Before we can extend our compassion to others, we first have to extend it to ourselves. How do we do this? We have to look at our own mind and appreciate how our own neurotic expressions – our confused thoughts and disturbing emotions – are actually helping us wake up. Our aggression can help us develop clarity and patience. Our passion can help us let go of attachments and be more generous. Basically, once we see that this mind of confusion is also our mind of awakening, we can appreciate it and have confidence in our ability to work with it. It’s a good mind after all, the mind that will carry us to enlightenment. When we understand this, we can begin to let go of our previous attitude of revulsion toward our emotions.

Ponlop Rinpoche

from the book Rebel Buddha: On the Road to Freedom

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Further quotes from the book Rebel Buddha:

• What?
• Personal verification
• Meeting the Buddha
• Real wisdom
• Clearly seeing what is truth and what is illusion
• This daring heart
• The utter simplicity of the Buddha’s message