What you do for yourself, any gesture of kindness, any gesture of gentleness, any gesture of honesty and clear seeing toward yourself, will affect how you experience your world. In fact, it will transform how you experience the world. What you do for yourself, youโre doing for others, and what you do for others, youโre doing for yourself.
Pema ChodronWe can put our whole heart into whatever we do; but if we freeze our attitude into for or against, we're setting ourselves up for stress. Instead, we could just go forward with curiosity, wondering where this experiment will lead. This kind of open-ended inquisitiveness captures the spirit of enthusiasm, or heroic perseverance.
Pema ChodronFeeling irritated, restless, afraid, and hopeless is a reminder to listen more carefully.
Pema ChodronWe can stop thinking that good practice is when itโs smooth and calm, and bad practice is when itโs rough and dark. If we can hold it all in our hearts, then we can make a proper cup of tea.
Pema Chodron