We need to deal with difficult situations, with both wisdom as well as compassion, which is definitely a challenge. We need insight into just how to deal with someone's negative emotions, especially anger, without creating more aggression and harm.Of course, compassion itself can be very strong and fearless, but it needs a clarity to understand... Continue Reading →
In Buddhism there are ‘the Seven Limbs’. One of the seven points is the confession of what we have done wrong: we remind ourselves of all the big mistakes we have. But straight after that comes the rejoicing in the goodness. It’s as if our garden is full of weeds; we definitely need to pull... Continue Reading →
The Buddha said that karma is intention. In other words, the important point is not so much what we do, but why we are doing it - Tenzin Palmo
As the Buddha recommended, loving-kindness and compassion should first be sent to ourselves. A lot of our anger that is directed toward others stems from our initial anger toward ourselves. First we have to cultivate peace within ourselves, forgive ourselves and appreciate that despite all our faults and problems, essentially, we are good. We do... Continue Reading →
Perhaps while we are sitting in the plane or on the train, taking a stroll or driving in the car, we could practice loving kindness meditation or tonglen. We don't have to change our posture, just send out thoughts of loving-kindness. Imagine beautiful light radiating to fill the bodies of those around us and being... Continue Reading →
“We have to forgive ourselves. We have all made mistakes and acted stupidly. So what? We're human beings. If we were perfect then we wouldn't need a path, since we would already have arrived! It is because we have problems, because we have faults, because we've made stupid mistakes that we need a path. So... Continue Reading →
Love is an opening of the heart. It's like the sun shining. The sun just naturally shines. It doesn't discriminate, shining on this person, but not on that one. It just shines because it is the nature of the sun to give warmth. And it's the equanimous quality of the heart that we have to... Continue Reading →
"I am not saying that you should go home and clear out all your things - that is not the point. The point is this question of opening the heart, of really being able to rejoice in giving to others - not just material things. Material things are good things to start with but we... Continue Reading →
“Most of us are slaves of our moods, of our feelings, of our emotions, of our memories, of our anxieties. We’re completely swept along by this. We suffer, and we cause others to suffer. But if we can become the masters of our mind, then we can use our mental faculties in a way which... Continue Reading →
In order to receive any genuine transformation we have to transform everything we do, everything we say, everything we think, to the utmost of our ability, into a Dharma practice.If we use every action of body, speech and mind as our practice, by cultivating awareness, being present in the moment, seeing things with clarity and... Continue Reading →
"Usually our minds are so crowded with thoughts and feelings that we don’t see the space inside. This is why we’re always saying, relax, relax—it’s to allow the open, spaciousness of the mind and the space between thoughts and feelings, and the nature of thoughts and feelings, which is also space. It’s all empty. But... Continue Reading →
“How can we begin to take responsibility for our actions? A good way to start is by learning to understand our mental states. One of the easiest ways to train in this is to take some simple everyday action such as combing our hair, brushing our teeth, shaving or drinking our morning coffee, and bring... Continue Reading →
“So keep it short. And keep your aspiration—that our whole day will be our dharma practice, that it’s not just sitting on your cushion. Your cushion, yes, is to get your mind settled, get the awareness clear, set up good motivation, but then we have to use our daily life, everyone we encounter, everything we... Continue Reading →
“When we become completely aware in the moment, we are completely attentive to what is happening in the moment. In this way we become centered in the moment. And that moment is all we ever really have. Our whole life is made up of moment after moment. If we miss these moments through thinking about... Continue Reading →
“Sometimes people ask me about the difference between awareness and concentration. Awareness is not the same as concentration. To use an example, suppose you are reading a fascinating book, and you are completely absorbed in it. You don’t see anything else; you don’t hear anything else. That is concentration. But to know that you are... Continue Reading →
We have to develop a very open loving attitude in our relationships with people. With everybody we meet, whether they are nice to us or not, we must have that initial feeling of “May you be well and happy”. Just a good feeling. It doesn’t mean we have to be stupid or that we can’t... Continue Reading →
“The Dharma is very practical, but it’s not just a matter of sitting in meditation. It’s a matter of bringing that attitude into our daily life, into everyone we meet and every task we undertake in an open, relaxed, spacious mind, which allows things to happen as they happen, without being so grasping, that we... Continue Reading →
“So keep it short. And keep your aspiration—that our whole day will be our dharma practice, that it’s not just sitting on your cushion. Your cushion, yes, is to get your mind settled, get the awareness clear, set up good motivation, but then we have to use our daily life, everyone we encounter, everything we... Continue Reading →
