Attention Quote by Frederick Lenz
“Our thoughts will swim around and talk to us while we're sitting there, make fun of us, ignore us. But if you pay attention, if you don't look in the direction of your thoughts, you meditate.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Spiritual Teachings of Frederick Lenz, 1995
When thoughts arise, they can become noisy chatter that distracts us; meditation requires observing without following them.
In simple terms: Thoughts can distract; meditation is observing without engagement.
Key Takeaway
Observe thoughts without following them.
Themes
mindfulness
meditation
inner dialogue
Mood
calm
reflective
Type
inspirational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- daily meditation
- stressful workday
- therapy session
- creative block
Key Concepts
psychology
consciousness
attention
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you notice thoughts without reacting?
- What patterns do your thoughts reveal?
A Different Perspective
Thoughts may be persistent and hard to ignore without practice.
![“I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with [my wife] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and I just had such a strong reaction to the prayer. And I was really emotionally - I felt really grounded at that time. And so to be in this prayer and the imam is doing the prayer in…” quote by Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d31/mahershala-ali-6687_attention_i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with_3083.jpg)
