Cultivate a stable mind and open heart. In this way, your true nature will arise and enable you to act from a place of wisdom and compassion.

Please practice. Know the truth about yourself, get comfortable with discomfort. Don’t look away, don’t shut down, don’t give up.

The world is suffering and needs your skillful action, courage, confidence, and vulnerability.

Until Black people have safety, ease, access, freedom, success; neither will you.

Until Indigenous people have safety, ease, access, freedom, success; neither will you.

Until Latinx people have safety, ease, access, freedom, success; neither will you.

Until fat people have safety, ease, access, freedom, success; neither will you.

Until gay people have safety, ease, access, freedom, success; neither will you.

Until trans, intersex, non-binary people have safety, ease, access, freedom, success; neither will you.

Until people with different abilities, physical and neurological, have safety, ease, access, freedom, success; neither will you.

Until women have safety, ease, access, freedom, success; neither will you.

Until the environment, the water and air and animals, are protected; you won’t be either.

This isn’t a complete list, but know that it is all connected and you cannot separate or protect yourself from the suffering of others without suffering yourself.

Turn your effort and care towards those who need it, and don’t ever stop until all are safe, at ease, have access, are successful and free.

Practice isn’t just about personal liberation, enlightenment. It’s not something we do simply to feel better, to free ourselves. Through practice we cultivate a necessary and loving foundation in order to serve, to help, to be of benefit, and yet we are also simultaneously saving ourselves, remembering our true nature, coming home to ourselves.

I can’t predict or control what you could offer or how you might help. And yet I trust that if you cultivate a stable mind and open heart, make space for your innate compassion and wisdom to arise, you will know what to do.