“Remember, mindfulness is a relational activity. It’s how we are with what we’re experiencing that’s most important. So if you’re feeling the warmth of a tea cup, it’s simply that.” - Sharon Salzberg

“It doesn’t matter to what you don’t cling. Which means that we don’t have to be waiting to develop a certain experience in order not to cling to it. Might was well not cling to whatever’s happening now, whatever it is, because that’s the essence of the practice. It’s not about the experience.” - Joseph Goldstein

Favorite part of this talk is when they didn’t edit out the walking meditation, so there’s just twenty minutes or so of silence.

For one stranded in the middle of the lake,
in the flood of great danger—birth—
overwhelmed with aging & death,
 Kappa, I will tell you the island.

Having nothing, free
of clinging:
 That is the island,
 there is no other.

Kappa's question

"The Buddha’s teaching is aimed at liberation from suffering – the way out is through complete abandonment of clinging. Basic remedy is to pause – this is just an organic system operating, there’s nothing wrong with you. It’s not personal. Don’t follow the message of mind consciousness, follow the direct experience of the body."
—Ajahn Sucitto with one of my very favorite concise summaries of the dharma.

The Khanda, me and Existence

Talk on Youtube

Recently got back into meditation after years thinking I just couldn't hack it. I only recently learned that meditation in many traditions actually follows a concrete series of stages, the later stages of which are apparently inexpressible experiences.

This talk has a very clear outline of the very first stages, and what it means to meditate.

Plus just listen to dude's voice and tell me you're not more relaxed.