Every form of disaster, crisis or setback is actually a chance for us to create an opportunity. It’s a great space to be in actually. You know, we usually say, “Oh, it’s good because we learn from these things.” And that’s great, of course. But it’s not just that we learn from difficult experiences. It’s that when disaster strikes, suddenly there’s an open space in which we can create something new. Through the very process of dealing with that crisis, we can improve –– we can work with our mind.

Some of the most wonderful experiences of realization, realizing the nature of mind, were born out of a crisis in the practitioner’s life. If you look at the life stories of the great yogis, great masters, you can see that. It’s sad, but true, that most of their awakenings arose during a crisis of suffering.

So if you want awakening or realization, you need to have some suffering, some kind of crisis. 

You can read more of Rinpoche’s article here.