The first thing you have to do is acknowledge the basic and fundamental goodness of all beings. If you don't, then you are going to have conflict. That's at the core of Shambhala.

I would say courage first; then wisdom, which is a sense of knowledge and confidence; and also the wish and desire to uplift. The underlying notion is "How do I help?" That attitude really is a spiritual journey and a path.

Your life and your practice should not be separate. You bring your practice into experience. You bring it about.

What is my great wish and intention, is to make a base of compassion and to encourage people to work to shift the energy.

One of the characteristics of every great teacher I've known is tremendous exertion. It's interesting: You may see them as spiritual people or compassionate people, but the driving force is that incredible exertion - and their ability to sustain it.

Being fooled into trying to make things work out for 'me' is called samsara.

Many people think spirituality has nothing to do with success or accomplishing - that it's something you do with removal, with leaving the world.