“It’s virtually impossible for you to be hurt. What you see cannot hurt you. For what you see is an illusion. What you feel cannot hurt you for the feelings are illusory. So what can hurt you? Nothing. When did you first believe that you’re hurtable? That some-thing can hurt you, make you upset? Where do these feelings come from? They’re not the truth. They’re not the ultimate reality. But yet they appear so strong in most people.

When these things happen to you and you feel upset, when you feel something is wrong think about the snake in the rope. When a rope looks like a snake and you become frightened but you see that it’s a rope not a snake at all. Or the water in the mirage. When you see water in a desert and try to grab it, it’s sand. It never was water. So it is with everything that happens in your life, everything. You want to grab onto this, you want to hold onto that.

You’re afraid somebody is hurting you, somebody is doing something to you, somebody wants something from you. What can possibly happen to you? What? Nothing. Stop being afraid. Stand up tall, be counted, know who you are. When you know who you are the whole universe comes before you and bows to you. When you understand your true reality all the Gods and Goddesses will bow to you, pay homage to you. Awaken! Awaken! Awaken!”

~ Robert Adams (20th century American Advaita mystic)