Surrender means wisely accommodating ourselves to what is beyond our control. — Sylvia Boorstein Inspirational Copy Share Image
Ultimately ... it's not the stories that determine our choices, but the stories that we continue to choose. — Sylvia Boorstein Choice Copy Share Image
“Mindfulness, the aware, balanced acceptance of present experience, is at the heart of what the Buddha taught.” — Sylvia Boorstein Buddha Copy Share Image
Mindfulness is attentiveness, moment to moment. What's happening right now and what's coming up in me in response to what's happening right… — Sylvia Boorstein Copy Share Image
I want to feel deeply, and whenever I am brokenhearted I emerge more compassionate. I think I allow myself to be brokenhearted… — Sylvia Boorstein Brokenhearted Copy Share Image
“Mindfulness, the aware, balanced acceptance of present experience, is at the heart of what the Buddha taught. This book is meant to… — Sylvia Boorstein Buddhism Copy Share Image
Dedication to goodness-dedication in response to an inner moral mandate rather than external restraint-was both the antidote to the pain and the… — Sylvia Boorstein Copy Share Image
Clearly the path of mitzvot is a form of meditation. The intention to act impeccably requires complete dedication and unwavering attention. I… — Sylvia Boorstein Attention Copy Share Image
“Speech that compliments is, by definition, free from derision, which clouds the mind with enemies and makes it tense. Kind speech makes… — Sylvia Boorstein Communication Copy Share Image
“Effort, concentration, and mindfulness are the internal ways in which the mind restores itself from being out of balance and lost in… — Sylvia Boorstein Focus Copy Share Image
People are realizing that what seemed important to them in their lives-materialism and consumerism-doesn't work at all to make a happy heart.… — Sylvia Boorstein Consumerism Copy Share Image
I know whether or not I am confused most readily by noticing--being mindful of--my capacity for feeling caring concern. ... when I… — Sylvia Boorstein Copy Share Image
When people ask the Dalai Lama, "Is Buddhism a religion?" he answers, "Yes, it is." Then they ask, "What kind of religion… — Sylvia Boorstein Copy Share Image
I think a lot about Big Mind-Small Mind, expansive, wide-lens consciousness and contracted, introverted consciousness. I have moments-we all do-when just being… — Sylvia Boorstein Alive Copy Share Image
Imagine how our lives might be if everyone had even a bit more of the Wisdom that comes from seeing clearly. Suppose… — Sylvia Boorstein Attention Copy Share Image
“... although I knew what issues had been most difficult for me in my life, I may not have known the depth… — Sylvia Boorstein Feelings Copy Share Image
The Buddha taught that suffering is the extra pain in the mind that happens when we feel an anguished imperative to have… — Sylvia Boorstein Copy Share Image
I understood that the teacher was not eing dismissive, that the problem would be addressed. But, without extra upset. A noncombative response,… — Sylvia Boorstein Copy Share Image
His response is more than sensible. It reflects his understanding that evens unfold as a refelction of precise karmic order and that… — Sylvia Boorstein Behavior Copy Share Image
“Being trapped by fear is a form of delusion. Either I can do something or I can't. If I truly can't ...… — Sylvia Boorstein Delusion Copy Share Image
“The Buddha’s criteria for Wise Speech include—in addition to the obvious expectation that speech be truthful— that it be timely, gentle, motivated… — Sylvia Boorstein Buddha Copy Share Image
Mindfulness is the aware, balanced acceptance of the present experience. It isn't more complicated that that. It is opening to or recieving… — Sylvia Boorstein Acceptance Copy Share Image
“Right Understanding means feeling terrible, remembering pain is finite, and taking some solace from that remembering. And, when things are pleasant, even… — Sylvia Boorstein Feeling terrible Copy Share Image
“... every single act we do has the potential of causing pain, and every single thing we do has consequences that echo… — Sylvia Boorstein Causing pain Copy Share Image
Mindfulness meditation doesn't change life. Life remains as fragile and unpredictable as ever. Meditation changes the heart's capacity to accept life as… — Sylvia Boorstein Copy Share Image
The responses of friendliness, compassion, and appreciation that I felt ...--all situational permutations of basic goodwill--depended on my mind's being relaxed and… — Sylvia Boorstein Appreciation Copy Share Image
“I love the phrase 'I am not afraid!' Maybe it's the best phrase we can say, other than 'I have everything I… — Sylvia Boorstein Fear Copy Share Image
“I think they paid attention to their lives and became wise. For those of us who don’t arrive at wisdom naturally, meditation… — Sylvia Boorstein Life Copy Share Image
“It is possible to cultivate a mind so spacious that it can be passionate and awake and responsive and involved and care… — Sylvia Boorstein Copy Share Image
“Some of my most precious moments of insight have been those in which I have seen clearly that gratitude is the only… — Sylvia Boorstein Buddhism Copy Share Image
“I am more able to recognize when my mind has gotten itself into trouble and increasingly eager to mobilize the energy to… — Sylvia Boorstein Confusion Copy Share Image
“... freedom of choice is possible. Life is going to unfold however it does: pleasant or unpleasant, disappointing or thrilling, expected or… — Sylvia Boorstein Choice Copy Share Image
Spirituality doesn't look like sitting down and meditating. Spirituality looks like folding the towels in a sweet way and talking kindly to… — Sylvia Boorstein Copy Share Image
“Pain is inevitable; lives come with pain. Suffering is not inevitable. If suffering is what happens when we struggle with our experience… — Sylvia Boorstein Pain Copy Share Image
“Essentially, he taught that it doesn’t make sense to upset ourselves about what is beyond our control. We don’t get a choice… — Sylvia Boorstein Choice Copy Share Image
The voice of Thich Nhat Hanh-friendly, patient, steadfast, confident, contemporary, and often witty-seems, to me, an intermediary big brother talking directly to… — Sylvia Boorstein Copy Share Image
“Becoming aware of fragility, of temporality, of the fact that we will surely all be lost to one another, sooner or later,… — Sylvia Boorstein Fragility Copy Share Image
All losses are sad. The end of an important relationship is also a death. When people fall out of love with each… — Sylvia Boorstein Death Copy Share Image
Concentration and mindfulness are the internal ways in which the mind restores itself from being out of balance and lost in confusion… — Sylvia Boorstein Action Copy Share Image
We are all dangling in mid-process between what already happened (which is just a memory) and what might happen (which is just… — Sylvia Boorstein Copy Share Image
![“I want to feel deeply, and whenever I am brokenhearted I emerge more compassionate. I think I allow myself to be brokenhearted more easily, knowing I won't be irrevocably shattered [p. 59]” quote by Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/sylvia-boorstein-7241_brokenhearted_i-want-to-feel-deeply-and-whenever-i-am_2282201.jpg)
![“Mindfulness, the aware, balanced acceptance of present experience, is at the heart of what the Buddha taught. This book is meant to be a basic Buddhist primer, but no one should be daunted. It's easier than you think [p. 4]” quote by Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/sylvia-boorstein-7241_buddhism_mindfulness-the-aware-balanced-acceptanc_2011398.png)
![“Speech that compliments is, by definition, free from derision, which clouds the mind with enemies and makes it tense. Kind speech makes the mind feel safe and also glad. [p.74]” quote by Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/sylvia-boorstein-7241_communication_speech-that-compliments-is-by-definition_2924628.png)
![“Effort, concentration, and mindfulness are the internal ways in which the mind restores itself from being out of balance and lost in confusion to a condition of ease, clarity, and wisdom NO external action needs to happen. [p. 17]” quote by Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36b/sylvia-boorstein-7241_focus_effort-concentration-and-mindfulness-are_3190440.png)
![“Being trapped by fear is a form of delusion. Either I can do something or I can't. If I truly can't ... I don't do it. If I truly can, and it wold be a wholesome thing to do, I push myself [p. 39].” quote by Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7f/sylvia-boorstein-7241_delusion_being-trapped-by-fear-is-a-form-of-delus_2909985.png)
![“Right Understanding means feeling terrible, remembering pain is finite, and taking some solace from that remembering. And, when things are pleasant, even splendidly pleasant, remembering impermanence doesn't diminish the experience--it enhances it [p. 33]” quote by Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adf/sylvia-boorstein-7241_feeling-terrible_right-understanding-means-feeling-terrib_876750.png)
![“... every single act we do has the potential of causing pain, and every single thing we do has consequences that echo way beyond what we can imagine. It doesn't mean we shouldn't act. It means we should act carefully. Everything matters [p. 41].” quote by Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ab/sylvia-boorstein-7241_causing-pain_every-single-act-we-do-has-the-potential_75621.png)
![“The responses of friendliness, compassion, and appreciation that I felt ...--all situational permutations of basic goodwill--depended on my mind's being relaxed and alert enough to notice both what was happening around me and what was happening as my internal response. [p.50]” quote by Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/sylvia-boorstein-7241_appreciation_the-responses-of-friendliness-compassion_3006634.jpg)
![“I love the phrase 'I am not afraid!' Maybe it's the best phrase we can say, other than 'I have everything I need.' Maybe they are the same. [p. 14]” quote by Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f28/sylvia-boorstein-7241_fear_i-love-the-phrase-i-am-not-afraid-maybe_356864.png)
![“It is possible to cultivate a mind so spacious that it can be passionate and awake and responsive and involved and care about things, and noty struggle [p. 23]” quote by Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bc/sylvia-boorstein-7241_cultivate_it-is-possible-to-cultivate-a-mind-so-sp_556892.png)
![“I am more able to recognize when my mind has gotten itself into trouble and increasingly eager to mobilize the energy to rescue it. Concentration and mindfulness, as remedies to confusion, are either self-activating ... or at least reasonably available remedies to confusion. [pp. 17-18]” quote by Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/sylvia-boorstein-7241_confusion_i-am-more-able-to-recognize-when-my-mind_3066489.png)
![“... freedom of choice is possible. Life is going to unfold however it does: pleasant or unpleasant, disappointing or thrilling, expected or unexpected, all of the above! What a relief it would be to know that whatever wave comes along, we can ride it out with grace [p. 35].” quote by Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/340/sylvia-boorstein-7241_choice_freedom-of-choice-is-possible-life-is-go_122468.png)
![“Pain is inevitable; lives come with pain. Suffering is not inevitable. If suffering is what happens when we struggle with our experience because of our inability to accept it, then suffering is an optional extra [p. 19].” quote by Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/sylvia-boorstein-7241_pain_pain-is-inevitable-lives-come-with-pain_2405745.png)
![“Becoming aware of fragility, of temporality, of the fact that we will surely all be lost to one another, sooner or later, mandates a clear imperative to be totally kind and loving to each other always [p.119].” quote by Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22e/sylvia-boorstein-7241_fragility_becoming-aware-of-fragility-of-temporali_1250618.png)
![“All losses are sad. The end of an important relationship is also a death. When people fall out of love with each other, or when what seemed like a solid friendship falls into ruin, the hope for a shared future--a hope that provided a context and a purpose to life--is gone. [p. 149]” quote by Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a3/sylvia-boorstein-7241_death_all-losses-are-sad-the-end-of-an-importa_2474880.jpg)
