Importance of the Beginning

St. Therese of Avila

“How they are to begin is very important – in fact, all important. They must have a great and very resolute determination to persevere until reaching the end, come what may, happen what may, whatever work is involved, whatever criticism arises, whether they arrive or whether they die on the road - or even if they don’t have courage for the trials that are met, or if the whole world collapses!”

The Way of Perfection

(From Patricia: Some years ago I attended a talk given by somewhat infamous Buddhist teacher, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.  There were several thousand people in the room, waiting for the Rinpoche to arrive. When he finally came on the stage he looked around the room and then said, "How many of you here have never before been to hear a talk on the spiritual life?" Perhaps a third of the people raised their hands. Then he said, "My advice to you is to get up, walk out the door, and don't look back. The spiritual life is not what you think; the end is not what you think. Better never to start but if you start, you must finish, whatever it takes.")