Softening what is rigid in our hearts. Pema Chodron More Quotes by Pema Chodron More Quotes From Pema Chodron Gloriousness and wretchedness need each other. One inspires us, the other softens us. Pema Chodron wretchednessinspireneeds I dedicate the merit of the occasion to all beings. This gesture of universal friendship has been likened to a drop of fresh spring water. If we put it on a rock in the sunshine, it will soon evaporate. If we put it in the ocean, however, it will never be lost. Thus the wish is made that we not keep the teachings to ourselves but to use them to benefit others. Pema Chodron oceanteachingspring If your everyday practice is open to all your emotions, to all the people you meet, to all the situations you encounter, without closing down, trusting that you can do that - then that will take you are far as you can go. And then you'll understand all the teachings that anyone has ever taught. Pema Chodron teachingpracticelove If you work with your mind, instead of trying to change everything on the outside, that's how your temper will cool down. Pema Chodron cool-downmindtrying True compassion does not come from wanting to help out those less fortunate than ourselves but from realizing our kinship with all beings. Pema Chodron attitudemotivationalinspirational Each of us has a "soft spot": the place in our experience where we feel vulnerable and tender. This soft spot is inherent in appreciation and love, and it is equally inherent in pain. Pema Chodron painand-loveappreciation In tonglen practice, when we see or feel suffering, we breathe in with the notion of completely feeling it, accepting it, and owning it. Then we breathe out, radiating compassion, lovingkindness, freshness - anything that encourages relaxation and openness. So you're training in softening, rather than tightening, your heart. In this practice, it's not uncommon to find yourself blocked, because you come face to face with your own fear, resistance, or whatever your personal "stuckness" happens to be at that moment. Pema Chodron compassionpracticeheart It's not a terrible thing that we feel fear when faced with the unknown. It is part of being alive, something we all share. Pema Chodron alivewisdomwise The essence of bravery is being without self-deception. Pema Chodron essenceselfbravery The root of compassion, is compassion for oneself. Pema Chodron oneselfcompassionroots When we scratch the wound and give into our addictions we do not allow the wound to heal. Pema Chodron scratchesaddictiongiving Lean into the sharp points and fully experience them. The essence of bravery is being without self-deception. Wisdom is inherent in (understanding) emotions. Pema Chodron essenceselfbravery At the root of all the harm we cause is ignorance. Pema Chodron causesignoranceroots Compassionate action starts with seeing yourself when you start to make yourself right and when you start to make yourself wrong. At that point you could just contemplate the fact that there is a larger alternative to either of those, a more tender, shaky kind of place where you could live. Pema Chodron spiritualinspirationallife As we learn to have compassion for ourselves, the circle of compassion for others - what and whom we can work with, and how - becomes wider. Pema Chodron wisdomsympathyinspirational While we are sitting in meditation, we are simply exploring humanity and all of creation in the form of ourselves. We can become the world's greatest experts on anger, jealousy, and self-deprecatio n, as well as on joyfulness, clarity, and insight. Everything that human beings feel, we feel. We can become extremely wise and sensitive to all of humanity and the whole universe simply by knowing ourselves, just as we are. Pema Chodron knowingselfwise Compassion starts with making friends with ourselves. Pema Chodron making-friendscompassion The point is that our true nature is not some ideal that we have to live up to. It's who we are right now, and that's what we can make friends with and celebrate. Pema Chodron who-we-areidealscelebrate When we touch the center of sorrow, when we sit with discomfort without trying to fix it, when we stay present to the pain of disapproval or betrayal and let it soften us, these are times that we connect with bohdichitta. Pema Chodron betrayalpainsorrow There's a reason you can learn from everything: you have basic wisdom, basic intelligence, and basic goodness. Pema Chodron words-of-wisdomintelligencereason
