What is truly a part of our spiritual path is that which brings us alive. If gardening brings us alive, that is part of our path, if it is music, if it is conversation...we must follow what brings us alive.

You hold in your hand an invitation: to remember the transforming power of forgiveness and loving kindness. To remember that no matter where you are and what you face, within your heart peace is possible.

Grant that I have enough suffering that my heart really opens to the great compassion of this world, that I be given enough so that I don't wall myself off from the world, that it breaks down the heart and the separation and the ego and the fear, and it lets me touch the nectar, the milk of kindness itself, of something greater.

...Spiritual opening is not a withdrawal to some imagined realm or safe cave. It is not a pulling away, but a touching of all the experience of life with wisdom and with a heart of kindness, without any separation.

Expressing gratitude to our benefactors is a natural form of love. In fact, some people find loving kindness for themselves so hard, they begin their practice with a benefactor. This too is fine. The rule in loving kindness practice is to follow the way that most easily opens your heart.

“When a person finally breaks, they are good for nothing except for like broken glass used to stab, kill and destroy life”

It is said that the greatest cruelty is drawn from those with the kindest hearts.

Never lose a chance of saying a kind word.

Harshness and unkindness are relative. The appearance of them may be the fruits of the greatest kindness.

Morality, said Jesus, is kindness to the weak; morality, said Nietzsche, is the bravery of the strong; morality, says Plato, is the effective harmony of the whole.

“For benefits by their very greatness spotlight the difference in conditions and arouse a secret annoyance in those who profit from them. But the charm of simple good manners is almost irresistible.”

“Kindness is thrown away upon the evil.”

“No act of kindness is ever wasted.”

“The greatest kindness will not bind the ungrateful.”

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

"Kindness can only be repaid with kindness. It can’t be repaid with expressions like ‘thank you’ and then forgotten."

The simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful then a thousand heads bowing in prayer.

"Kindness in giving creates love."

"Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love."

"Our kindness may be the most persuasive argument for that which we believe."

"Practice routinely purposeful kindnesses and intelligent acts of beauty."

"Kindness is the sunshine in which virtue grows."

"I have found men to be more kind than I expected, and less just."

"Never, my dear Sir, do you take it into your head that I do not love you; you may settle yourself in full confidence both of my love and my esteem; I love you as a kind man, I value you as a worthy man, and hope in time to reverence you as a man of exemplary piety."