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

by Haemin Sunim

May you be happy, healthy, peaceful, and always protected from harm.

When we look at the outside world, we are looking at only a small part that interests us. The world we see is not the entire universe but a limited one that the mind cares about.

I realize it isn’t the outside world that is a whirlwind; it is only my mind.

Seeing other people happy is a deep source of joy in my life.

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.

Don’t struggle to heal your wounds. Just pour time into your heart and wait. When your wounds are ready, they will heal on their own.

Negative emotions come and go like clouds, but the wide-open sky remains.

Do memories cause you pain? Practice being in the present moment.

With love in our hearts, we find even the most mundane things sacred and beautiful.

With love in our hearts, we become kinder and gentler, even to complete strangers.

Beyond my body and labels, there is a river of tenderness and vulnerability.

Without joy in our heart, our progress in life is slow and uninteresting.

Those who work in a playful, relaxed manner tend to work efficiently and creatively. Those who work nonstop, driven only by stress, work without joy.

What makes music beautiful is the distance between one note and another. What makes speech eloquent is the appropriate pause between words.

When you have to make an important decision, don’t lose sleep over it.

Just take the special medicine called “time” and wait. Your subconscious will search for the answer.

Put faith in your subconscious mind and give yourself time.

Even if you are having just a bowl of cereal for dinner, eat it with the loving attitude of nourishing yourself.