Elizabeth Reninger > Quotes

“if you were the Buddha you could hear
in thunder a universe
of flowers blooming”
― Elizabeth Reninger

“Replace the notion of “control” with that of “influence.”
― Elizabeth Reninger, Meditation Now: A Beginner's Guide: 10-Minute Meditations to Restore Calm and Joy Anytime, Anywhere

“I have just three things to teach:
simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions and in thoughts,
you return to the source of being. Patient with both friends and enemies,
you accord with the way things are. Compassionate toward yourself,
you reconcile all beings in the world. (TRANSLATION BY STEPHEN MITCHELL)”
― Elizabeth Reninger, Taoism for Beginners: Understanding and Applying Taoist History, Concepts, and Practices

“Here’s a simple exercise that will support you in accessing vibrant, fertile emptiness. It involves a figure-ground reversal that can be very fun to play with! 1.Whenever you’d like, make a conscious decision to notice the space between objects—more than the objects themselves. For instance, instead of seeing a table and a lamp, observe the space around these objects. Like a photographic negative, this space also has a certain shape (and other qualities) that we don’t usually pay attention to. So, let the objects shift to the background and tune in to the space instead. Notice how this transforms your experience. 2.Once you’re comfortable with seeing the space between external objects, try the same thing with the internal “objects” of your thoughts. Can you tune in to the silent gaps between the words, phrases, and sentences comprising your mind’s internal chatter? What happens when you notice and rest in the silent spaces between (and behind) your mind-created content?”
― Elizabeth Reninger, Taoism for Beginners: Understanding and Applying Taoist History, Concepts, and Practices

“Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend. Nonbeing is the greatest joy.”
― Elizabeth Reninger, Taoism for Beginners: Understanding and Applying Taoist History, Concepts, and Practices