The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down: How to be Calm in a Busy World

by Haemin Sunim

What our mind focuses on becomes our world.

When you have an unpleasant feeling, don’t grab hold of it and turn it over and over. Instead, leave it alone so it can flow. The wave of emotion will naturally recede on its own as long as you don’t feed it by dwelling on it.

The more grateful we feel, the happier we become. This is because gratitude helps us realize we are all connected. Nobody feels like an island when feeling grateful. Gratitude awakens us to the truth of our interdependent nature.

negative emotion is not a fixed reality.

Do not try to get rid of your thoughts—it won’t work. Instead, witness the emergence of a thought. Witness the disappearance of a thought. The moment you become aware of it, the mind quiets and becomes clear.

Hold on to that youthful heart and spirit no matter how old you are.

“Paper wrapped around incense smells of incense, and string binding fish smells of fish.” Whether we like it or not, we naturally become influenced by our surroundings. Ask yourself, “Who do I want to emulate? Is that person physically or mentally nearby?”

Apparently most people are unable to tell the difference between a $15 bottle of wine and a $50 bottle. The extra $35 is the price of our vanity.

Truth is not the exclusive property of any one religion. It has a universal quality that allows people of different religious traditions to recognize and respect it.

“How should we consider a different spiritual path? We shall approach it with humility as well as a willingness to learn about another tradition. If our faith can be shaken from merely learning about a different tradition, then that faith is not worth keeping.”

Religious conflict can often be blamed not on the founders of religions but on their fanatical followers.

“The purpose of religion is to control yourself, not to criticize others.

Ignorance of other spiritual paths combined with fear can give rise to religious persecution and violence. Major wisdom traditions around the world teach humility, love, and forbearance. Nothing bad will come of learning about them.

“Enlarge my heart to hold and accept the things I cannot.”

Wisdom is not something we have to strive to acquire. Rather, it arises naturally as we slow down and notice what is already there.