We live in a world of wars and wars alarms, of famines, of oppression. While there are many wonderful people in this world, you'll notice one curious fact about them, they all suffer, they all die, and sometimes those who are the nicest seem to suffer the most.

The way of Zen is to become independent and strong. Don't rely on others for perceptions of life and truth. Do it individually. Go to a teacher of Zen to learn how to do that, not to get answers for individual life situations.

The hallmark of a person who is following the pathway to enlightenment is that they bring excellence into everything, no matter how crappy they feel.

Consumer goods become enlightenment, relationships, anything! It doesn't really matter because infinity exists in everything. "Greater than the greatest, smaller than the smallest, the self dwells in the hearts of all," that is the Upanishads.

My problem with L. A. was that I could see the air I was breathing, I don't particularly like crowds, and I was much better at snowboarding than I was at surfing.

Even if you are focusing on a chakra, you don't want to do that for the whole period of meditation. There should be a point where you let go. Settle down. Get off the train of thought for a while.

Life draws us in different directions, sometimes simultaneously. When you follow the direction that life draws you in, if you stay in a very powerful state of mind, then you'll see eternity.