Never underestimate the power of compassionately recognizing what's going on.

Anxiety, heartbreak, and tenderness mark the in-between state. It's the kind of place we usually want to avoid. The challenge is to stay in the middle rather than buy into struggle and complaint. The challenge is to let it soften us rather than make us more rigid and afraid.

So many of us start along the spiritual path because we are suffering. But you must realize that for real healing to occur, there must first be deep compassion for yourself, especially the parts of yourself you dislike or consider ugly.

Everything that human beings feel, we feel. We can become extremely wise and sensitive to all of humanity and the whole universe simply by knowing ourselves, just as we are.

You build inner strength through embracing the totality of your experience, both the delightful parts and the difficult parts.

We don't experience the world fully unless we are willing to give everything away.

Clarity and decisiveness come from the willingness to slow down, to listen to and look at what’s happening.