in your body, heart, and mind. Mindfulness is awareness without criticism or judgment.” Jan Chozen Bays – U.S. Zen teacher, author, pediatrician specializing in work with abused children.

“To think in terms of either pessimism or optimism oversimplifies the truth. The problem is to see reality as it is.” Thích Nh?t H?nh - Vietnamese Thi?n Buddhist monk, peace activist, author, teacher, founder of the Plum Village Tradition.

“Cultivating a generous spirit starts with mindfulness. Mindfulness, simply stated, means paying attention to what is happening; it’s about what is really going on.” Nell Newman – U.S. environmentalist, biologist, prominent supporter of sustainable agriculture, founder of organic food and pet food production company, Newman's Own Organics. Was a child actress who performed under the name of Nell Potts.

“Mindfulness meditation doesn’t change life. Life remains as fragile and unpredictable as ever. Meditation changes the heart’s capacity to accept life as it is.” Sylvia Boorstein – U.S. author, psychotherapist, Buddhist teacher.

“Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the best things that will ever happen to us.” Nicole Reed – U.S. author.

“When you replace ‘why is this happening to me?’ to ‘what is this trying to teach me?’ everything shifts.” Anonymous

“We cannot become what we want by remaining what we are.” Max Depree – U.S. businessman, writer, was CEO and President of Herman Miller office furniture company.

?“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” Jon Kabat-Zinn - U.S. professor emeritus of medicine and creator of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” Nelson Mandela - South African anti-apartheid activist, former president of South Africa, the country's first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election.

“Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.” Theodore Roosevelt – U.S. politician, statesman, conservationist, naturalist, historian, writer, former president of the United States.

“Every time we ponder a thought, act on an impulse, or dwell on a desire, we are setting in motion a cause that will have a future effect. Mindfulness enables us to choose wisely.” Tamara Levitt - Canadian author, mindfulness instructor, narrator on the Calm app.

In our times, it is radical to choose to sit still and be silent, to resist an identity of busyness, ceaseless motion, and noise, and to reclaim our sanity and humanity by coming home to ourselves.” Sumi Loundon Kim – U.S. author, Buddhist chaplain at Yale University.

“Few of us ever live in the present. We are forever anticipating what is to come or remembering what has gone.” Louis L’Amour – U.S. novelist, short story writer, work consisted primarily of Western novels; but also wrote historical fiction, science fiction, non-fiction and poetry.

“Happiness, not in another place but this place… not for another hour, but this hour.” Walt Whitman – U.S. poet, essayist, journalist, humanist, combined both transcendentalism and realism in his works.

“People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.” Thich Nhat Hanh - Vietnamese Thi?n Buddhist monk, peace activist, author, teacher, founder of the Plum Village Tradition.

“Worrying is stupid. It’s like walking around with an umbrella waiting for it to rain.” Wiz Khalifa – U.S. rapper, singer, songwriter, actor.????????????

“For what it’s worth, it’s never too late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you find you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over.” F. Scott Fitzgerald – U.S. novelist, essayist, short story writer, screenwriter.

“If you get tired, learn to rest not to quit.” Banksy – U.K. street artist, political activist, film director.

“Step outside for a while – calm your mind. It is better to hug a tree than to bang your head against a wall continually.” Rasheed Ogunlaru – U.K. author, motivational speaker, leadership/business consultant.

“You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.” Pema Ch?dr?n – U.S. Buddhist nun, author.

“Mindfulness meditation should be more than just watching what you are doing. What you really need to watch is your motivation.” Thubten Zopa Rinpoche – Nepal born/Tibetan Buddhist scholar, meditator.

“Mindful eating emphasizes a spirit of exploration, experimenting and flexibility in finding ways to make use of nutritional information.” – Jean L. Kristeller – U.S. clinical psychologist, author, specializing in Health Psychology, Spirituality, Binge Eating Disorder, Meditation and Self-Regulation .

“When I’m hungry, I eat what I love. When I’m bored, I do something I love. When I’m lonely, I connect with someone I love. When I feel sad, I remember that I am loved.” Michelle May – U.S. author of the book series, Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat, Associate Professor at Arizona State University where she teaches Mindful Eating.

“To be sensual, I think, is to respect and rejoice in the force of life, of life itself, and to be present in all that one does, from the effort of loving to the breaking of bread.” James Baldwin – U.S. writer, activist.

“Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts.” Pema Ch?dr?n - – U.S. Buddhist nun, author.

“When you’re feeling frazzled, put all of your attention on the breath. It’s a portal into the present moment, the best remedy for stress.” Ellen Barrett – U.S. author, fitness/movement (pilates, yoga, reiki, dance) instructor.

“There is nothing more important to true growth than realizing that you are not the voice of the mind—you are the one who hears it.” Michael A. Singer – U.S. author, entrepreneur.

“Training your mind to be the present moment is the number one key to making healthier choices.” Susan Albers – U.S. psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic specializing in eating issues, weight loss, body image concerns and mindfulness.

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” Aristotle - Greek philosopher.

?“Mind is a flexible mirror, adjust it, to see a better world.” Amit Ray - Indian author, known for his teachings on meditation, yoga, peace, creativity and non-violence as well as contributions to quantum computing and artificial intelligence (compassionate AI).

“A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it isn’t open.” Frank Zappa - American musician, composer.

“Mindfulness gives you time. Time gives you choices. Choices, skillfully made, lead to freedom.” Bhante Henepola Gunaratana - ?Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhist monk.?

“The only way to live is by accepting each minute as an unrepeatable miracle.” Tara Brach - U.S. psychologist, author, proponent of Buddhist meditation, co-founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, D.C.

“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” Leo Tolstoy - Russian writer.

“Be where you are, not where you think you should be.” Anonymous

“Be happy in the moment. That is enough.” Mother Teresa - Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun, also known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, founded and was an active member of the Missionaries of Charity.

“It's a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.” Germany Kent – U.S. print and broadcast journalist, businesswoman, producer, philanthropist, author. Her work has been presented in INC. Magazine, Fast Company, Forbes, Bloomberg Business, The Dallas Morning News and on NPR and ABC.

“Mindfulness is a quality that’s always there. It’s an illusion that there’s a meditation and post-meditation period, which I always find amusing, because you’re either mindful or you’re not.” – Richard Gere – U.S. actor.

“Mindfulness isn’t difficult. We just need to remember to do it.” – Sharon Salzberg – U.S. author, teacher of Buddhist meditation practices, co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society at Barre, Massachusetts.

“Do every act of your life as though it were the very last act of your life.” Marcus Aurelius – Roman emperor, Stoic philosopher.

“In the end, just three things matter: How well we have lived…How well we have loved…How well we have learned to let go.” Jack Kornfield - U.S. psychologist, author, one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West, founder of both the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts and the Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California.

This installment of Thoughts And Observations was inspired by and dedicated to Barbara Lepman and Hope Ijaola.