In meditation practice, you work directly with your confused mind-states, without waging crusades against any aspect of your experience. You let all your tendencies arise, without trying to screen anything out, manipulate experience in any way, or measure up to any ideal standard. Allowing yourself the space to be as you are — letting whatever arises arise, without fixation on it, and coming back to simple presence — this is perhaps the most loving and compassionate way you can treat yourself. It helps you make friends with the whole range of your experience.
As you simplify in this way, you start to feel your very presence as wholesome in and of itself. You don’t have to prove that you are good. You discover a self-existing sanity that lies deeper than all thought or feeling. You appreciate the beauty of just being awake, responsive, and open to life. Appreciating this basic, underlying sense of goodness is the birth of maitri — unconditional friendliness toward yourself.
John Welwood, The Practice Of Love
I needed this today, thanks:)
I am glad if it was some support. Thank you for your presence and your comments. And also for the words, memories, reflections on your blog. Karl
Being a beginner at mindfulness and meditation, I love those little quotes and words of wisdom, making it even more obvious and natural. Looking on the results I’ve had after changing my way of thinking, I am truly amazed. So what’s out there, matters! Thanks for visiting my blog:)
Reblogged this on Colour the day and commented:
Reading this made me feel good 🙂
I love the passage- and the image. Another inspirational post.
Thank you Thomas for your presence and your comment. I love your blog and your project – such an important work! KArl