Inspirational Single Sentences

[JonW]

I've just had some business cards made up for my mindfulness group.
The quote on the back reads:
"Breathe, and let be." (Jon Kabat-Zinn)

[barbs55]

I'm happy for you to use anything from my Twitter as an original everyday-mindfulness tweet -I've usually borrowed them from something I've read anyway!

#mindfulness attends to what's happening right now,as opposed to trying to understand what happened back then.

No matter how many clouds, the blue sky is always there #mindfulness


#mindfulness arrive at today without yesterday in tow

Every moment is an opportunity to let go #mindfulness

Ask yourself if this problem would be real if you weren't thinking about it #mindfulness

Thoughts aren't facts and they aren't true. Thoughts are just thoughts.

You don't have to believe your judgements. A day spent judging another or yourself is a painful day.

See things as they are, the only constant is change.

#mindfulness isn't difficult. What's difficult is remembering to be mindful.

Sometimes the best answer is silence.

[BioSattva]

Wow barbs55 - I feel awash in mindful wisdom after that. Thanks so much. Some real 'corkers' there.

This one I particularly liked:

Ask yourself if this problem would be real if you weren't thinking about it

This notion of the 'propaganda of depression' that Williams talks about - the mind bringing up problems where there don't have to be is a bit of a theme in my life these days. There is a certain addictive power attached to the serious problems which upset us and "make me really angry" - we can habitually wind ourselves up with the drama and injustices of life and clench our fists and promise revenge and justice, and yet that approach lacks a compassionate foundation - it seems it feeds into our potentially feral dimension, not our civilised one.

This propaganda of ferality and the associated addictive powerful animal aggression it can generate in us seems to be operating in the same way the propaganda of nicotine works if or when one is addicted to nicotine. I remember giving up smoking using 'Alan Carr's Easyway'; tuning into the unfounded and often downright illogical statements coming up in my mind about smoking cigarettes - things like "I like the taste" or "it is sociable" - a real eye-opener to how thoughts can be influenced chemically/biologically. The propaganda of ferality/depression can be seen in the same light, it seems.

When one manages to tune in and catch oneself, the problems we invent can be seen to be feeding an addiction to a feedback cycle rooted within a dimension to our biology which is unnecessary for our present situation. Richard Dawkins presents our bodies as vehicles for our DNA and there are apparently more than one potential survival scenario built into our being, so that our DNA can make the best of a variety of potential environments (men apparently have instincts to potentially sow their seed broadly or invest in a few children long-term, for example), as well as all humans having feral 'backup systems' lest civilisation should somehow become undermined. It seems mindfulness amplifies certain more 'civilised' facets of our genetic makeup, and the 'background noise' which comes up in meditation is the biologically-rooted chatter of the other facets. Evolutionary Psychology is fascinating stuff - I posted about it on my blog not so long ago.

To conclude, a 'civilised' smoker entertaining the thought "I like the taste of cigarettes so I'll have another one" appears just as irrational as a 'civilised dramatist' entertaining the thought "This problem will never go away". This brings us to another of the quotes I liked very much when I read it:

Thoughts aren't facts and they aren't true. Thoughts are just thoughts.

I often wonder whether the 'True Nature' of Buddhism and Daoism was referring to what we know today as DNA. They lacked the scientific apparatus, etc., in ancient times, so they just had a broad term for it which often linked our nature to other living organisms, and even natural processes and features, so possibly going beyond DNA, but as a chemical substance, even, DNA is ruled by the laws of chemistry, and so our True Nature is still apparently rooted in the biochemical world.

In ancient times they recognised and accepted the more feral potential each human possesses, and understood that the more civilised potential seems to incorporate and 'accept' the more feral dimension into a submission of sorts - flooded with compassion, the more anxious 'fight or flight' propensity is soothed and calmed, and with it the associated thoughts. I have been thinking about how acts of charity seem to be the 'propaganda of civilisation' in this respect - propaganda operating beyond the conceptual domain of thoughts even - something the oldest printed book in the world - a zen text called The Diamond Sutra gives instruction on - true charity being charity without any gaining-thought - just charity for the sake of it. Anyway, I'm waffling - it's your fault, Barbs, posting all those juicy quotes is like giving mindfulness 'crack' to a crackhead...

[BioSattva]

I just saw this from JonW and thought I'd stick it on this thread for posterity:

“I've lived through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.” - Mark Twain.

I've heard it before but didn't have a place to put it until now .

[FeeHutch]

I really like that quote too, feels very appropriate for me

[JonW]

Rough estimate. I'd say I've spent 76% of my life worrying about things that never happened. Worrying about worrying about worrying used to be my speciality.
I'm still a worrier but much less so these days.

I like, "The view is from HERE."
Capitals optional.
It reminds me that this moment is a unique moment, that it will never come around again, and that my life is best experienced in this moment, rather than straining my neck to view it from the perspective of a past that has evaporated or a future that's yet to come.

[Cheesus]

Worrying about worrying about worrying used to be my speciality.

I sometimes worry that I'm not worrying! Now that's a worry.

How about 'For something to die, you first have to let it live'.

And my all time favourite 'You can't calm the waves, but you can learn to surf'.

[JonW]

Now you've got me worried that you're worried about not worrying. And that is a worry.

[Don]

I like this one;
"Start from where you are"

I use it a lot (and my wife quotes it back to me when I forget to take my own medicine)

Best wishes all
Don

[JonW]

That's one of my favourites, Don.
I tell it to myself every morning. And my spaniel gives me a look as though to say, "you can start by taking me out for my walk."
Welcome to the community, Don. Good to know you.
Cheers, JonW