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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

“Concentration and mindfulness are the internal ways in which the mind restores itself from being out of balance and lost in confusion to a condition of ease, clarity, and wisdom. No external action needs to happen.”

Way Needs Mind Happens Action Lost Conditions Balance Mindfulness Confusion Clarity Ease Internals Concentration

Book:Happiness Is an Inside Job: Practicing for a Joyful Life

Source: Happiness Is an Inside Job: Practicing for a Joyful Life

“Steadfast benevolence, sustained by the wisdom that anything other than benevolence is painful, protects the mind from all afflictions.”

Mind Compassion Protect Painful Affliction Benevolence Steadfast

Book:Happiness Is an Inside Job: Practicing for a Joyful Life

Source: Happiness Is an Inside Job: Practicing for a Joyful Life

“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

“When the mind is clear, behavior is always impeccable.”

Mind Clear Behavior Impeccable

Author:Sylvia Boorstein

“His response is more than sensible. It reflects his understanding that evens unfold as a refelction of precise karmic order and that a benevolent response in all circumstances will be the most healing one. I think he is so universally admired becuase he exemplifies by his behavior the truth that the essence of natural mind, unclouded by greed or anger or delusion, is that of peace.”

Thinking Mind Order Peace Understanding Natural Healing Circumstances Behavior Essence Response Greed Delusion Sensible Precise Benevolent

Author:Sylvia Boorstein

“I understood that the teacher was not eing dismissive, that the problem would be addressed. But, without extra upset. A noncombative response, the Buddha taught, assures that pain does not become suffering. And, unclouded by the tension of struggle, the mind is able to assess clearly and respond wisely.”

Mind Doe Problem Would Be Able Pain Suffering Struggle Teacher Taught Understood Response Upset Tension Extras

Author:Sylvia Boorstein

“The path of compassion leads to the development of insight. But it doesn't work to say, "Ready, set, go! Be compassionate!" Beginning any practice depends on intention. Intention depends on intuiting-at least a little bit-the suffering inherent in the human condition and the pain we feel, and cause, when we act out of confusion. It also depends on trusting-at least a little bit-in the possibility of a contented, satisfied mind.”

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

“The mind is like tofu. It tastes like whatever you marinate it in.”

Mind Taste Tofu

Author:Sylvia Boorstein

“The responses of friendliness, compassion, and appreciation that I felt ...--all situational permutations of basic goodwill--depended on my mind's being relaxed and alert enough to notice both what was happening around me and what was happening as my internal response. [p.50]”

Mind Enough Felt Compassion Happenings Response Appreciation Internals Relaxed Goodwill Friendliness

Author:Sylvia Boorstein

“The Buhha was a monastic, but the practice of mindfulness in the context of any lifestyle is one of renunciation. Every moment of mindfulness renounces the reflexive, self-protecting response of the mind in favor of clear and balanced understanding. In the light of the wisdom that comes from balanced undertanding, attachment to having things be other than what they ar falls away.”

Mind Self Moments Light Truth Fall Understanding Practice Clear Mindfulness Response Favors Lifestyle Attachment Balanced Renounce Renunciation

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

“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

“The Buddha taught that suffering is the extra pain in the mind that happens when we feel an anguished imperative to have things be different from how they are. We see it most clearly when our personal situation is painful and we want very much for it to change. It's the wanting very much that hurts so badly, the feeling of "I need this desperately," that paralyzes the mind. The "I" who wants so much feels isolated. Alone.”

Want Needs Feels Mind Different Feelings Happens Pain Suffering Hurt Situation Taught Painful Extras Isolated Imperatives

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

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