This is just to remind myself of a recent realisation: essentially, our projections—the things we fear and desire—and everything beyond and between those two ends of the spectrum—are the same in nature but different in degree.

We must remember that they are ultimately still a part of the mind's projection and should be used to overcome them. If you pull the pin on one, you can pull the pin on the other.

Tilopa was referring to this when he spoke about cutting the roots off a tree and all its branches dying. By cutting straight to the point and the essence of the problem, you overcome both the fear and the desire.

There is an old Indian tale about a courtesan with this extravagant dress. Whoever could take it off would be able to sleep with her. And nobody could ever figure out how to get it off, so they couldn't sleep with her.

However, if they pulled a single pin in a particular place, everything would come off simultaneously.

And in the same way, if you pull the pin by seeing the projections of the mind for what they truly are, all of those will ultimately fall away.