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Because the development of inner calm & energy happens completely within & isn’t dependent on another person or a particular situation, we begin to feel a resourcefulness and independence that is quite beautiful—and a huge relief.

Sharon Salzberg

Mindfulness helps us get better at seeing the difference between what’s happening and the stories we tell ourselves about what’s happening, stories that get in the way of direct experience. Often such stories treat a fleeting state of mind as if it were our entire and permanent self.
SHARON SALZBERG

Difference Experience Mindset Ourselves Philosophy See Story
To reteach a thing its loveliness is the nature of metta. Through loving kindness, everyone & everything can flower again from within.
SHARON SALZBERG

Flower Healing Nature
The difference between misery and happiness depends on what we do with our attention.
SHARON SALZBERG

Attention Deep Difference Happiness Misery Philosophy
All beings want to be happy, yet so very few know how. It is out of ignorance that any of us cause suffering, for ourselves or for others.
SHARON SALZBERG

Happiness Ignorance Ourselves Philosophy Suffering
We use mindfulness to observe the way we cling to pleasant experiences & push away unpleasant ones.
SHARON SALZBERG

Experience Mindset
Training attention through meditation opens our eyes.
SHARON SALZBERG

Attention Eyes Ourselves Spiritual Training
Fearful of wasting a second, we hoard time as if it were money.
SHARON SALZBERG

Fear Money Time
By engaging in a delusive quest for happiness, we bring only suffering upon ourselves. In our frantic search for something to quench our thirst, we overlook the water all around us and drive ourselves into exile from our own lives.
SHARON SALZBERG

Happiness Live Ourselves Search Suffering
Once we are honest about our feelings, we can invite ourselves to consider alternative modes of viewing our pain and can see that releasing our grip on anger and resentment can actually be an act of self-compassion.
SHARON SALZBERG

Anger Compassion Feeling Honesty Ourselves Pain View
With attachment all that seems to exist is just me & that object I desire.
SHARON SALZBERG

Attachment Desire Existence
Our ability to connect with others is innate, wired into our nervous systems, and we need connection as much as we need physical nourishment.
SHARON SALZBERG

Ability Connection Need Ourselves
Once someone appears to us primarily as an object, kindness has no place to root.
SHARON SALZBERG

Appearance Kindness
The movement of the heart as we practice generosity in the outer world mirrors the movement of the heart when we let go of conditioned views about ourselves on our inner journey. Letting go creates a joyful sense of space in our minds
SHARON SALZBERG

Creation Generosity Heart Joy Let Go Ourselves Space World
In those moments when we realize how much we cannot control, we can learn to let go.
SHARON SALZBERG

Control Learning Let Go Moments
Like water poured from one vessel to another, metta ﬂows freely, taking the shape of each situation without changing its essence.
SHARON SALZBERG

Change Freedom Water
All forms of meditation strengthen & direct our attention through the cultivation of three key skills: concentration, mindfulness & compassion or loving & kindness.
SHARON SALZBERG

Attention Direction Kindness Strength

Because the development of inner calm & energy happens completely within & isn’t dependent on another person or a particular situation, we begin to feel a resourcefulness and independence that is quite beautiful—and a huge relief.

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Because the development of inner calm & energy happens completely within & isn’t dependent on another person or a particular situation, we begin to feel a resourcefulness and independence that is quite beautiful—and a huge relief.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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