The Five Hazards: Tuning Out

When sloth and torpor are present, one should arouse energy, examine the danger, and gladden the mind.

~ Gotama (the Buddha)

The faculty of voluntarily bringing back a wandering attention, over and over again, is the very root of judgement, character, and will.

~ William James

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The Five Hazards: Anxiety and Agitation

Restlessness has the characteristic of disquietude, like water whipped up by the wind. Its function is to make the mind unsteady.

~ Bhikkhu Bodhi

When thoughts are racing and repetitive, remember: no one can harm the practitioner as much as the untamed mind.

~ Jack Kornfield

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The Five Hazards: Immobilising Doubt

Doubt is overcome not by finding answers to every question, but by the courageous willingness to proceed without certainty.

~ Sharon Salzberg

It is like a man who has never tasted a mango; he may ask others what it tastes like, but he will never know the taste until he eats it himself.

~ Ajahn Chah

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43  –  Overview: The Seven Supports

Advanced navigational aids and optimal operating conditions

Freedom is not the absence of commitments, but the ability to choose – and commit myself to – what is best for me.

Paulo Coelho

When developed and cultivated, the seven factors of awakening lead to direct knowledge and liberation.Gotama (The Buddha)

Gotama (The Buddha)

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44 – Liberating Mindfulness as a Support

Luminous is the mind. And it is defiled by visiting impurities.

Gotama (The Buddha)

Freedom is not something you acquire; it is the absence of the compulsion to grasp or resist – the opening of a space where life can unfold.

Stephen Batchelor

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