Henepola Gunaratana Quotes

If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.

Most unhappy people need to learn just one lesson: how to see themselves through the lens of genuine compassion, and treat themselves accordingly.

But this revolutionary act of treating ourselves tenderly can begin to undo the aversive messages of a lifetime.

Be gentle and forgiving with yourself, abandon any and all shame, and refuse to engage in any self-repudiation.

Only if you're kind to yourself, can you be kind to others.

The more you extend kindness to yourself, the more it will become your automatic response to others.

My number one thing is be kind to yourself. We can't control what other people do, we can only control what we do.

Kindness to self will put you in the perfect attitude and position to be kind to others.

Be kind to yourself so you can be happy enough to be kind to the world.

Be patient with everyone, but above all with yourself.

No matter what tricks you use or what decisions you make, go easy on yourself as someone who's on a never-ending quest for improvement.

If people would treat themselves with the same kind of love they give to their friends, that would be such a great gift we could give ourselves.

When hard times come, the greatest danger does not necessarily lie in the circumstances we face, but rather in the way we treat ourselves at the time. Nothing is more dangerous than self-hate. Nothing makes it more difficult to heal or to find the grace of peace than self-attack and the agony of self-doubt.

One should not be too difficult. An artist should not treat himself like an enemy.

If you were arrested for being kind to yourself..would there be enough evidence to convict you?

In love, self-love is always at risk.

Self-love is the love of a man's own self, and of everything else for his own sake. It makes people idolaters to themselves, and tyrants to all the world besides.

The individual is taught that there is nothing that he as a total person is to feel ashamed of or self-hating for.

Be willing to stop punishing yourself for your mistakes. Love yourself for your willingness to learn and grow.

Be kind to yourself. God thinks you're worth his kindness. And he's a good judge of character.

Loving ourselves is the miracle cure we are all looking for.

We need to make friends with ourselves. We are stuck with our self all day, so let's be kinder, gentler, more amusing company. Let's take our own hand and say, 'There, there, sister. You're doing a good job. I'm proud of how you're handling all this craziness down here. Don't give up. Carry on, warrior.'

Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.

So be gentle with yourself; show yourself the same kindness and patience you might show a young child - the child you once were. If you won’t be your own friend, who will be? If, when playing an opponent, you are also opposing yourself, you will be outnumbered.

Let me extend that generosity to myself.