Rather than reinforcing our “me-ness” and justifying ourselves constantly, we should base our lives on something more powerful and trustworthy. If we develop real trust in ourselves, constant self-defense is no longer required. It is worth appreciating ourselves, having affection for ourselves, and taking care of ourselves. Genuineness, goodness, and appreciation are extraordinary gifts. Ultimately, that is where we place our trust. This truth is so true that we don’t have to pretend at all. It is real. Every one of us is capable of loving ourselves. we are also capable of falling in love. We are capable of kissing our loved ones. We are capable of extending our arm to shake hands. We may offer a meal to someone, welcoming him or her to the table, saying, “Hello How are you?” We are capable of these simple things. We’ve been performing such ordinary acts of kindness for a long time. ~Chogyam Trungpa

we love enough, we do enough, we offer enough……there is no greater gift than to know this…..

When we sit down to meditate, we learn to relate to our ever-changing, moment-to-moment experience with acceptance and equanimity, even when our experience is unwanted or painful. Sometimes, though, if we’re too focused on accepting our painful experience as it is, our practice can become cold. We forget about relating to the experience (ourselves) with warmth and kindness. In addition to just accepting our feelings when we’re frightened, frustrated, sad, hopeless, or lonely, we can hold ourselves in the tender embrace of self-compassion. We can allow our hearts to melt around the suffering we’re experiencing, at the same time that we accept that the suffering is so.  ~Kristin Neff

you forgot what to say

Ultimately, we can come to no final assessment of our lives. We just have them. We are enough. then it’s easy to love other people and the trees and birds. Making friends with yourself is making friends with reality. We lose the mind that is afraid and criticizing everything in order to make it conceivable. We lose that mind because it is too confining and it makes things, well, conceivable. The circumstances of this life go all the way back to the beginning of the big bang and all the way out to the furthest galaxy. A calm presence is looking out through our eyes and recognizing itself in everything we see. Of all the things we might be able to know in life, there is only one that is not a theory. What’s it like to be me?  ~Linji Yixuan