Answers from the Heart: Practical Responses to Life's Burning Questions

Happiness is possible when you are capable of doing the things and being the things that you want to do and to be. When we walk for the sake of walking, when we sit for the sake of sitting, when we drink tea for the sake of drinking tea, we don’t do it for something or someone else.

others. Our compassion can embrace our family and our society, and the healing can be absolute. Q. Some of us have done terrible things in our past and continue to suffer guilt over how we’ve harmed others. Is it possible to move past this kind of pain? A. We have to find insight. Insight is at the foundation of any kind of practice. The insight is

We should not confine ourselves to just one tradition. If you love mangoes, you are free to continue to eat mangoes, but no one forbids you to eat pineapples and oranges. You don’t betray your mango when you eat a pineapple. It would be narrow-minded to enjoy only mango, when there are so many different fruits in the world. Spiritual traditions are

As you learn how to handle the present moment, you’ll gain faith and trust in your ability to handle the situation. You learn how to take care of your feelings and what’s happening around you. That makes you confident; and as your confidence grows, you’re no longer the victim of your worries.

When a friend comes and holds your hand, you feel as if you can bear your pain and continue. There is strength and happiness within you. When you touch these elements, they will manifest and help restore your balance, and you’ll be able to bear your physical pain more easily.

Doing nothing brings about quality of being, which is very important. So doing nothing is actually something. Please write that down and display it in your home: Doing nothing is something.

Recognizing suffering and cutting off the source of suffering is our practice.

in order to consume a lot, we have to be very busy working all the time, leaving no time to love, to build up brotherhood and sisterhood.

“The one who bows and the one who is bowed to are not separate; therefore, the communication between them is inexpressibly perfect.”

The time when we are sad is a good time to cultivate the quality of stillness and peace in