Sitting meditation gives us a way to move closer to our thoughts and emotions and to get in touch with our bodies.

This moving away from comfort and security, this stepping out into what is unknown, uncharted and shaky - that's called liberation.

This genuine heart of sadness can teach us great compassion. It can humble us when we're arrogant and soften us when we are unkind.

Lower your standards and relax as it is.

We sow the seeds of our future hells or happiness by the way we open or close our minds right now.

We can stop thinking that good practice is when it’s smooth and calm, and bad practice is when it’s rough and dark. If we can hold it all in our hearts, then we can make a proper cup of tea.

No one ever tells us to stop running away from fear...the advice we usually get is to sweeten it up, smooth it over, take a pill, or distract ourselves, but by all means make it go away. (5)