When we don’t want to hear or see the real truth, we close ourselves off and make ourselves numb to situations. We play at being extraordinarily naive, with no interest in exploring the sharp points in our world. We ignore any uncomfortable messages provided by the world. We become completely numb.
From Mindfulness in Action: Making Friends with Yourself through Meditation and Everyday Awareness, page 123.
All sentient beings, all the people in the world, or most of them, have a problem in dealing with “myself.” Without others, we would have no chance at all to develop beyond ego. So we should feel grateful that others are presenting us with tremendous obstacles—even threats or challenges. The point it to appreciate that. Without them, we could not follow the path of dharma at all.
From Training the Mind: and Cultivating Loving Kindness, page 50.
