I started the Stress Reduction Clinic in 1979. The idea of bringing Buddhist meditation without the Buddhism into the mainstream of medicine was tantamount to the Visigoths being at the gates about to tear down the citadel of Western civilization. — Jon Kabat-Zinn Copy Share Image
Meditation had never been tried before in a medical center, so we had no idea whether mainstream Americans would accept a clinic whose foundation was intensive training in meditative discipline. — Jon Kabat-Zinn Copy Share Image
Karma is often wrongly confused with the notion of a fixed destiny. It is more like an accumulation of tendencies that can lock us into particular behavior patterns, which themselves result in further accumulations of tendencies of a similar nature... But is is not necessary to be a prisoner of old karma. — Jon Kabat-Zinn Copy Share
Living in a chronic state of unawareness can cause us to miss much of what is most beautiful and meaningful in our lives. — Jon Kabat-Zinn Copy Share Image
Mindfulness means moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness. It is cultivated by refining our capacity to pay attention, intentionally, in the present moment, and then sustaining that… — Jon Kabat-Zinn Copy Share Image
Paying attention and awareness are universal capacities of human beings. — Jon Kabat-Zinn Copy Share Image
“One practical way to do this is to look at other people and ask yourself if you are really seeing them or just your… — Jon Kabat-Zinn Copy Share Image
I thought it was a stroke of genius that Hans Selye used the word stress, because it's true that if you don't know how… — Jon Kabat-Zinn Copy Share Image
“dwell in stillness and to observe without reacting and without judging.” — Jon Kabat-Zinn Copy Share Image
Generosity is another quality which, like patience, letting go, non-judging, and trust, provides a solid foundation for mindfulness practice. — Jon Kabat-Zinn Copy Share Image
Arriving someplace more desirable at some future time is an illusion. This is it. — Jon Kabat-Zinn Copy Share Image
“Give yourself permission to allow this moment to be exactly as it is, and allow yourself to be exactly as you are.” — Jon Kabat-Zinn Copy Share Image
Generosity is another quality which, like patience, letting go, non-judging, and trust, provides a solid foundation for mindfulness practice. You might experiment with using the cultivation of generosity as a vehicle for deep self-observation and inquiry as well as an exercise in giving. A good place to start is with yourself. See if you can give yourself gifts that may… — Jon Kabat-Zinn Copy Share
