with a boundless mind

"As the Maitri Sutra says, 'With a boundless mind one could cherish all living beings, radiating friendliness over the entire world, above, below, and all around without limit.' In practicing equanimity, we train in widening our circle of understanding and compassion to include the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly.

"However, limitless equanimity, free of any prejudice at all, is not the same as an ultimate harmony where everything is finally smooth. It is more a matter of being fully engaged with whatever comes to our door.

"We could call it being completely alive.

"Training in equanimity requires that we leave behind some baggage: the comfort of rejecting whole parts of our experience, for example, and the security of welcoming only what is pleasant. The courage to continue with this unfolding process comes from self-compassion and from giving ourselves plenty of time. If we continue to practice this way over the months and years, we will feel our hearts and minds grow bigger.

"When people ask me how long this will take, I say, 'At least until you die.'"

Ani Pema Chodron, The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times