Just where you are-that's the place to start! Pema Chodron More Quotes by Pema Chodron More Quotes From Pema Chodron When things fall apart in your life, you feel as if your whole world is crumbling. But actually it’s your fixed identity that’s crumbling. And as Chögyam Trungpa used to tell us, that’s cause for celebration. Pema Chodron crumblingidentityfall Although we have the potential to experience the freedom of a butterfly, we mysteriously prefer the small and fearful cocoon of ego. Pema Chodron cocoonsbutterflyego We are not given any promises that, because of our noble intentions, everything will be okay. We learn that what truly heals is gratitude and tenderness. We [need] to transform our minds and actions for the sake of other people and for the future of the world. Pema Chodron gratitudepeoplepromise The trick is to keep exploring and not bail out, even when we find out that something is not what we thought. That's what we're going to discover again and again and again. Nothing is what we thought. I can say that with great confidence. Emptiness is not what we thought. Neither is mindfulness or fear. Compassion––not what we thought. Love. Buddha nature. Courage. These are code words for things we don't know in our minds, but any of us could experience them. These are words that point to what life really is when we let things fall apart and let ourselves be nailed to the present moment. Pema Chodron compassionmindfall Awareness is the key. Do we see the stories that we're telling ourselves and question their validity? When we are distracted by strong emotion, do we remember that it is our path? Can we feel the emotion and breathe it into our hearts for ourselves and everyone else? If we can remember to experiment like this even occasionally, we are training as a warrior. And when we can't practice when distracted but KNOW we can't, we are still training well. Never underestimate the power of compassionately recognizing what's going on. Pema Chodron warriorstrongheart Unconditional good heart toward others is not even a possibility unless we attend to our own demons. Pema Chodron possibilitydemonheart Even if you don't feel appreciation, just look. Feel what you feel; take an interest and be curious. Pema Chodron curiousappreciationlooks Someone needs to encourage us not to brush aside what we feel. Not to be ashamed of the love and grief that it arouses in us. Not to be afraid of pain. Someone needs to encourage us: that this soft spot in us could be awakened, and that to do this would change our lives. Pema Chodron paingriefneeds Use your life to wake you up. Pema Chodron wakes-youusepositive Share the wealth. Be generous with your joy. Give away what you most want. Be generous with your insights and delights. Pema Chodron delightjoygiving You could begin to notice whenever you find yourself blaming others or justifying yourself. If you spent the rest of your life just noticing that and letting it be a way to uncover the silliness of the human condition-the tragic yet comic drama that we all continually buy into-you could develop a lot of wisdom and a lot of kindness as well as a great sense of humor. Pema Chodron finding-yourselfkindnessdrama When there's a disappointment, I don't know if it's the end of the story. It may just be the beginning of a great adventure. Pema Chodron buddhistspiritualinspirational Resistance to unwanted circumstances has the power to keep those circumstances alive and well for a very long time. Pema Chodron resistancealivelong This genuine heart of sadness can teach us great compassion. It can humble us when we're arrogant and soften us when we are unkind. Pema Chodron sadnesshumbleheart We don't set out to save the world; we set out to wonder how other people are doing and to reflect on how our actions affect other people's hearts. Pema Chodron compassionheartintegrity You're the only one who knows when you're using things to protect yourself and keep your ego together and when you're opening and letting things fall apart, letting the world come as it is - working with it rather than struggling against it. You're the only one who knows. Pema Chodron egostrugglefall Use what seems like poison as medicine. Use your personal suffering as the path to compassion for all beings. Pema Chodron medicinecompassionsuffering I can't overestimate the importance of accepting ourselves exactly as we are right now, not as we wish we were or think we ought to be. Pema Chodron acceptingwishthinking So even if the hot loneliness is there, and for 1.6 seconds we sit with that restlessness when yesterday we couldn't sit for even one, that's the journey of the warrior. (68) Pema Chodron warriorlonelinessjourney Sometimes people's spiritual ideas become fixed and they use them against those who don't share their beliefs - in effect, becoming fundamentalist. It's very dangerous - the finger of righteous indignation pointing at someone who is identified as bad or wrong. Pema Chodron spiritualpeopleideas
