and begin to feel what’s left. We can begin to feel the
energy of our heart, our body, our neck, our head, our
stomach—that basic feeling that’s underneath all of
the story lines. If we can relate directly with that,
then all of the rest is our wealth. When we don’t act
out and we don’t repress, then our passion, our ag-
gression, and our ignorance become our wealth. The
poison already is the medicine. You don’t have to
transform anything. Simply letting go of the story
line is what it takes, which is not that easy. That light
touch of acknowledging what we’re thinking and let-
ting it go is the key to connecting with this wealth
that we have. With all the messy stuff, no matter how
messy it is, just start where you are—not tomorrow,
not later, not yesterday when you were feeling bet-
ter—but now. Start now, just as you are.
Milarepa is one of the lineage holders of the Kagyü
lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Milarepa is one of the
heroes, one of the brave ones, a very crazy, unusual
fellow. He was a loner who lived in caves by himself
and meditated wholeheartedly for years. He was
extremely stubborn and determined. If he couldn’t
find anything to eat for a couple of years, he just ate
nettles and turned green, but he would never stop
practicing.
One evening Milarepa returned to his cave after
gathering firewood, only to find it filled with demons.
They were cooking his food, reading his books, sleep-
ing in his bed. They had taken over the joint. He knew
Start Where You Are 47