Quotes about Awareness

Freedom is not given to us by anyone; we have to cultivate it ourselves. It is a daily practice.

Once we recognize that all things are impermanent, we have no problem enjoying them. In fact, real peace and joy are only possible when we see clearly into the nature of impermanence.

If you can recognize and accept your pain without running away from it, you will discover that although pain is there, joy can also be there at the same time.

The French have a song they like to sing, "Qu'est-ce qu'on attend pour être heureux?" (What are you waiting for in order to be happy?) You can be happy right here and right

I come here empty-handed, and I go empty-handed. My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground on which I stand.

While washing the dishes, you might be thinking about the tea afterwards, and so try to get them out of the way as quickly as possible in order to sit and drink tea. But that means that you are incapable of living during the time you are washing the dishes.

If we lose the present moment, we lose life.

What is happening in the present moment is life.

If we continue to hold on to a dream for something in the future, we lose the present moment. And if we lose the present, we lose everything.

We are imprisoned in our small selves, thinking only of the comfortable conditions for this small self, while we destroy our large self.

The only way to ease our fear and be truly happy is to acknowledge our fear and look deeply at its source.

A few years ago, I asked some children, What is the purpose of eating breakfast? One boy replied, To get energy for the day. Another said, The purpose of eating breakfast is to eat breakfast. I think the second child is more correct.