Without compassion, meditation cannot be transferred into action at all. We have a tendency, which almost feels automatic, to freeze up, to keep things frozen within ourselves. We preserve things in ourselves because we are afraid of losing them, afraid of losing our wealth. When we begin to experience fundamental warmth in our practice of meditation, that generous attitude and experience invite us to relate more openly with people. We begin to thaw out. People are no longer regarded as a drain on our energy at all. People recharge our energy. They make us feel wealthy, rich, plentiful. When you have to perform difficult tasks in your life, which may involve dealing with difficult people, you no longer feel that you are running out of resources.

From “The Bridge of Compassion,” in Mindfulness in Action: Making Friends with Ourselves through Meditation and Everyday Awareness, page 54.