Einstein and Mindfulness

A little post from the Huffington Post’s GPS for the Soul blog has a number of quotes by Albert Einstein that the author feels connect Albert with mindfulness.

Einstein quotes are very popular online. People love to pass on little gems of wisdom.

One that is very popular is “Everybody is a genius. But, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it’ll spend its whole life believing that it is stupid.” I always connected that quote to my life in education and especially in the ways that we grade and (and label) students.  But the blog author connects that quote to the idea the “billions of fish try to climb trees every day. Just look around the office, or at those poor souls who so valiantly strive their entire lives in going-absolutely-nowhere work mode.”

I’m not sure that’s what Albert meant, but we filter quotes through our own lenses.

Here are the quotes referenced. Are they about mindfulness? Maybe they are more American koans.

• I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.
• Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.
• Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.
• The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious — the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science.
• Any fool can know. The point is to understand.
• In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.
• Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts.
• The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.
• The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant.
• I believe in intuitions and inspirations.
• Imagination is the highest form of research.
• The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives.

Align with Einstein