But there's a shift happening in humanity, a shift in consciousness, happening now because it has to happen now.

A self - a me - exists in every thought and every emotion. Suffering arises through complete identification with thinking and emotions.

Enlightenment means rising above thought, not falling back to a level below thought, the level of an animal or a plant. In the enlightened state, you still use your thinking mind when needed, but in a much more focused and effective way than before.

Peace comes from being aligned with the present moment. Wherever you are, you feel that you are home—because you are home.

Sustained enthusiasm brings into existence a wave of creative energy, and all you have to do is 'ride the wave'.

The word 'heart' can refer to an emotional bond between people, and also to the precious faculty of empathy, an 'open heart', which means sharing the feelings of another and includes an outflow of goodwill towards our fellow humans and all life forms. This, of course, is what the Dalai Lama refers to when he says "my religion is kindness", and is closely related to the ability to feel compassion.

By a monstrous act of reductionism, the infinite depth of who you are is confused with a sound produced by the vocal cords." (p. 28)