In order to overcome selfishness, it is necessary to be daring . . . We are attracted to our cocoons, our selfishness, and we are afraid of selflessness, stepping beyond ourselves. So in order to overcome our hesitation, some kind of leap is necessary.

In the practice of meditation, the way to be daring, the way to leap, is to disown your thoughts, to step beyond your hope and fear . . . When you let yourself go in that way, you develop trust in the strength of your being and trust in your ability to be open and extend yourself to others.

But then, once you have made a leap of daring, you might become arrogant. You might say to yourself: “Look, I have jumped! I am so great, so fantastic!” But arrogant warriorship does not work. It does nothing. . . The warrior who has accomplished true renunciation is completely naked and raw, without even skin or tissue. He has renounced putting on a new suit of armor or growing a thick skin, so his bone and marrow are exposed to the world. He has no room and no desire to manipulate situations. He is able to be, quite fearlessly, what he is.

At this point, paradoxically, the warrior finds himself more alone. The fullness of his experience is his own, and he must live with his own truth. Yet he is more and more in love with the world. That combination of love affair and lonliness is what enables the warrior to constantly reach out and help others . . . The warrior discovers a greater universe and a fuller and fuller broken heart.

--Chogyam Trungpa, Shambala: The Scared Path of the Warrior

----------------

I almost blew by this, but then listened once more, then again - it's strangely addictive, an old folkgospel lament with a woman's spokenword assessment of the singer's faith overlaid on top of it - by the 10th time I'd listened to it, I lovedloved it:

Fred Eaglesmith - Tinderbox: Worked Up Field [moteldemoka year in indie ablums review for more]

I’m kneeling at the edge of a worked up field praying for the rain to fall

I’m kneeling at the edge of a worked up field praying for the rain to fall

I pray and pray and pray all day

But it don’t rain at all [overlay: he just wants stuff / it's not realistic / passion for trains is nice] ~ Fred Eaglesmith / Worked Up Field ~ "