We can contact our inner strength, our natural openness, for short periods before getting swept away. And this is excellent, heroic, a huge step in interrupting and weakening our ancient habits. If we keep a sense of humor and stay with it for the long haul, the ability to be present just naturally evolves. Gradually we lose our appetite for biting the hook. We lose our appetite for aggression.

Pema Chödron

from the book Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears

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Further quotes from the book Taking the Leap:

• Unshakable tenderness
• Admiting all experiences
• Unconditional openness
• Realizing that we are never alone
• The path of pausing
• Learning to accept the present moment
• Here, Now, Always
• Lean In
• Openness is like the wind
• Letting natural openness come to us
• A reservoir of courage