Just pausing for two to three breaths is a perfect way to stay present. This is a good use of our life. Indeed, it is an excellent, joyful use of our life. Instead of getting better and better at avoiding, we can learn to accept the present moment as if we had invited it, and work with it instead of against it, making it our ally rather than our enemy.

It's a transformative experience to simply pause instead of immediately filling up space.

When you begin to touch your heart or let your heart be touched, you begin to discover that it's bottomless.

One way to practice staying present is to simply sit still for a while and listen. For one minute, listen to the sounds close to you. For one minute, listen to the sounds at a distance. Just listen attentively.

Impermanence is a principle of harmony. When we don't struggle against it, we are in harmony with reality.

Discomfort of any kind becomes the basis for practice. We breathe in knowing our pain is shared.

Never underestimate the power of compassionately recognizing what's going on.