Best 61 quotes of Benjamin W. Decker on MyQuotes

A beginner’s mind allows you to remain flexible and open, even as you encounter new things that may seem strange or even uncomfortable at first.

A beginner’s mind allows you to remain flexible and open, even as you encounter new things that may seem strange or even uncomfortable at first. It also allows you to experience something mundane from an entirely new perspective, whereas an expert might approach something believing they “already get it.

Achieving the advanced state of no-thought is not about stopping the thinking process, but rather, it’s about cultivating an expansive sensitivity to a level above the thinking mind.

Anywhere you find yourself, do a mindful check-in—Whenever appropriate, take a moment to close your eyes and listen in all directions around you. Be present with wherever you are, whenever you are actually there. Take it all in!

Appreciating the simple things, the great temporary gift of life and the beauty in all aspects of living, is perhaps one of the most power- ful, fulfilling benefits of practicing breath awareness.

As a result of regular mindfulness practice, you’ll begin to see your role in different circumstances, recognize your oppor- tunities to grow, and develop a relationship with yourself that is more loving, forgiving, and open to new possibilities.

As the grounding effect of breath awareness disengages you from the often-overwhelming chatter of the mind, the level at which you think will seem to transcend the noise.

As you practice observing your thoughts, you will become more aware of the tone of your internal voice and the kinds of thoughts you are having and develop the ability to intervene before saying or doing something you might regret.

Attention focused on the breath redirects your awareness from outside your body to inside it. It is an exercise in controlling the focus of your awareness.

Attention is the yin to concentration’s yang. Attention (mindfulness) and concentration (focus) work together to provide a full, rounded experience of being both focused on the task at hand (whatever it may be), as well as having a complete awareness of, and an open mind to, the many aspects of the moment you are in.

Be aware that the concept of meditation is to shift your focus to the awareness of the thinking process, rather than the content of the thoughts.

Before practicing zazen, set your intention: “I will practice breath awareness as a form of meditation for five minutes, counting each breath. When my mind wanders, I will return to counting the breath, beginning again with one.

By becoming more attentive and aware of the thoughts arising in your mind, you will create the opportunity to question and reframe them.

By choosing to become aware, you choose to take back control of your attention and perspective, which can transform even mundane tasks, such as washing dishes or making coffee, into something joyful and beautiful.

By holding an open-focus awareness, you create a larger mental “container” for your thoughts to pass through.

By practicing mindful observation, you will become more aware of the virtues and qualities of what you are observing—a simple but useful spoon or a beautiful flower—which unlocks appreciation and gratitude for what you have. Cultivating a sense of gratitude in itself has been scientifically proven to have numerous health benefits.

Count on your beginner's mind to help you through any times when you might feel resistant or self-conscious about your practice.

Do a mindful check-in at the market—When visiting one of the places you usually do your shopping, take a moment to notice the temperature, the smells, the music, and the conversations happening in the background.

Do a mindful check-in at work—Take a brief moment to mindfully experience the workplace from your usual spot. Mentally scan in all directions around you.

Do a mindful check-in during your meals—Notice the fragrances, the sounds, and the thoughts arising in your mind.

Envision your awareness as a glow in all directions around you, mentally scanning all directions at once—simply witnessing the moment as it is.

Every time the mind wanders away from the awareness of the breath, notice that it has wandered and bring your awareness back to the breath. This can be likened to a rep in the gym—every time you bring your mind back, you are building your "muscle" of attention.

If the mind wanders, bring your awareness back to the breath as it expands and contracts, and expand your awareness in all directions around you from there.

If your mind wanders, all that means is that you’re alive and your brain is functioning normally, which is great news!

If you’ve been thinking negative thoughts for long enough, you have probably come to believe in and identify with them.

In the ever-accelerating modern world, with new technology constantly bombarding our senses and demanding schedules pulling us in different directions, the benefits of a practice like zazen are easy to overlook but profoundly powerful to practice.

In the modern world, there seems to be a collective understanding of the word Zen—it has become synonymous with serenity, relaxation, and a calm demeanor.

In zazen, you create the conditions for your mind to “decompress” from its habitual mode of thinking and open up to new perspectives and insight.

Just because you think something doesn’t mean it’s true, or even particularly important.

Mindfulness meditation practice will help you discern which thoughts support your goals and well-being and which thoughts are destructive or unhealthy and should be discarded.

Mindfulness practice can teach us about the nature of thinking, and perhaps even more importantly, it can teach us that we are not our thoughts.

Mindful observation holds the same mindful awareness as open awareness, but with open eyes gently directing attention to a specific object.

Open Awareness Meditation, also known as “open attention,” “open monitoring,” or “soft focus,” is a form of mindfulness meditation in which you allow the many things present in your consciousness (sounds and other sensory input, as well as your thoughts and emotions) to arise in your awareness and then naturally fall away as they are replaced by different sounds, thoughts, etc.

Sitting for meditation is the classic technique for a reason: Being physically still can help you still your mind.

Slowly and steadily, as the rush to “gain the benefits” of meditation fades away and the depth of the experience itself becomes apparent, your patience will strengthen and your need to be “moving on to the next moment” will begin to recede.

Stop thinking—about all the things that could go wrong in your career. Notice your breath. Be your best and do your best.

Stop thinking—about anything other than what you are doing right now. Notice your breath. Enjoy all that there is to this moment.

Stop thinking—about what you are going to say next while someone else is still speaking. Notice your breath. Hear them out, open your mind, and listen.

Stop thinking—about your upcoming plans when you take time to read. Notice your breath. Take in each word and allow the information and ideas to settle in.

Stop thinking—about your workday when you are with your family. Notice your breath. Love them now.

The ancient concept of yin and yang refers to the two fundamental sides of nature—both spiritual and physical, both feminine and masculine.

The chronic tension the average person experiences in modern life finds its way deep into the body, and we live most of our lives in the “whiplash” of past experiences—mentally rehashing and physically re-experiencing past stressors.

The mental perspective to hold here is that you accept and allow the dog to bark and the car to drive by, without entertaining the desire for things to be any different than they are.

The monks find comfort, contentment, and even joy in the simplest of tasks, living each moment to its fullest by grounding themselves in the present.

The practice of breath awareness relieves tension by shifting attention to the present, and the mental pressures of worries, concerns, and ambitions lift.

There is a silent act of will at play when we observe the impulse to allow our eyes to wander, then gently override it. This develops the mental fortitude and willpower to stick to whatever it is that we are focusing on or working with.

This sixth sense of thought often comes to the foreground in mindfulness practices like meditation.

Thoughts are the input and output of the mental process. Making thoughts is what the brain is built for—like the heart beats, the mind thinks.

Thoughts provide important information, but they are not fundamentally different from or more important than, say, the taste of a pear or hearing a Mozart symphony.

Through clear instruction and regular practice, meditation will help you experience a deeper connection to your senses, your body, your emotions, and the boundless frontier of your thinking mind.