| It is grasping onto external things for happiness that | | | | go back to something that is not part of you. When |
| stops people from growing spiritually. You can do | | | | we see a beautiful story on television or in the |
| many of the most profound spiritual practices but it | | | | newspapers, we cry. Even the most selfish people |
| will not make an inkling of difference if it is done with | | | | feel slightly touched; even the most miserly |
| grasping in your mind. The key is not the spiritual | | | | businessman will give a donation to someone. This is |
| practice. The key is knowing that the external | | | | because their real nature is kindness. Their real nature |
| spiritual practice helps you realise the real spiritual | | | | is not attachment. It is wrong to force someone |
| practice. Spiritual practice is of the spirit. What's the | | | | back to something unnatural. But in this case, you are |
| purpose of practice? Why do we practice? | | | | directing people or yourself back to who you really |
| Practice is being accustomed to something that we're | | | | are. People make excuses; they say such things as, |
| not accustomed to; and once we become | | | | "Dharma is very hard; it's very hard to be this way |
| accustomed to it, it is our natural state of mind. You | | | | or that way..." We must realise that it is not very |
| are not forcing yourself "to be" or to go back to | | | | hard. It just seems hard because we are not used to |
| something unnatural. You are not forcing yourself to | | | | it. |