To really be of benefit to others as the Buddha always taught, we ourselves must first get out of the swamp. One of the quickest and most effective ways to do this is in isolation, with very few distractions, working very hard at it and spending all your time and efforts at changing your mind.

To become effortless takes a lot of effort. It's good to compare it to learning an instrument or learning a sport.

As my lama always told me, I learned that I practice better when I'm by myself.

The world is full of incredible people who are embodiments of compassion. Some of them have a spiritual path; some of them don't.

If you just follow your inner calling, then you just go ahead.

I think to dwell continually on the dark side creates gloom and despair and anger and hatred, and that just adds to the darkness. So rather than that, we need to think of the beauty in the world, and also send out love and compassion to all beings in this world. Not just the people we like, but people who we find difficult. Because they are very deeply in need of compassion.

The Buddha always emphased the important of good friends.