The renowned seventh-century Zen master Seng-tsan taught that true freedom is being "without anxiety about imperfection.

That non-attachment gives us the freedom to be exactly who we are.

Stories about ourselves and about the world continually arise in our minds and shape our beliefs about reality.

Just remember that everyone is struggling; everyone is living with fear and uncertainty and it doesn't matter what their politics are.

The boundary to what we can accept is the boundary to our freedom.

Offer some gesture of kindness to yourself. Sometimes it's just a message, to say: "It's okay. You're going to be okay. We've been through this before." The intention is reassurance, that you are not alone and you can do this. It is the most powerful way to come out of what I call the "trance of unworthiness."

Imagine you are walking in the woods and you see a small dog sitting by a tree. As you approach it, it suddenly lunges at you, teeth bared. You are frightened and angry. But then you notice that one of its legs is caught in a trap. Immediately your mood shifts from anger to concern: You see that the dog's aggression is coming from a place of vulnerability and pain. This applies to all of us. When we behave in hurtful ways, it is because we are caught in some kind of trap. The more we look through the eyes of wisdom at ourselves and one another, the more we cultivate a compassionate heart.