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Sylvia Boorstein Quotes

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Sylvia Boorstein is an American author born in 1936. Her works mainly revolve around Buddhist philosophy and spiritual growth, which are highly appreciated by readers.

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All Mind Compassion Feels Ifs Mindfulness Needs Pain People Suffering Thinking Moments Response Happenings Looks World Balanced Clarity Complicated Happens Heart

Famous Sylvia Boorstein Quotes

“I think a lot about Big Mind-Small Mind, expansive, wide-lens consciousness and contracted, introverted consciousness. I have moments-we all do-when just being alive is a pleasure and a miracle. They feel like moments when the shutters of the mind are open so I can look out. It also feels as if those same shutters have no hooks to fix them in an open position. One small wind and bang-they slam shut.”

Source: Pay Attention, for Goodness' Sake: Practicing the Perfections of the Heart--The Buddhist Path of Kindness

“I know whether or not I am confused most readily by noticing--being mindful of--my capacity for feeling caring concern. ... when I feel myself in caring connection--encouraging, consoling, or appreciating--I feel the twin pleasures of clarity and goodness. It doesn't matter if the connection I feel is to myself or a person I know or people I don't know or even the whole world. The lively impulse of caring is what counts. [p. 20]”

“If you take a deep breath and look around, 'Look what's happening to me!' can become 'Look what's happening!' And what's happening? The incredible drama of life is happening. And we're in it!”

Ifs Looks Life Is Drama Happenings Breaths Incredibles Deep Breath Take A Deep Breath

Author:Sylvia Boorstein

“If we can keep at least a bit of the mind clear about temporality, we can mange complicated, even difficult, times with grace.”

Ifs Mind Bits Difficult Clear Grace Complicated Difficult Times Temporality

Author:Sylvia Boorstein

“Imagine how our lives might be if everyone had even a bit more of the Wisdom that comes from seeing clearly. Suppose people everywhere, simultaneously, stopped what they were doing and paid attention for only as long as it took to recognize their shared humanity. Surely the heartbreak of the world's pain, visible to all, would convert everyone to kindness. What a gift that would be.”

People Ifs World Heart Long Might Would Be Pain Humanity Bits Attention Kindness Our Lives Imagine Seeing Awareness Paid Visible Shared Humanity

Author:Sylvia Boorstein

“If I want to free myself from endless cycles of struggling with temptation, I need to keep rediscovering that the pain of the struggle is greater than the pain of the desire. If I develop the habit of restraining myself, I'll enjoy the relief of feeling the desires pass, and I'll remember that desires are not the problem. Feeling pushed around by them is. I'll continue to have desires, of course, because I'm alive, but they'll be more modest in their demands.”

Source: Pay Attention, for Goodness' Sake: Practicing the Perfections of the Heart--The Buddhist Path of Kindness

“What if someone hurts you with a weapon? Wait. Think it over. You probably feel angry. That's normal. But wasn't it the stick striking your body that hurt you? Can you be angry at the stick? Of course not. Should you be angry at the wielder of the stick? Wouldn't it make more sense to be angry at the hatred in the mind of the stick wielder? If you think about it, isn't the end of hatred in the world what you want most of all? Why, then, would you add to it by giving energy to your anger? After all, it will pass on its own if left alone, especially if you respond to it with compassion.”

Source: Pay Attention, for Goodness' Sake: Practicing the Perfections of the Heart--The Buddhist Path of Kindness