---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In Fully Present: The Science, Art, and…"
description: "\"“In Fully Present: The Science, Art, and Practice of Mindfulness, Susan Smalley and Diana Winston argue that, “Learning to live mindfully does not mean..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/ken-robinson-2219_art_in-fully-present-the-science-art-and-pra_2390039.png"
---

#  In Fully Present: The Science, Art, and Practice of…

![“In Fully Present: The Science, Art, and Practice of Mindfulness, Susan Smalley and Diana Winston argue that, “Learning to live mindfully does not mean living in a perfect world, but rather living a full and contented life in a world in which both joys and challenges are givens. Although…” quote by Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/ken-robinson-2219_art_in-fully-present-the-science-art-and-pra_2390039.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/ken-robinson-2219_art_in-fully-present-the-science-art-and-pra_2390039.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/ken-robinson-2219_art_in-fully-present-the-science-art-and-pra_2390039.png)

> ““In Fully Present: The Science, Art, and Practice of Mindfulness, Susan Smalley and Diana Winston argue that, “Learning to live mindfully does not mean living in a perfect world, but rather living a full and contented life in a world in which both joys and challenges are givens. Although mindfulness does not remove the ups and downs of life, it changes how experiences like losing a job, getting a divorce, struggling at home or at school, births, marriages, illnesses, death and dying influence you and how you influence the experience. . . . In other words, mindfulness changes your relationship to life.””

[Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Mindfulness doesn’t erase life’s difficulties but reshapes how we relate to them, fostering a fuller, more content existence despite inevitable ups and downs.

**In simple terms:** Mindfulness changes our relationship to life’s challenges.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate mindful awareness to transform suffering into growth.

Themes

mindfulness resilience acceptance well‑being

Mood

calm reflective hopeful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- stressful work
- relationship conflict
- health crises
- grief
- daily irritations

Key Concepts

psychology neuroscience spirituality

Questions to Reflect On

- How does your perception of a challenge shift when you practice mindfulness?
- What daily habit can you add to deepen present‑moment awareness?

A Different Perspective

Mindfulness alone cannot solve external problems; it requires consistent practice.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Contented Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contented-life/) [Death and dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-and-dying/) [Getting a divorce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-a-divorce/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) [Perfect world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-world/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Ups and downs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ups-and-downs/)

## Related quotes

> [“Although mindfulness does not remove the ups and downs of life, it changes how experiences like losing a job, getting a divorce, struggling at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/although-mindfulness-does-not-remove-the-ups-and-downs-of-life-it/)

[Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

> [One can't live mindfully without being enmeshed in psychological processes that are around us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/one-can-t-live-mindfully-without-being-enmeshed-in-psychological/)

[Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/)

> [“We try to live mindfully, being reverent in every aspect of our lives. We try to live like every minute is worship. Whether I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-bauer/we-try-to-live-mindfully-being-reverent-in-every-aspect-of-our-lives/)

Rachel Bauer

> [...there is no such thing as a charmed life, not for any of us, no matter where we live or how mindfully we attend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kenison/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-charmed-life-not-for-any-of-us-no-matter/)

[Katrina Kenison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kenison/)

> [“And I've gained spirituality. I'm aware that before, death was is the neighborhood. Now, it's next door, or in my house. I try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/and-i-ve-gained-spirituality-i-m-aware-that-before-death-was-is-the/)

[Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/)

> [“What mindfulness does is create some space in your head so you can, as the Buddhists say, “respond” rather than simply “react.” In”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harris/what-mindfulness-does-is-create-some-space-in-your-head-so-you-can-as/)

[Dan Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harris/)

> [“Mindfulness does not erase negative memories; it 'transcends' them giving us back our deepest power which resides in our hearts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dines/mindfulness-does-not-erase-negative-memories-it-transcends-them/)

[Christopher Dines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dines/)

> [The quality of mindfulness does not just know something is happening - e.g. there is an emotion, a sensation - but knows without clinging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/the-quality-of-mindfulness-does-not-just-know-something-is-happening/)

[Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/)

> [Mindfulness does not mean pushing oneself toward something or hanging on to something. It means allowing oneself to be there in the very moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/mindfulness-does-not-mean-pushing-oneself-toward-something-or-hanging/)

[Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/)

> [Right mindfulness does not simply mean being aware; it is like creating a work of art. You can therefore trust what you are doing;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/right-mindfulness-does-not-simply-mean-being-aware-it-is-like/)

[Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/)

> [“Seeing a problem clearly does not prevent you from taking action, he explained. Acceptance is not passivity. Sometimes we are justifiably displeased. What mindfulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harris/seeing-a-problem-clearly-does-not-prevent-you-from-taking-action-he/)

[Dan Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harris/)

> [A meaningful life is not being rich, being popular, being highly educated, or being perfect...It is about being real, being humble, being able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/a-meaningful-life-is-not-being-rich-being-popular-being-highly/)

[Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/)

> [“Dreadful will be the day when the world becomes contented, when one great universal satisfaction spreads itself over the world. Sad will be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/dreadful-will-be-the-day-when-the-world-becomes-contented-when-one/)

[Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/)

> [The boatmen appeared to lead an easy and contented life, and we thought that we should prefer their employment ourselves to many professions which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-boatmen-appeared-to-lead-an-easy-and-contented-life-and-we/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Self-discipline is crucial to a simpler, more contented life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/self-discipline-is-crucial-to-a-simpler-more-contented-life/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Ken Robinson

> [“Shakespeare’s Hamlet: “There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/shakespeare-s-hamlet-there-is-nothing-either-good-or-bad-but-thinking/)

[Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

> [“As humanity becomes more numerous and interwoven, living respectfully with diversity is not just an ethical choice, it is a practical imperative. There”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/as-humanity-becomes-more-numerous-and-interwoven-living-respectfully/)

[Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

> [In a world where lifelong employment in the same job is a thing of the past, creativity is not a luxury. It is essential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/in-a-world-where-lifelong-employment-in-the-same-job-is-a-thing-of/)

[Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

> [“For most of us the problem isn’t that we aim too high and fail - it’s just the opposite - we aim too low…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/for-most-of-us-the-problem-isn-t-that-we-aim-too-high-and-fail-it-s/)

[Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

> [Very often, organizations are inflexible because there is too little communication between functions; they are too segregated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/very-often-organizations-are-inflexible-because-there-is-too-little/)

[Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

> [Every education system on Earth has the same hierarchy of subjects: at the top are mathematics and languages, then the humanities, and the bottom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/every-education-system-on-earth-has-the-same-hierarchy-of-subjects-at/)

[Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

> [“We are all born with extraordinary powers of imagination, intelligence, feeling, intuition, spirituality, and of physical and sensory awareness. (p.9)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/we-are-all-born-with-extraordinary-powers-of-imagination-intelligence/)

[Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

> [You create your life, and you can recreate it, too. In times of economic downturn and uncertainty, it's more important than ever to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/you-create-your-life-and-you-can-recreate-it-too-in-times-of-economic/)

[Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

> [“I asked a professor of nanotechnology what they use to measure the unthinkable small distances of nanospace? He said it was the nanometre. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/i-asked-a-professor-of-nanotechnology-what-they-use-to-measure-the/)

[Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

> [We need to eliminate the existing hierarchy of subjects. Elevating some disciplines over others only reinforces outmoded assumptions of industrialism and offends the principle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/we-need-to-eliminate-the-existing-hierarchy-of-subjects-elevating/)

[Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

> [Too many people never connect with their true talents and therefore don't know what they are capable of achieving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/too-many-people-never-connect-with-their-true-talents-and-therefore/)

[Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

> [You can't just give someone a creativity injection. You have to create an environment for curiosity and a way to encourage people and get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/you-can-t-just-give-someone-a-creativity-injection-you-have-to-create/)

[Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

> [The fact is that given the challenges we face, education doesn't need to be reformed -- it needs to be transformed. The key to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/the-fact-is-that-given-the-challenges-we-face-education-doesn-t-need/)

[Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

> [Private imaginings may have no outcomes in the world at all. Creativity does. Being creative involves doing something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/private-imaginings-may-have-no-outcomes-in-the-world-at-all/)

[Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

> [“Public schools were not only created in the interests of industrialism—they were created in the image of industrialism. In many ways, they reflect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/public-schools-were-not-only-created-in-the-interests-of/)

[Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

[Explore all 170 Ken Robinson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

## More Art quotes

> [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/)

[Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/)

> [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/)

[Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/)

> [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/)

[Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/)

> [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/)

[Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/)

> [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/)

[Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/)

> [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/)

Taf Teh

> [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/)

[Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/)

> [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/)

[Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/)

> [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/)

[Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/)

[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/)

> [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/)

[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/)

> [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/)

[Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/)

[Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“In Fully Present: The Science, Art, and Practice of Mindfulness, Susan Smalley and Diana Winston argue that, “Learning to live mindfully does not mean living in a perfect world, but rather living a full and contented life in a world in which both joys and challenges are givens. Although mindfulness does not remove the ups and downs of life, it changes how experiences like losing a job, getting a divorce, struggling at home or at school, births, marriages, illnesses, death and dying influence you and how you influence the experience. . . . In other words, mindfulness changes your relationship to life.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ken Robinson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/in-fully-present-the-science-art-and-practice-of-mindfulness-susan/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Art"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/in-fully-present-the-science-art-and-practice-of-mindfulness-susan/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/ken-robinson-2219_art_in-fully-present-the-science-art-and-pra_2390039.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/ken-robinson-2219_art_in-fully-present-the-science-art-and-pra_2390039.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/ken-robinson-2219_art_in-fully-present-the-science-art-and-pra_2390039.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In Fully Present: The Science, Art, and Practice of Mindfulness, Susan Smalley and Diana Winston argue that…” — Ken Robinson",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Ken Robinson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“In Fully Present: The Science, Art,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/in-fully-present-the-science-art-and-practice-of-mindfulness-susan/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/in-fully-present-the-science-art-and-practice-of-mindfulness-susan/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
