In modern society most of us don't want to be in touch with ourselves; we want to be in touch with other things like religion, sports, politics, a book - we want to forget ourselves. Anytime we have leisure, we want to invite something else to enter us, opening ourselves to the television and telling the television to come and colonize us.

You do not suffer because things are impermanent. You suffer because things are impermanent and you think they are permanent.

We try to live every moment like that, dwelling peacefully in the present moment, and respond to events with compassion.

Breathe in deeply to bring your mind home to your body. Then look at, or think of, the person triggering this emotion: With mindfulness, you can see that she is unhappy, that she is suffering. You can see her wrong perceptions. You can see that she is not beautiful when she says things that are unkind.

Mindfulness practices enhance the connection between our body, our mind and everything else that is around us. Mindful living is the key to understanding our struggles with weight and to empowering us to control our weight.

To live in the present moment is a miracle.

While drinking, while talking, while writing, while watering our garden, it's always possible to practice living in the here and the now.