Sharon Salzberg

“We can understand the inherent radiance & purity of our minds by understanding metta. Like the mind, metta is not distorted by what it encounters.”

“We use mindfulness to observe the way we cling to pleasant experiences & push away unpleasant ones.”

“If you’re reading these words, perhaps it’s because something has kicked open the door for you, and you’re ready to embrace change. It isn’t enough to appreciate change from afar, or only in the abstract, or as something that can happen to other people but not to you. We need to create change for ourselves, in a workable way, as part of our everyday lives.”

“Doing nothing means unplugging from the compulsion to always keep ourselves busy, the habit of shielding ourselves from certain feelings, the tension of trying to manipulate our experience before we even fully acknowledge what that experience is.”

“As soon as we ask whether or not a story is true in the present moment, we empower ourselves to re-frame it.”

“All of our actions can signify self-love or self-sabotage”

“The heart contracts when our bodies are overcome by shame.”

“We need the courage to learn from our past and not live in it.”

“So often, fear keeps us from being able to say yes to love—perhaps our greatest challenge as human beings.”

“When we develop our ability to love in one realm, we simultaneously nourish our ability in others, as long as we remain open to the flow of insight and compassion.”

“Though it may seem counter intuitive to our inner perfectionist, recognizing our mistakes as valuable lessons (not failures) helps us lay the groundwork for later success.”

“When you recognize and reflect on even one good thing about yourself, you are building a bridge to a place of kindness and caring.”

“if we really look at our actions with eyes of love, we see that our lives can be more straightforward, simpler, less sculpted by regret and fear, more in alignment with our deepest values.”

“It’s affirming that we can look at any experience from the fullness of our being and get past the shame we carry.”

“Mindfulness, also called wise attention, helps us see what we’re adding to our experiences, not only during meditation sessions but also elsewhere.”

“Love exists in itself, not relying on owning or being owned.”

“When we learn to respond to disappointments with acceptance, we give ourselves the space to realize that all our experiences—good and bad alike—are opportunities to learn and grow.”

“These are times when sympathetic joy comes naturally, but in a complex relationship the heart may not leap up so easily.”

“Forgiveness that is insincere, forced or premature can be more psychologically damaging than authentic bitterness & rage.”

“Living in a story of a limited self—to any degree—is not love.”