Each place is the right place—the place where I now am can be a sacred space.

—Ravi Ravindra

The standard way of reducing stress in our culture is to put as much energy as possible into trying to arrive at a moment that matches our preferences. This ensures that we feel some level of stress until we get there (assuming we ever will) and worse, it makes the present moment into an unacceptable place to be.

—David Cain

Surrender to what is. Let go of what was. Have faith in what will be.

—Sonia Ricotti

Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world Earth revolves—slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.

—Thích Nhất Hạnh

If you’re always racing to the next moment, what happens to the one you’re in? Slow down and enjoy the moment you’re in and live your life to the fullest.

—Nanette Mathews

Learn as You Go: What’s the Best Form of Meditation?

The short answer: there is none. Meditation is ultimately a tool to help you gain mindfulness in your entire life. Each person will find that a slightly different form or style of meditation helps them the best—or perhaps they will find that they like different types for different purposes. On your journey, you get to discover what works best for you.

The mind in its natural state can be compared to the sky, covered by layers of cloud which hide its true nature.

—Kalu Rinpoche

Like a child standing in a beautiful park with his eyes shut tight, there’s no need to imagine trees, flowers, deer, birds, and sky; we merely need to open our eyes and realize what is already here, who we already are—as soon as we stop pretending we’re small or unholy.

—Bo Lozoff

Expectation has brought me disappointment. Disappointment has brought me wisdom. Acceptance, gratitude and appreciation have brought me joy and fulfilment.

—Rasheed Ogunlaru

It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

Engage and Immerse: Anxiety and Relaxation Meditation (5–10 Minutes)

The anxiety and relaxation meditation is intended to calm you down when you’re struggling with symptoms of stress, fear, or anxiety. I like to do it when I’m experiencing a moment of panic, worry, or stress that I cannot seem to escape, especially if it’s been preventing me from working or living mindfully that day.

Begin by sitting or lying down in a comfortable position. Take a deep breath in, and as you breathe out, slowly close your eyes. Take a few more normal breaths, focusing on the action of breathing, on how your body rises and falls with each and every breath. Now, gently shift your focus away from your breath and to the surface beneath you. Notice how solid the surface is: it’s not going anywhere. It’s there for you, holding you up. Breathe in, breathe out. You are fully supported at this moment. At this moment, you have nothing that you must do except breathe in and out.

Think of the sky and the air, how they continue to exist around you, to hold you up. Imagine a cool, refreshing breeze. Allow it to caress your skin, to comfort you as you breathe in, breathe out. Allow it to transport you to a warm beach. The sand beneath you is soft but solid, holding you up. The water’s temperature is just right. Imagine the ocean, its waves moving in with every intake of breath and out as you exhale. The waves are washing over you, massaging you, smoothing the rough sand of your body.

Take your time. You still have a few minutes left. The sky is still blue, the Earth is still spinning, everything is okay. All you have to do is breathe in, breathe out. Stay at the beach, stay in the waves, for as long as you need. When you’re ready, take one last deep breath in, allow one last wave to wash over you, and as you breathe out, as the water recedes, you are now smooth. Everything is okay.

What he’s looking for, what he wants, is all around him, but he doesn’t want that because it is all around him. Every step’s an effort, both physically and spiritually, because he imagines his goal to be external and distant.

—Robert M. Pirsig

To just be—to be—amidst all doings, achievings, and becomings. This is the natural state of mind, or original, most fundamental state of being. This is unadulterated Buddha-nature. This is like finding our balance.

—Lama Surya Das

In this moment, there is plenty of time. In this moment, you are precisely as you should be. In this moment, there is infinite possibility.

—Victoria Moran

When you bow, you should just bow; when you sit, you should just sit; when you eat, you should just eat.

—Shunryu Suzuki

When you realize nothing is lacking, the whole world belongs to you.

—Lao Tzu