Status Updates From Opening the Heart of Compas...

Part II explains patterns of thought & behaviour that cause suffering. These patterns are grouped under headings named after the 6 realms of Buddhist reincarnation. Despite their Mahayana origins, the point is to underline the typically Theravadan focus on psychotherapy. This section is massively insightful. Every paragraph contains a major insight. Often every sentence does, making them read like run-on aphorisms.

The authors conceive six kinds, or realms, of suffering: the animal realm, the hell realm, the realm of hungry ghosts, the titan realm, the realm of gods, and the human realm. Each realm breeds a different kind of destructive, pain-motivated behaviour.

The animal realm is territorial. It's characterised by the paradox of desiring love but of being too fearful to let love be dynamic, unpredictable, and genuine.

Spiritual work is the process of transforming the habit body…

There are several stages in this process. The seeds need to be planted through initiation or transmission; there follows a dormant stage; then, through our practices, we cultivate the seeds and insure favorable conditions for growth; finally, after a growing period, our efforts can bear the fruit of realization.

Although enlightenment is a form of recognition and can happen in an instant, the ground needs to be prepared beforehand. We create the proper conditions by providing what is needed at each stage of the preparatory process, using awareness and energy practices.