All the wars, all the hatred, all the ignorance in the world come out of being so invested in our opinions.

In practicing meditation, we're not trying to live up to some kind of ideal -- quite the opposite. We're just being with our experience, whatever it is.

Lower your standards and relax as it is.

We work on ourselves in order to help others, but also we help others in order to work on ourselves.

If your everyday practice is open to all your emotions, to all the people you meet, to all the situations you encounter, without closing down, trusting that you can do that - then that will take you are far as you can go. And then you'll understand all the teachings that anyone has ever taught.

Whole-heartedn ess is a precious gift, but no one can actually give it to you. You have to find the path that has heart and then walk it impeccably....It' s like someone laughing in your ear, challenging you to figure out what to do when you don't know what to do. It humbles you. It opens your heart.

It isn't what happens to us that causes us to suffer; it's what we say to ourselves about what happens.