Rumpelstiltskin.

disengaging from the world of always-on communication. And, yes, when you practice silence, you do find your way.

and reputation — for these are what give meaning to most people’s lives.

Practice is a puzzle. You practice to make things better, but for things to change for the better, you have to let go of wanting them to be better. You have probably heard this before, but it is important: do the practice, but do not do it with the hope that you will make something happen. Just do it.

A person might be said to be awake when he or she can move into this awareness, this way of experiencing life, at will. The word bodhi means “awakening” and sattva means “being.” Thus, a bodhisattva is a person who is or aspires to be awake. When this awareness is present, you simply respond to the pain and struggles of others in whatever way is

You know you are going to die, but you do not believe it. You ignore the fact that death is inevitable. You focus your time and energy on the conventional concerns — happiness, gain, respect

This was the point of practice — nothing more! Life presents you with different experiences. Every experience has infinite dimensions. Can you experience all of them without struggling against any of them? If you can, then suffering comes to an end — so obvious, so simple, so deep, and so wonderful.

Give up your life. Give it all up. Do not base your life on what can be taken away from you — wealth, possessions, health, family, friends, fame, respect, even your own life.

Don’t engage disturbances and emotional reactions gradually fade away; Don’t engage distractions and spiritual practice naturally grows; Keep awareness clear and vivid and confidence in the way arises. Rely on silence — this is the practice of a bodhisattva.