The ultimate reason for meditating is to transform ourselves in order to be better able to transform the world.

Humility does not mean believing oneself to be inferior, but to be freed from self-importance. It is a state of natural simplicity which is in harmony with our true nature and allows us to taste the freshness of the present moment.

In a way, there's nothing wrong with playing the piano, but it's not a huge trauma if you don't.

Placebos are like the lollipop of optimism, but we can do much better by dealing directly with the mind... And it works!

There is definitely openness to others' suffering that is dealt not with distress but with compassion.

If contemplation of other people's pain just increases distress, then I think we should see it in another way. If we don't center too much on ourselves, then [we] increase our courage and our determination to remedy the pain, not our distress. If we have unconditional compassion, then it increases our courage. So that's the difference, self-centered motivation versus altruistic motivation.

For a few moments, be aware of your potential for change. Whatever your present situation is, evolution and transformation are always possible. At the least, you can change your way of seeing things and then, gradually, your way of being as well.