True happiness is born of letting go of what is unnecessary.

Compassion allows us to bear witness to suffering, whether it is in ourselves or others, without fear; it allows us to name injustice without hesitation, to act strongly, with all the skill at our disposal.

When we are devoted to the development of kindness, it becomes our ready response, so that reacting from compassion, from caring, is not a question of giving ourselves a lecture: 'I don't really feel like it, but I'd better be helpful, or what would people think?'

We can have skills training in mindfulness so that we are using our attention to perceive something in the present moment. This perception is not so latent by fears or projections into the future, or old habits, and then I can actually stir loving-kindness or compassion in skills training too, which can be sort of provocative, I found.

Once someone appears to us primarily as an object, kindness has no place to root.

Vulnerability in the face of constant change is what we share, whatever our present condition.

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