Ilse Thompson

“The fundamental human experience is that of compassion.”
― Joseph Campbell, The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life & Work

“When you have lived your individual life in your own adventurous way and then look back upon its course, you will find that you have lived a model human life, after all.”
― Joseph Campbell, Thou Art That: Transforming Religious Metaphor

“There is no perfection, only beautiful versions of brokenness.”
― Shannon L. Alder

“In the Lakota/Sioux tradition, a person who is grieving is considered most wakan, most holy. There's a sense that when someone is struck by the sudden lightning of loss, he or she stands on the threshold of the spirit world. The prayers of those who grieve are considered especially strong, and it is proper to ask them for their help.
You might recall what it's like to be with someone who has grieved deeply. The person has no layer of protection, nothing left to defend. The mystery is looking out through that person's eyes. For the time being, he or she has accepted the reality of loss and has stopped clinging to the past or grasping at the future. In the groundless openness of sorrow, there is a wholeness of presence and a deep natural wisdom.”
― Tara Brach, True Refuge: Finding Peace and Freedom in Your Own Awakened Heart