I've spent quite a bit of my life as a meditation teacher and writer commending the strengths of love and compassion. Sharon Salzberg bitecommendcompassion Change image and share on social
Someone who has experienced trauma also has gifts to offer all of us - in their depth, their knowledge of our universal vulnerability, and their experience of the power of compassion. Sharon Salzberg compassiondepthexperience Change image and share on social
It's difficult to admit to ourselves that we suffer. We feel humiliated, like we should have been able to control our pain. If someone else is suffering, we like to tuck them away, out of sight. It's a cruel, cruel conditioning. There is no controlling the unfolding of life. Sharon Salzberg admitconditioncontrol share on social
It's interesting that people bring different things to oppressive and difficult situations, when they're reduced to the barest terms of survival. That's what provides tension in a lot of films. Sharon Salzberg barebringdifficult Change image and share on social
At times when I am myself sitting at a retreat, and at the end I get into my car to drive away, I watch my hand move forward to turn on the radio. When I can be mindful, I notice the fact that I actually don't want in that moment to listen to the news or hear some music. Sharon Salzberg cardriveend share on social
When you're wide open, the world is a good place. Sharon Salzberg goodopenplace Change image and share on social
I think the associations people have with kindness are often things like meekness and sweetness and maybe sickly sweetness; whereas I do think of kindness as a force, as a power. Sharon Salzberg associationforcekindness Change image and share on social
When we see the relatedness of ourselves to the universe, that we do not live as isolated entities, untouched by what is going on around us, not affecting what is going on around us, when we see through that, that we are interrelated, then we can see that to protect others is to protect ourselves, and to protect ourselves is to protect others. Sharon Salzberg affectentityinterrelate share on social
In a single moment we can understand we are not just facing a knee pain, or our discouragement and our wishing the sitting would end, but that right in the moment of seeing that knee pain, we're able to explore the teachings of the Buddha. What does it mean to have a painful experience? What does it mean to hate it, and to fear it? Sharon Salzberg buddhadiscouragementend share on social
We need to redefine community and find a variety of ways of coming together and helping each other. Sharon Salzberg comecommunityfind Change image and share on social