When we see the relatedness of ourselves to the universe, that we do not live as isolated entities, untouched by what is going on around us, not affecting what is going on around us, when we see through that, that we are interrelated, then we can see that to protect others is to protect ourselves, and to protect ourselves it to protect others.

I've spent quite a bit of my life as a meditation teacher and writer commending the strengths of love and compassion.

Sometimes people don't trust the force of kindness. They think love or compassion or kindness will make you weak and kind of stupid and people will take advantage of you; you won't stand up for other people.

We often get caught up in our own reactions and forget the vulnerability of the person in front of us.

I think what we (as a society) need from artists of all kinds is courage, a willingness to explore, and a really big sense of possibility.

If you go deeper and deeper into your own heart, you'll be living in a world with less fear, isolation and loneliness.

Often we can achieve an even better result when we stumble yet are willing to start over, when we don't give up after a mistake, when something doesn't come easily but we throw ourselves into trying, when we're not afraid to appear less than perfectly polished.