Mindfulness & meditation themes from Time-Honored Wisdom Traditions

We remind ourselves to watch what’s happening within and around us with curiosity and an open mind.

We remind ourselves that the optimal level of effort is the least required to do what needs to be done, and the optimal type of effort is relaxed.

We remind ourselves that there's goodness within and around us.

We remind ourselves that we can be flexible and creative even in challenging situations.

We remind ourselves that mindfulness is a mirror of what's happening now.

We remind ourselves that we can look at our thoughts, feelings, and even the things we’ve done or said, with kindness and then respond to our own thoughts and feelings with wisdom and kindness, too.

We remind ourselves that we can tolerate strong emotions and hold back from reacting to our thoughts, feelings, and sensations automatically.

We remind ourselves that we can compose ourselves even when we feel stressed, overly excited, or upset, and we can hold back from reacting to a situation before thinking it through.

We remind ourselves that we can resist getting sidetracked from the present in order to observe, listen, and be fully engaged in what’s happening right now.

We remind ourselves that it can often take time to see the results of our efforts or the efforts of others.

We remind ourselves that even things that seem different from one another have something in common and that there is more than one side to every story.

We remind ourselves to reflect on why we’re about to do or say something before we do or say it, to make sure that the our actions are aligned with our motivations.

We remind ourselves to focus on the goodness of what we say and do more than on the results.

We remind ourselves that joy and happiness are here all the time, happening all by themselves, and that we can tap into them at any time.

We remind ourselves that what’s happening now is the result of countless interdependent and changing factors, some that we know, some that we don’t know, and some that are entirely outside our control.

We remind ourselves that everything comes, everything goes, and that life is rooted in transformation and change.

We remind ourselves that we can step back from any situation, view it from another person’s perspective, and imagine how they might feel.

We remind ourselves that before responding to or judging a complex situation, we can consider whether what’s happening, and how we might respond, are helpful to other people, the planet, and ourselves.

We remind ourselves that we can tolerate many uncomfortable feelings and situations and that we can stay clear-headed and warmhearted in many situations.

We remind ourselves that we can try to understand what something looks like and feels like from another person’s perspective and respond to them wisely and with kindness.

We remind ourselves that to see what’s happening clearly we can step back and take a look at the big picture with an open mind and without jumping to conclusions.

We remind ourselves that what we do and say can affect other people and the planet, and what other people say and do can affect the planet and us.

We remind ourselves that we can watch, listen, sense, interpret, and respond to what other people say and do so that we see and understand them, and they feel seen and understood.

We remind ourselves that we can choose where to place our attention, and we can keep it there.

We remind ourselves that we can investigate what’s happening within and around us with a more open mind when we hold back from reacting to whatever’s happening automatically.

When we remember to appreciate our relationships, our health, our good experiences, our belongings, and the natural world, we see that appreciation is a way to see everything in ways that bring about more happiness.

We remind ourselves that we can’t know or control the causes or circumstances that lead up to each moment. We can accept that the moment is what it is, though, and do our best to speak and act in a way that’s wise and compassionate.