Being fully present isn’t something that happens once and then you have achieved it; it’s being awake to the ebb and flow and movement and creation of life, being alive to the process of life itself. Pema Chodron More Quotes by Pema Chodron More Quotes From Pema Chodron Sitting meditation gives us a way to move closer to our thoughts and emotions and to get in touch with our bodies. Pema Chodron meditation giving moving We could learn to stop when the sun goes down and when the sun comes up. We could learn to listen to the wind; we could learn to notice that it's raining or snowing or hailing or calm. We could reconnect with the weather that is ourselves, and we could realize that it's sad. The sadder it is, and the vaster it is, the more our heart opens. We can stop thinking that good practice is when it's smooth and calm, and bad practice is when it's rough and dark. If we can hold it all in our hearts, then we can make a proper cup of tea. Pema Chodron dark rain heart Honesty without kindness, humor, and goodheartedness can be just mean. Pema Chodron honesty kindness mean Things are as bad and as good as they seem. There's no need to add anything extra. Pema Chodron extras add needs There is no cultivation of patience when your pattern is to just try to seek harmony and smooth everything out. Patience implies willingness to be alive rather than trying to seek harmony. Pema Chodron patterns alive trying Having compassion starts and ends with having compassion for all those unwanted parts of ourselves. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy. Pema Chodron grief compassion healing Maybe the most important teaching is to lighten up and relax. It's such a huge help in working with our crazy mixed-up minds to remember that what we're doing is unlocking a softness that is in us and letting it spread. We're letting it blur the sharp corners of self-criticism and complaint. Pema Chodron crazy teaching self Words themselves are neutral. It's the charge we add to them that matters Pema Chodron matter add The very first noble truth of the Buddha points out that suffering is inevitable for human beings as long as we believe that things last—that they don’t disintegrate, that they can be counted on to satisfy our hunger for security. Pema Chodron suffering long believe It is possible to move through the drama of our lives without believing so earnestly in the character that we play. Pema Chodron drama believe moving Life's work is to wake up, to let the things that enter your life wake you up rather than put you to sleep. Pema Chodron wake-up wakes-you sleep The more neurosis the more wisdom. Pema Chodron neurosis To put it concisely, we suffer when we resist the noble and irrefutable truth of impermanence and death. Pema Chodron impermanence noble suffering Meditation takes us just as we are, with our confusion and our sanity. This complete acceptance of ourselves as we are is called maitri, or unconditional friendliness, a simple, direct relationship with the way we are. Pema Chodron confusion acceptance simple Difficult people are the greatest teachers. Pema Chodron difficult teacher people It's not a terrible thing that we feel fear when faced with the unknown. It is a part of being alive, something we all share. We react against the possibility of loneliness, of death, of not having anything to hold on to. Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth. Pema Chodron alive loneliness moving To cultivate equanimity we practice catching ourselves when we feel attraction or aversion, before it hardens into grasping or negativity. Pema Chodron negativity aversion practice Remind yourself, in whatever way is personally meaningful, that it is not in your best interest to reinforce thoughts and feelings of unworthiness. Even if you've already taken the bait and feel the familiar pull of self-denigration, marshal your intelligence, courage, and humor in order to turn the tide. Ask yourself: Do I want to strengthen what I'm feeling now? Do I want to cut myself off from my basic goodness? Remind yourself that your fundamental nature is unconditionally open and free. Pema Chodron cutting taken meaningful Few of us are satisfied with retreating from the world and just working on ourselves. We want our training to manifest and to be of benefit. The bodhisattva-warrior, therefore, makes a vow to wake up not just for himself but for the welfare of all beings. Pema Chodron warrior training wake-up The more we witness our emotional reactions and understand how they work, the easier it is to refrain. Pema Chodron easier emotional meditation
