We have within us already the most important resources we need for living interdependence well. We have tremendous mental flexibility that allows us to adopt new positions in relation to changing circumstances. As I will explore in the following chapters, I believe that we have the basic ability to open our hearts to others, to take their perspectives into consideration, and to share experiences and feelings. Our natural capacity for empathy is a clear sign that we are emotionally connected. If one child cries, another will cry. When people are wholeheartedly laughing, we often cannot help but join in, even if we do not know what is funny. These are all small signs that we are connected inwardly and not just outwardly. Focusing on our inner interdependence allows us see that we are all moved by the same inner drive to seek happiness and avoid suffering. This universal wish motivates life on this planet. The happiness we all seek only comes when we are working not just on external conditions but on inner ones as well.

17th Karmapa

from the book Interconnected: Embracing Life in Our Global Society

Read a random quote or see all quotes by the 17th Karmapa.

Further quotes from the book Interconnected:

• You exist in connection with others
• The ability to experience genuine closeness
• Dismantling the walls that separate us
• Being an interdependent individual
• Individualism or interdependence
• Self-reliance
• The air we breathe
• Naturalness
• The deeper common ground all living being share
• Everything and everyone is benefiting you
• The imagination to see the other as free and happy
• Inner conditions of interdependence
• The interdependence between us and the world
• The impulse to connect
• Cultivating a spirit of generosity
• Interdependent individuals
• A greater sense of possibility
• Interdependence always works both ways
• Our innate ability to connect with others
• Thinking about the consequences of our collective actions