Meditation is a tradition dating thousands of years – yet its powerful influence on our lives remains a source of intrigue and wonder for all spiritual seekers. From Buddha to the 14th Dalai Lama (and philosophers, poets, and teachers in between) we peek now into the past, the present, and the future of what meditation means for our existence.
(Go slowly, using each quote as a small meditation for your own path. Or take them one at a time, and revisit this list whenever you need a new inspiring thought.)
Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.
– Buddha
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Our life is what our thoughts make it.
– Marcus Aurelius
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Mind only thinks. Meditation lives.
– Osho
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Meditation is to know oneself as one is. It is see our real face without any mask.
– Unknown
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If you want to run faster, remove all obstructions. There is little more you need to do.
– Yogaswami
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Meditation is not the means to an end. It is both the means and the end.
– J. Krishnamurti
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Your goal is not to battle with the mind, but to witness the mind.
– Swami Muktananda
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Stop talking, stop thinking, and there is nothing you will not understand. Return to the root and you will find Meaning.
– Jianzhi Sengcan
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Mindfulness is about falling awake rather than asleep.
– Shamash Alidina
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Modern man is too impatient and wants to master the art of meditation immediately.
– Swāmī Rāma
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We live, in fact, in a world starved for solitude, silence, and private: and therefore starved for meditation and true friendship.
– C.S. Lewis
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With meditation I found a ledge above the waterfall of my thoughts.
– Mary Pipher
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Meditation does not answer the questions of the mind, but it dissolves the very mind which creates many questions and confusion in our life.
– Author Unknown
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Meditation is not to escape from society, but to come back to ourselves and see what is going on. Once there is seeing, there must be acting.
– Thich Nhat Hanh
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The soul naturally longs to meditate because it wishes to communicate with the Spirit. If you experience a mental resistance in meditation, just remember that what resists is the ego, not the soul.
– Paramahansa Yogananda
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Go within yourself, and what you achieve there will overshadow your imperfections.
– Sri Chinmoy
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Meditation essentially means awareness. Whenever you are completely aware, this is meditation. It can be done while walking and listening to birds with your full attention. Just giving direct attention to the chatter of your mind is meditation.
– Osho
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Meditation is not about getting out of ourselves or achieving something better. It is about getting in touch with what you already are.
– Pema Chodron
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Meditation is the ultimate mobile device; you can use it anywhere, anytime, unobtrusively.
– Sharon Salzberg
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Mindfulness is the key to meditation, as well as continuous effort. Do not expect results right away. Just keep practicing.
– Dalai Lama
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