Most of us have spent our lives caught up in plans, expectations, ambitions for the future; in regrets, guilt or shame about the past. To come into the present is to stop the war.
Jack KornfieldRead
Compassion for ourselves gives rise to the power to transform resentment into forgiveness, hatred into friendliness, and fear into respect for all beings.
Interpretation
Self-compassion allows us to replace negative emotions with positive actions toward others.
This quote emphasizes the transformative power of self-compassion in facilitating emotional growth and fostering positive relationships. By being kind to ourselves, we can change feelings of resentment into forgiveness, hatred into friendliness, and fear into a respectful attitude towards all beings, thus improving our interactions and overall well-being.
In practice
During a seminar on emotional intelligence, this quote can be shared to illustrate the importance of self-compassion.
Most of us have spent our lives caught up in plans, expectations, ambitions for the future; in regrets, guilt or shame about the past. To come into the present is to stop the war.
We need courage and strength, a kind of warrior spirit. But the place for this warrior strength is in the heart. We need energy, commitment, and courage not to run from our life nor to cover it over with any philosophy-mate rial or spiritual. We need a warriorβs heart that lets us face our lives directly, our pains and limitations, our joys and possibilities.
The questions asked at the end of lie are very simple ones: Did I love well? Did I love the people around me, my community, the earth, in a deep way? And perhaps, Did I live fully? Did I offer myself to life?
We can bring our spiritual practice into the streets, into our communities, when we see each realm as a temple, as a place to discover that which is sacred.
According to Buddhist scriptures, compassion is the "quivering of the pure heart" when we have allowed ourselves to be touched by the pain of life.
Much of spiritual life is self-acceptance, maybe all of it.
You'll never know how close you are to a million-dollar idea unless you're willing to listen.
We have all got to exert ourselves a little to keep sane, and call things by the same names as other people call them by.
But when I thought I hit bottom, it started hitting back. There is no bruise like the bruise loneliness kicks into your spine.
Blessed are the single-hearted, for they shall enjoy much peace. If you refuse to be hurried and pressed, if you stay your soul on God, nothing can keep you from that clearness of spirit which is life and peace. In that stillness you will know what His will is.
Outward judgment often fails, inward judgment never.
In sorrow, pretend to be fearless. In happiness, tremble.
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