“Meditation is when you sit down, let's say that, and don't do anything. Poetry is when you get up and do something. Somewhere we've developed the misconception that poetry is self-expression, and that meditation is going inward. Actually, poetry has… — Norman Fischer Copy Share Image
“Why would we have to know everything all the time? Why do we have to be so knowledgeable, so smart, so in control? We… — Norman Fischer Copy Share
“Meditation is doing what you are doing - whether you are doing formal meditation or child care.” — Norman Fischer Copy Share
“This doesn’t work by thought and will. It doesn’t disregard thought and will, but thought and will are not the engine that makes this… — Norman Fischer Copy Share
“We realize how dangerous and painful life is if we don’t open up. We know we have to do it. And as soon as… — Norman Fischer Copy Share
“Renunciation isn't a moral imperative or a form of self-denial. It's simply cooperation with the way things are: for moments do pass away, one… — Norman Fischer Copy Share
“So it does turn out that we do need to begin by contemplating the profound nature of self and other. Because if you change… — Norman Fischer Copy Share
“In other words, to Train in the preliminaries is to stop moaning and feeling sorry for yourself and to recognize instead that regardless of… — Norman Fischer Copy Share
“Obviously it won’t do to love somebody and enjoy that person’s company but then, when things between you get difficult, to abandon the person.… — Norman Fischer Copy Share
“We now see that the only way that we could love ourselves is by loving others, and the only way that we could truly… — Norman Fischer Copy Share
“Although we don’t like to think about it, it seems that sorrow and suffering are inevitable in any human life, even a happy one.… — Norman Fischer Copy Share
“The actions, thoughts, and words of each of us are important. All of us together are making the world. So we have to ask… — Norman Fischer Copy Share
“When we sit we recognize the crucial, divine importance of absolutely everything that arises—every thought, every feeling, every breath, every unspeakable, unnameable impulse. But… — Norman Fischer Copy Share
“The Chinese ideograph for forbearance is a heart with a sword dangling over it, another instance of language's brilliant way of showing us something… — Norman Fischer Copy Share
“In a Zen retreat we have a format for working with these quicksilver changes: we sit with them, we pay attention to them... Being… — Norman Fischer Copy Share
“Meditation is when you sit down, let's say that, and don't do anything. Poetry is when you get up and do something. Somewhere we've… — Norman Fischer Copy Share
