I'm walking in the desert and I see an enormous snake. I'm terrified of snakes, so I jump back and my heart is beating and I'm paralyzed with fear. Then I happen to look again, and I see that the snake is actually a rope.
Riiiiiiight.
Now I invite you to stand over the rope for one thousand years and try to make yourself afraid of it again. You can't. Because you have realized for yourself what is true. That is self-realization. You realize that the snake is a rope and that there's nothing to be afraid of. It was just a misunderstanding.
The mind is full of apparent snakes - the stressful thoughts that cause us sadness or anger or depression. I can tell you that every snake in the mind is actually a rope. There are no exceptions. If you think you have a problem that cannot be fixed, you're confused. You're looking at a rope and seeing a snake. Life is not fearful. It's our unanswered questions about life and subsequent fear that cause our suffering, not life itself. Life is benevolent and kind and good, and we always have more than we need under all circumstances. But it takes a thoroughly questioned mind to see that.
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