Being preoccupied with our self-image is like being deaf and blind. It's like standing in the middle of a vast field of wildflowers with a black hood over our heads. It's like coming upon a tree of singing birds while wearing earplugs.

Nothing in its essence is one way or the other.

The greatest obstacle to connecting with our joy is resentment.

In a nutshell, when life is pleasant, think of others. When life is a burden, think of others.

The real thing that we renounce is the tenacious hope that we could be saved from being who we are.

When you refrain from habitual thoughts and behavior, the uncomfortable feelings will still be there. They don’t magically disappear. Over the years, I’ve come to call resting with the discomfort “the detox period,” because when you don’t act on your habitual patterns, it’s like giving up an addiction. You’re left with the feelings you were trying to escape. The practice is to make a wholehearted relationship with that

Most spiritual experiences begin with suffering. They begin with groundlessness. They begin when the rug has been pulled out from under us.