MOVE TOWARD THE PAIN
TO
CULTIVATE WISDOM
COMPASSION
AND
COURAGE
"When something hurts in life, we don't usually think of it as our path or as the source of wisdom. In fact, we think that the reason we're on the path is to get rid of this painful feeling ("When I get to L.A., I won't feel this way anymore.") At that level of wanting to get rid of our feeling, we naively cultivate a subtle aggression against ourselves.However, the fact is that anyone who has used the moments and days and years of his or her life to become wiser, kinder, and more at home in the world has learned from what has happened right now. We can aspire to be kind right in the moment, to relax and open our heart and mind to what is in front of us right in the moment. Now is the time. If there's any possibility for enlightenment, it's right now, not at some future time. Now is the time."
From: When Things Fall Apart--Heart Advice for Difficult Times by Pema Chodron Shambhala Classics p.144
