The root of suffering is resisting the certainty that no matter what the circumstances, uncertainty is all we truly have.

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.

It has a lot to do with developing patience, not with the check-out person so much, but with your own pain that arises, the rawness and the vulnerability, and sending some kind of warmth and love to that rawness and soreness. I think that's how we have to practice.

The essence of our whole path is in that place of discomfort, and what do we do with it?

What you do for yourself, you're doing for others, and what you do for others, you're doing for yourself.

As each breath goes out, let it be the end of that moment and the birth of something new. . .

What's encouraging about meditation is that, even if we shut down, we can no longer shut down in ignorance. We see very clearly that we're closing off. That in itself begins to illuminate the darkness of ignorance.