Quotes from Jack Kornfield

Spiritual life doesn't make you a good person; you ARE a good person, you are a holy being when you are born. What spiritual life does is remind us that this is who we really are.

We don't know all the reasons that propel us on a spiritual journey, but somehow our life compels us to go.

To live in this precious animal body on this earth is as great a part of spiritual life as anything else.

There is a web of life into which we are born, from which we can never fall.

The aim of spiritual life is to awaken a joyful freedom, a benevolent and compassionate heart in spite of everything.

When we feel anger toward someone, we can consider that they are a being just like us, who has faced much suffering in life.

We must look at our life without sentimentality, exaggeration or idealism. Does what we are choosing reflect what we most deeply value?

Spiritual practice should not be confused with grim duty. It is the laughter of the Dalai Lama and the wonder born with every child.

Everybody needs to take some time, in some way, to quiet themselves and really listen to their heart.

Life without forgiveness is unbearable.

Gratitude is confidence in life itself. In it, we feel how the same force that pushes grass through cracks in the sidewalk invigorates our own life.

Of course, you play the game of life because you got to be incarnated.

When we take time to quiet ourselves, we can all sense that our life could be lived with greater compassion and greater weakness.

We must especially learn the art of directing mindfulness into the closed areas of our life.

We must look at ourselves over and over again in order to learn to love, to discover what has kept our hearts closed, and what it means to allow our hearts to open.

The Sufis have a saying: "Praise Allah, and tie your camel to a post." This brings together both parts of practice: pray, yes, but also make sure that you do what is necessary in the world.

Knowledge and achievements matter little if we do not yet know how to touch the heart of another and be touched.

In my experience, psychotherapy at its best is like dual meditation - it's like a container in which you can be compassionate and mindful toward yourself.

Meet this transient world with neither grasping nor fear, trust the unfolding of life, and you will attain true serenity.

Love is based on our capacity to trust in a reality beyond fear, to trust a timeless truth bigger than all our difficulties.

Live in joy, in love, even among those who hate.

Only a deep attention to the whole of our life can bring us the capacity to love well and live freely.

The task is not to perfect yourself, it's to perfect your love.

In this there is no judgment and no blame, for we seek not to perfect the world but to perfect our love for what is on this earth.