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Zen pretty much comes down to three things -- everything changes; everything is connected; pay attention.
Jane Hirshfield
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote encapsulates the essence of Zen philosophy, emphasizing the transient nature of life, the interconnectedness of all things, and the importance of mindfulness.

In this quote, Jane Hirshfield distills key tenets of Zen philosophy into three core principles: the inevitability of change, the interconnectedness of all existence, and the necessity for mindfulness. It suggests that by acknowledging and embracing the transient nature of reality, recognizing how everything impacts one another, and being fully present, we can cultivate a deeper understanding of life and a more profound sense of peace.

Themes

ZenChangeMindfulnessInterconnectednessAttention

In practice

Example use cases

During a meditation session, this quote can be shared to inspire mindfulness and reflection.

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as some strings, untouched, sound when no one is speaking. So it was when love slipped inside us.
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I write because to write a new sentence, let alone a new poem, is to cross the threshold into both a larger existence and a profound mystery. A thought was not there, then it is. An image, a story, an idea about what it is to be human, did not exist, then it does. With every new poem, an emotion new to the heart, to the world, speaks itself into being.
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I thought I would love you forever—and, a little, I may, in the way I still move toward a crate, knees bent, or reach for a man: as one might stretch for the three or four fruit that lie in the sun at the top of the tree; too ripe for any moment but this, they open their skin at first touch, yielding sweetness, sweetness and heat, and in me, each time since, the answering yes.
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