This is an interesting point, to be able to see what we do without hating ourselves. This can also be a description of maitri- loving-kindness. We could see what we do with honesty but with gentleness. We could see what we do and experience the big squeeze. It's the realize that that's our first experience of the big squeeze. Its the path of a warrior, seeing what we do without turning it against ourselves.

This slogan about liberating yourself by examining and analyzing simply means, as with the slogans "Don't be jealous," "Don't be frivolous," and "Don't wallow in self-pity, " that the first step is to see yourself jealous, see yourself frivolous, see yourself wallowing in self-pity. You think to yourself, "Well, what would Dr. Seuss do in this situation?" Instead of using it as ammunition against yourself, you can lighten up and realize it's the information that you need in order to keep your heart open. If everybody on the planet could experience seeing what they do with gentleness, everything would start to turn around very fast, even if we didn't get to the second difficulty.

From Start Where You Are : A Guide to Compassionate Living by Pema Chodron, Copyright 1994, Shambhala Publications.
Published by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Inc., Boston.