Best Quotes from Ten To Zen by Owen O'Kane with Page Numbers

Most of us don’t have the time to meditate for half an hour every day, or a few spare days to go on a retreat.

I began to notice that many self-help and psychology books, courses and seminars also involve a lot of time and commitment.

Jane needed a time-efficient programme that was realistic for even the busiest person.

I set about trying to find a simple way we can care for our minds in the same way as we take care of our bodies.

Ten minutes may not seem much in terms of time, but I have packed a deceptive amount of valuable information into those minutes.

Mindfulness is about living in the present moment and not becoming too attached to your past or the future.

Our thoughts can often be the ‘demons’ in our lives, creating a lot of mental pain.

These more difficult or challenging emotions can be a route to personal clarity, and ultimately to finding real happiness.

Finding time to pause is a challenge for many people, but it’s not impossible.

Ten to Zen works. Yet the workout is far more than just the techniques. It is a new way of living.

‘There are no ready-meal versions for change.’

‘You do have a choice about this.’

‘It is through taking the risk to change that you will allow countless new possibilities in your life to emerge.’

‘Creating time and space every day to follow the Ten to Zen workout opened her eyes to a new way of thinking and experiencing.’

‘Real change takes time. It requires commitment and can feel a little daunting at first.’

‘This is not just about knowing what to do in theory; this means putting the theory into practice.’

‘Our brains are no different. We will be training the mind, strengthening it, and helping it develop flexibility.’

‘Whatever is going on in your life right now, your brain may not always be working in your best interest.’

‘These are stories of your life and they don’t define who you are; they can only shape who you are depending on how you choose to respond to them.’

‘Care of our minds and compassion to ourselves change everything beyond measure.’

Understanding the workings of the mind will in itself create a sense of freedom.

The good news is that we have a choice in whether we opt in to the unhelpful learned responses or not.

You can start to rewrite the script.

Taking action to change is the first step towards real freedom.

You have the power within you to do it too.

Recognizing that none of the early programming you received was your fault can be liberating.

Shame is like mud that sticks and refuses to go away. It is the underlying catalyst for most human distress.

When we start to let go of shame-based behaviours, we begin to embrace ourselves in a way that is kinder, more compassionate and more accepting.

The fantastic news is that our brains can be reprogrammed to work in a way that is more effective for us.

A new way to live is just around the corner for you now you have some understanding of the working of your mind.

‘Stopping wasn’t an option for them, yet stopping would have offered them, in that moment, so much magic.’

‘Practising Ten to Zen and committing to stopping for a short time each day will produce moments of delight, awareness and insight beyond measure.’

‘The stopping and the planning how to stop are both a must.’

‘In making the decision to stop, you are halfway there.’

‘There can be no greater priority than taking care of your mind.’

‘The problem with this commentary is that it intensifies these emotions and, without fail, if they are not attended to they will return.’

‘Instead of terming these ‘negative emotions’, I like to think of them simply as ‘human emotions’, just like happiness or joy.’

‘Acknowledging them, even welcoming them in and accepting them, is going to help to deactivate that overactive threat centre in your brain.’

‘A space to breathe and make sense of the moment.’

‘One simple minute of leaning towards oneself and checking in starts a process of calm, whereby changes in the brain occur.’

"Sometimes we just need to get away from it all."

"We can quickly access a place in our imagination that immediately settles the mind."

"I can bring my mind to my Zen, or calm, space – a lake in New England – and suddenly I am more at ease and clarity emerges."

"This is your time, your space. This is a place of safety, a place of calm, a place of peace."

"The idea is that your calm place is mentally ‘installed’ and, after a few practice attempts, you can arrive at this place instantly during your daily workout."

"Visualizing is creating an image of a calm, Zen-like space that represents peace, calm and relaxation."

"Select a word or name for your space. The important thing is that the associative word is unique to you."

"Every time you close your eyes, go to your calm space and use the tapping, the installation of your calm place is activated."

"This technique requires practice, but once learnt it is an incredibly useful and quick way to bring the activity of the mind down a few notches."

"Whenever you are ready, try Steps 1, 2 and 3 together: Stopping, Checking in, Arriving in your calm space."

Each breath we take with focused awareness can be a powerhouse of strength and renewal.

The breath supports the mind just as nutrients support the body.

Connecting to and focusing on our breath is one of the most amazing, simple and life-affirming means of anchoring ourselves in the present moment.

When we are focusing on the breath we give the brain another job to do; it likes to be kept busy with a purpose.

There really is no greater source of power than the breath.

Noticing what is going on in the physical body and simply breathing into it can have a remarkably helpful impact.

The magic is purely in noticing whatever is happening for you in that moment.

Aim to make each breath count.

Focusing on your breath can create a sense of immediate ease.

Your physical body becomes more relaxed, which in turn impacts positively on your mind.

Whatever our backgrounds in the real world, it doesn’t matter. What really matters is what we believe about ourselves.

The stories we tell ourselves are often not based on any real facts and say nothing about our value as people.

It is not the events in our lives that create the greatest challenges for us, but our interpretation of these events.

There is great freedom in discovering the patterns that may be active in our minds and learning the key skill of observing them and letting go.

You are not your thoughts.

If you wouldn’t speak to someone you care about in that way, why would you engage in and believe thoughts that tell you this about yourself?

In learning to take a step back from them, you begin the process of relating to yourself and your thoughts in a kinder, more compassionate way.

Thought patterns are habitual and often there is little evidence to support any of them as true.

Thoughts, instead of becoming the enemy, become something we are curious and friendly about.

No matter what is going on in your mind, behind the clouds there is always a blue sky.

Mindfulness encourages awareness of the present moment; whatever you are doing, wherever you are, without judgement.

The only thing you have is now.

Mindfulness takes another route by advocating two key principles: letting go of the past and the future, and staying in the present moment.

This part of your practice allows a stillness to emerge. Within the stillness everything is possible.

A minute of stillness can open the door to a lifetime of change.

Each dying person I have been privileged to work with has reminded me that each breath we have is a gift.

We are all dying. Difficult to think about, I know, but true.

Making that decision to let go and allow things to be is the beginning of a newfound freedom.

The message is clear. I believe these results can be attributed to two key factors beyond what goes on physiologically.

Whatever your answers to this, I encourage you to consider how much of life you are truly experiencing.

A cloak is warm, protective and heavy and can help us stand tall, ready to face whatever comes along.

Mentally donning this cloak will help you connect to your own strength, wisdom and kindness.

This ‘mental cloak’ embodies three Ten to Zen ‘principles for living’: acceptance, compassion and authenticity.

Each day, in the final minute of your workout you will visualize mentally putting on this cloak and focus on three key principles.

Acceptance does not mean staying in situations that impact negatively on your life when it is within your control to make decisions around them.

If you just go through the motions, using all the techniques without acceptance, compassion and authenticity, then there is a risk that’s all it becomes – just going through the motions.

Living with acceptance, compassion and authenticity can relieve this suffering immeasurably.

How am I going to practise compassion to myself today? How am I going to practise compassion to others today?

Living authentically is an internal process.

Every one of us is at fault; no one is to blame.

Whatever is going on in your life at the moment, please know, above all, that there is always hope.

Finding a way to stop for two minutes in a private space is the key to helping you.

It is empowering to know that, should you have moments of sudden difficulty or if unexpected events arise, you will have access to this ‘rescue remedy’ at any point in your day.

Every one of us needs help or support at times.

In allowing ourselves to be human we strip away the rules and conditions that tell us that it’s all got to feel good or we must be good all of the time.

Take responsibility for your life; you are the solution.

At the end of our work together, there are no promises that there won’t be a fall in the future, but next time there will be more mental resilience and wisdom to manage the fall.

Aim for no regrets. Try to live a life of ‘I did’ or ‘I tried’, rather than ‘I could have been’ or ‘I didn’t try'.

Suffering and joy are all part of living. Accept them and let it all be.

You will start changing how your brain works and how you relate to yourself; this workout cannot fail to make a difference if you commit to it.