Imagine a ship that is sinking and needs all the available power to run the pumps to drain out the rising waters. The first class passengers refuse to cooperate because they feel hot and want to use the air-conditioner and other electrical appliances. The second-class passengers spend all their time trying to be upgraded to first-class status. The boat sinks and the passengers all drown. That is where the present approach to climate change is leading.

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.

To love oneself is to love life. It is essential to understand that we make ourselves happy in making others happy.

Confidence is closely linked to how well our perceptions match reality

Meditation is about cultivating constructive emotions, like altruism, compassion.

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

You can't be at the same time a spiritual master and someone who is always angry. It doesn't work.