The smoke from the fire passes through the building and the soot affixes itself to the walls. The smoke passes through the air and keeps going - liberation.

Spiritual balance is the ability to remain happy, to not be hostile to your neighbor when they are being hostile, and not to get caught up in the trivia.

You may feel a sensation of floating. You may see colors, maybe no phenomena, it doesn't matter. You are absorbing power.

My happiness comes from doing all I can for my students. To help them, what else could there be?

Happiness only comes when you let go of who you think you are. If you think you're wealthy and powerful and noble and truthful or horrible and demonic, whatever it may be, it's all a waste of time. Take it from the Zen Master. He knows.

The pathway to enlightenment is happiness. It doesn't really matter if you're successful, if you're in prison, if you're dying - if you have contact with light.

In the West people are basically oblivious to power, solstices, enlightenment and everything that matters.