Relationships Quotes by Sharon Salzberg

“Real forgiveness in close relationships is never easy. It can’t be rushed or engineered.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“We cannot simply forgive and forget, nor should we.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“Living in a story of a limited self—to any degree—is not love.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“Often in close relationships, the subject being discussed is not the subject at all.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“You don't have to love yourself unconditionally before you can give or receive real love.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“We learn from conflicts only when we are willing to do so.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“To truly love ourselves, we must challenge our beliefs that we need to be different or better.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“Real Love may run on a lower voltage, but it’s also more grounded & sustainable.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“Only when we start to distinguish reality from fantasy that we can humbly, with eyes wide open, forge loving and sustainable connections…

— Sharon Salzberg

“When we don’t tell those we love about what’s really going on or listen carefully to what they have to say, we…

— Sharon Salzberg

“The key in letting go is practice. Each time we let go, we disentangle ourselves from our expectations and begin to experience…

— Sharon Salzberg

“Our ability to connect with others is innate, wired into our nervous systems, and we need connection as much as we need…

— Sharon Salzberg

“How we traverse the space between us when conflict arises has a profound effect on the health and longevity of our relationships.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“Cultivating loving kindness for ourselves is the foundation of real love for our friends and family, for new people we encounter in…

— Sharon Salzberg

“Although much of the work we do in committed relationships we do with our partners, sometimes it’s necessary to start with ourselves.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“To forgive, we may need to open our minds to a fuller exploration of the context in which the events occurred, and…

— Sharon Salzberg

“Buddhist teachings discourage us from clinging and grasping to those we hold dear, and from trying to control the people or the…

— Sharon Salzberg

“We have to know ourselves to know where we end and another person begins, and we have to develop the skills to…

— Sharon Salzberg

“Forgiveness can be bittersweet. It contains the sweetness of the release of a story that has caused us pain, but also the…

— Sharon Salzberg

“When we constantly hear that we should be smarter, better connected, more productive, wealthier—it takes real courage to claim the time and…

— Sharon Salzberg

“Sanskrit has different words to describe love for a brother or sister, love for a teacher, love for a partner, love for…

— Sharon Salzberg

“Until we begin to question our basic assumptions about ourselves and view them as fluid, not fixed, it’s easy to repeat established…

— Sharon Salzberg

“When we respond to our pain and suffering with love, understanding, and acceptance—for ourselves, as well as others— over time, we can…

— Sharon Salzberg

“From our first breath to our last, we’re presented again and again with the opportunity to experience deep, lasting, and trans-formative connection…

— Sharon Salzberg

“So often we operate from ideas of love that don’t fit our reality.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“When we set an intention to explore our emotional hot spots, we create a pathway to real love.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“Love is a living capacity within us that is always present, even when we don’t sense it.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“Ultimately, we forgive others in order to free ourselves.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“The idea that traumatic residues—or unresolved stories—can be inherited is groundbreaking.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“A relationship is the union of two psychological systems.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“Whether we fear the existence of boundaries with others or crave more of them, there’s no denying that individuation and separation are…

— Sharon Salzberg

“Be open to the possibility that there are other paths available to you in relating to yourself and to another.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“As soon as we ask whether or not a story is true in the present moment, we empower ourselves to re-frame it.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“Without equanimity, we might give love to others only in an effort to bridge the inevitable and healthy space that always exists…

— Sharon Salzberg

“When our focus is on seeking, perfecting, or clinging to romance, the charge is often generated by instability, rather than by an…

— Sharon Salzberg

“With our close friends, family members, and lovers, we hope to create a special world, one in which we can expect to…

— Sharon Salzberg

“Identifying the source of our personal narratives helps us to release its negative aspects and re-frame it in ways that promote wholeness.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“When we experience inner impoverishment, love for another too easily becomes hunger: for reassurance, for acclaim, for affirmation of our worth.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“When we are willing to explore our own experiences, we open the doorway to deeper connection and intimacy.”

— Sharon Salzberg

“What makes awe such a powerful call to love is that it’s disruptive. It sneaks up on us. It doesn’t ask our…

— Sharon Salzberg