Chapters 13-15 Summary and Analysis

Chapter 13 - Meeting the Enemy

It takes bravery to confront self-deception. We call carry bags around with us, filled with our fears and insecurities. A warrior is brave enough to set the bags down, open them up, and go through them, removing those things that weigh him or her down.

Cultivating the four limitless qualities can be tricky. You must watch for the near and far enemies of each. The near enemy is similar to the quality, but it actually limits you. The far enemy is the opposite of the quality.

The near enemy of loving-kindness is represented by the Tibetan word lhenchak, which means attachment. Lhenchak is strong in relationships with those dearest to us, but loving-kindness is stronger than lhenchak because loving-kindness is not based on need. Relationships based on lhenchak can turn into irritation and blindness...