The work of your heart, the work of taking time, to listen, to help, is also your gift to the whole of the world

When you rest in presence and pure awareness, sometimes everything is experienced as love because you're connected with all that is, and love is simply the nature of being.

What would we have to hold in compassion to be at peace right now? What would we have to let go of to be at peace right now?

I used to think that to become free you had to practice like a samurai warrior, but now I understand that you have to practice like a devoted mother of a newborn child. It takes the same energy but has a completely different quality. It's compassion and presence rather than having to defeat the enemy in battle.

Acceptance does not mean inaction. We may need to respond, strongly at times...From a peaceful center we can respond instead of react. Unconscious reactions create problems. Considered responses bring peace. With a peaceful heart whatever happens can be met with wisdom...Peace is not weak; it is unshakable.

In the end, forgiveness simply means never putting another person out of our heart.

Life without forgiveness is unbearable.