We work on ourselves in order to help others, but also we help others in order to work on ourselves. Pema Chodron More Quotes by Pema Chodron More Quotes From Pema Chodron Ordinarily we are swept away by habitual momentum. We don't interrupt our patterns even slightly. With practice, however, we learn to stay with a broken heart, with a nameless fear, with the desire for revenge. Sticking with uncertainty is how we learn to relax in the midst of chaos, how we learn to be cool when the ground beneath us suddenly disappears. Pema Chodron revenge practice heart We feel that we have to be right so that we can feel good. We don’t want to be wrong because then we’ll feel bad. But we could be more compassionate toward all these parts of ourselves. The whole right and wrong business closes us down and makes our world smaller. Wanting situations and relationships to be solid, permanent, and graspable obscures the pith of the matter, which is that things are fundamentally groundless. Pema Chodron our-world feel-good want A thoroughly good relationship with ourselves results in being still, which doesn't mean we don't run and jump and dance about. It means there's no compulsiveness. We don't overwork, overeat, oversmoke, overseduce. In short, we begin to stop causing harm. Pema Chodron good-relationship running mean As each breath goes out, let it be the end of that moment and the birth of something new. . . Pema Chodron birth something-new moments Don't worry about achieving. Don't worry about perfection. Just be there each moment as best you can. When you realize you've wandered off again, simply very lightly acknowledge that. This light touch is the golden key to reuniting with our openness. Pema Chodron light keys worry It's hard to know whether to laugh or to cry at the human predicament. Here we are with so much wisdom and tenderness, and—without even knowing it—we cover it over to protect ourselves from insecurity. Although we have the potential to experience the freedom of a butterfly, we mysteriously prefer the small and fearful cocoon of ego. Pema Chodron butterfly knowing laughing So war and peace start in the human heart. Whether that heart is open or whether that heart closes has global implications. Pema Chodron buddhist war peace By not knowing, not hoping to know and not acting like we know what's happening, we begin to access our inner strength. Pema Chodron buddhist strength knowing If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher. Pema Chodron inspirational-love teacher peace When you begin to touch your heart or let your heart be touched, you begin to discover that it's bottomless. Pema Chodron opening-our-hearts soulmate heart Some of us can accept others right where they are a lot more easily than we can accept ourselves. We feel that compassion is reserved for someone else, and it never occurs to us to feel it for ourselves. My experience is that by practicing without 'shoulds,' we gradually discover our wakefulness and our confidence. Gradually, without any agenda except to be honest and kind, we assume responsibility for being here in this unpredictable world, in this unique moment, in this precious human body. Pema Chodron unique compassion responsibility Our wisdom is all mixed up with what we call our neurosis. Our brilliance, our juiciness, our spiciness, is all mixed up with our craziness and our confusion, and therefore it doesn’t do any good to try to get rid of our so-called negative aspects, because in that process we also get rid of our basic wonderfulness. We can lead our life so as to become more awake to who we are and what we’re doing rather than trying to improve or change or get rid of who we are or what we’re doing. The key is to wake up, to become more alert, more inquisitive and curious about ourselves. Pema Chodron confusion keys trying Let your curiosity be greater than your fear. Pema Chodron greater curiosity Pain is not a punishment; pleasure is not a reward. Pema Chodron punishment pain grief One of the deepest habitual patterns that we have is to feel that now is not enough. Pema Chodron patterns enough feels It is possible to move through the drama of our lives without believing so earnestly in the character that we play. That we take ourselves so seriously, that we are so absurdly important in our own minds, is a problem for us. We feel justified in being annoyed with everything. We feel justified in denigrating ourselves or in feeling that we are more clever than other people. Self-importance hurts us, limiting us to the narrow world of our likes and dislikes. We end up bored to death with ourselves and our world. We end up never satisfied. Pema Chodron hurt clever drama If you follow your heart, you're going to find that it is often extremely inconvenient. Pema Chodron follow-your-heart ifs heart We have two alternatives: either we question our beliefs - or we don't. Either we accept our fixed versions of reality- or we begin to challenge them. In Buddha's opinion, to train in staying open and curious - to train in dissolving our assumptions and beliefs - is the best use of our human lives. Pema Chodron buddhist two reality To stay with that shakiness-to stay with a broken heart, with a rumbling stomach, with the feeling of hopelessness and wanting to get revenge-that is the path of true awakening. Sticking with that uncertainty, getting the knack of relaxing in the midst of chaos, learning not to panic-this is the spiritual path. Pema Chodron broken-heart buddhist spiritual All the terrible things we do to ourselves and others from alcoholism to character assignation to abuse to murder come from one cause: the inability to stay present with an uncomfortable feeling in the body and seek short-term relief. Pema Chodron medicine character philosophy
