25 Inspirational Quotes about Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a practice and a way of relating to self and others that has the potential to make you happier and healthier. A growing body of research shows that regular practice of mindfulness meditation and adopting a mindful attitude can change your brain. Areas in the left brain associated with positive mood light up more and brain areas associated with threat perception and rumination switch off or become less dense. Mindfulness results in greater connection between cortical areas associated with self-awareness and strategic thinking and mid-brain areas involved in responding to threat. Regular practice of mindfulness can help you grow a wiser, more connected, and stress-proof brain.

What is Mindfulness?

But what exactly is mindfulness? Is it sitting and watching the breath or something more? And how exactly does mindfulness gain its power to change our lives for the better? Is compassion a part of mindfulness? Is mindfulness a way of relating to inner experience or can it help us in relating to others as well? The below quotes by mindfulness teachers, writers, researchers, and experts can give you a flavor of the different facets of mindfulness and what it can offer you in terms of self-awareness and spiritual wellbeing.

Awareness of the Present Moment

1. “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” ~Buddha

2. “Let go of your mind and then be mindful. Close your ears and listen!”– Jalaluddin Rumi

3. “Observe the space between your thoughts, then observe the observer.” ~Hamilton Boudreaux

4. “We might begin by scanning our body . . . and then asking, “What is happening?” We might also ask, “What wants my attention right now?” or, “What is asking for acceptance?” ~Tara Brach

5. “Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future; live the actual moment. Only this moment is life.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh

Acceptance of Inner Experience

6. “Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different; enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will); being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way (which it won’t).” ~James Baraz

7. “I’m here to tell you that the path to peace is right there, when you want to get away.”
– Pema Chödrön

8. “Mindfulness is the aware, balanced acceptance of the present experience. It isn’t more complicated than that. It is opening to or receiving the present moment, pleasant or unpleasant, just as it is, without either clinging to it or rejecting it.” ~Sylvia Boorstein

9. “When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you” ~Lao Tzu

Inner Calm and Focus

10. ”Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh

11. “If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.” ~Amit Ray

12. “A few simple tips for life: feet on the ground, head to the skies, heart open…quiet mind.” ~ Rasheed Ogunlaru

13, “Concentration is a cornerstone of mindfulness practice. Your mindfulness will only be as robust as the capacity of your mind to be calm and stable. Without calmness, the mirror of mindfulness will have an agitated and choppy surface and will not be able to reflect things with any accuracy.” ~Jon Kabat-Zinn

Self-Awareness

14. “Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.”
– Carl Jung

15. “We use mindfulness to observe the way we cling to pleasant experiences & push away unpleasant ones.”
– Sharon Salzberg

16. “Awareness is the greatest agent for change.” ~ Eckhart Tolle

17. “Pure awareness transcends thinking. It allows you to step outside the chattering negative self-talk and your reactive impulses and emotions. It allows you to look at the world once again with open eyes. And when you do so, a sense of wonder and quiet contentment begins to reappear in your life.” ~Mark Williams

18. “Mindfulness, also called wise attention, helps us see what we’re adding to our experiences, not only during meditation sessions but also elsewhere.” ~Sharon Salzberg

Presence and Nonjudgment

19. “When we get too caught up in the busyness of the world, we lose connection with one another – and ourselves.”– Jack Kornfield

20. “Look at other people and ask yourself if you are really seeing them or just your thoughts about them.” ~Jon Kabat-Zinn

21. “The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers. ”~ Thich Nhat Hanh

22. “Guilt, regret, resentment, sadness & all forms of nonforgiveness are caused by too much past & not enough presence.” ~ Eckhart Tolle

Insight and Transformation

23. “Open the window of your mind. Allow the fresh air, new lights and new truths to enter.” – Amit Ray

24. “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

25. “Mindfulness is about being fully awake in our lives. It is about perceiving the exquisite vividness of each moment. We also gain immediate access to our own powerful inner resources for insight, transformation, and healing.” ~Jon Kabat-Zinn

The post 25 Inspirational Quotes about Mindfulness appeared first on Melanie Greenberg.