Chris Grosso, Indie Spiritualist: A No Bullshit Exploration of Spirituality, foreword by Noah Levine (New York: Atria, 2014) ("We're all asshole sometimes . . . The thing is, though, people are typically the biggest assholes toward themselves. . . . So why is it that so many of us feel unworthy of the very same love we so freely share with other people?? And why is it easier to show compassion to a complete stranger than to the person looking back art us in the mirror?" Id. at 45-46.).
Noah Levine, Refuge Recovery: A Buddhist Path to Recovering from Addiction (New York: HarperOne, 2014) ("The truth is, the experience of forgiveness is a momentary release. We don't and can't forgive forever. Instead, we forgive only for the present moment. This is both good news and bad. The good part is that you can stop judging yourself for your inability to completely and absolutely let go of resentments once and for all. We forgive in one moment and get resentful again in the next. It is not a failure to forgive; it is just a failure to understand impermanence. The bad news is that forgiveness is not something that will ever be done with; it is an ongoing aspect of our lives and it necessitates a vigilant practice of learning to let go and living in the present." Id. at 39. "One of the problems we face as addicts is that we get comfortable. Even though we don't always like the reality of our situation it becomes familiar." Id. at 93. "We also sometimes get lost in delusional philosophies that explain the difficulties of life. We like such philosophies because, being scared, we feel we have to have the right answer all the time. Many of the world's religious traditions are a direct reaction to the confusion and difficulty of life. It is difficult to rest in not knowing, so we create the delusion of knowledge. Humans devise creation myths, psychological theories, cultural norms, political beliefs, and religions, all in a vain attempt to appease or control their core feelings of insecurity and uncertainty. What Buddhism offers that differs from most other theories is a direct experience of what is true. Buddhism doesn't ask for blind faith or belief; it offers a practical path to walk. We cannot find freedom by thinking about it with an untrained mind. The untrained mind is not trustworthy, it is filled with greed, hatred, and delusion. Only the mind trained in mindfulness, friendliness, and investigation can directly experience the freedom from suffering that will satisfy the natural longing for security. This is the wisdom of insecurity." Id. at 93-94.).
