Are you willing to surrender your innocence to conscious suffering? By innocence I mean that part of you that has done nothing wrong, has not been caught in clinging, and has stayed connected to your ideals. Your innocence has the capacity to truly be present in the moment, no matter how difficult conditions are. The part of you that is innocent rests in emptiness, meaning it is empty of any story or concept that limits you to a personal identity.

Dancing with Life, Epilogue, p. 279

For your reflection: This week, notice how much you rely on your “story” to interpret the events of your life. Experiment with responding instead from your deepest values. Initially you will most likely feel vulnerable doing this, but continue to observe how much freer your mind is when responding in this manner. To live in this way is to surrender your innocence.