Jon Kabat-Zinn

Jon Kabat-Zinn (born Kabat on June 5, 1944) is Professor of Medicine Emeritus and creator of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Kabat-Zinn was a student of Buddhist teachers such as Thich Nhat Hanh and Zen Master Seung Sahn and a founding member of Cambridge Zen Center. His practice of yoga and studies with Buddhist teachers led him to integrate their teachings with those of science. He teaches mindfulness, which he says can help people cope with stress, anxiety, pain, and illness. The stress reduction program created by Kabat-Zinn, called Mindfulness-based stress reduction, is offered by medical centers, hospitals, and health maintenance organizations.

“Each time for the first time, each moment the only moment”. Jon Kabat-Zinn

“When you pay attention to boredom it gets unbelievably interesting.” Jon Kabat-Zinn

“The little things? The little moments? They aren’t little.” Jon Kabat-Zinn

“look at other people and ask yourself if you are really seeing them or just your thoughts about them…. Without knowing it, we are coloring everything, putting our spin on it all.” Jon Kabat-Zinn

“Discipline provides a constancy which is independent of what kind of day you had yesterday and what kind of day you anticipate today.” Jon Kabat-Zinn

“From the perspective of meditation, every state is a special state, every moment a special moment.” Jon Kabat-Zinn

“The best way to capture moments is to pay attention. This is how we cultivate mindfulness. Mindfulness means being awake. It means knowing what you are doing.” Jon Kabat-Zinn

“A lot of harm has come in all eras from people attached to one view of ‘spiritual’ truth.” Jon Kabat-Zinn