Pema Chödrön invites us to be in conscious evolution through awareness. Her teachings are Buddhist in nature and also universal in essence. She is a true bodhisattva and a peace activist holding the frequency of compassion. Towards others and towards oneself. Her books and talks have been a great source of comfort and courageous inspiration to many.
Her message is rooted through an open kind heart.
Some gems of the wisdom channeled through her path of study and inquiry are shared here. If you find them activating and nourishing, there are further resources listed at the bottom.
“Being satisfied with what we already have is a magical golden key to being alive in a full, unrestricted, and inspired way. One of the major obstacles to what is traditionally called enlightenment is resentment, feeling cheated, holding a grudge about how you are, where you are, what you are. This is why we talk so much about making friends with ourselves. 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 Chödrön, The Wisdom of No Escape, 6-7
“The way we label things is the way they appear to us. We get so hung up on like and dislike, on who’s right and who’s wrong, as if these labels were ultimately real. Yet the human experience is an experience of nothing to hang on to, nothing that’s set once and for all. Reality is always falling apart. As we move in the direction of seeing more space around our fixed ideas, around our limited sense of self, around our notions of right and wrong, around the labels we’re so invested in, the crack in our conventional way of experiencing life will get wider and wider. At that point it may dawn on us that if we want to change the movie of our life, we will have to change our mind.” ~Pema Chödrön, Living Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change, 77-78
"It's also helpful to realize that this body that we have, this very body that's sitting here right now in this room, this very body that perhaps aches, and this mind that we have at this very moment, are exactly what we need to be fully human, fully awake, and fully alive." ~Pema Chödrön
May the roots of suffering diminish.
May warfare, violence, neglect, indifference, and addictions also decrease.
May the wisdom and compassion of all beings increase, now and in the future.
May we clearly see all the barriers we erect between ourselves and others to be as insubstantial as our dreams.
May we appreciate the great perfection of all phenomena.
May we continue to open our hearts and minds, in order to work ceaselessly for the benefit of all beings.
May we go to the places that scare us.
May we lead the life of a warrior.
~Pema Chödrön The Places That Scare You, 123
"Pema has been teaching and writing extensively for the past two decades. In 2006, The Pema Chodron Foundation was founded in order to help ensure that Pema’s work can be supported #sustainably into the future. You can make a donation here." ~Pema Chodron Foundation
You can learn more about Pema Chödrön's work on her foundation's website, at this upcoming retreat, and also in this free study guide, which is an excellent resource and offering pulling from her books and teachings.
May her words be a balm of love for the world far into the future.
With Heart, xoNichola
All Photos Taken in Buddhist Temples in Thailand. Copyright Nichola Napora @ Mystic Peaks Studio 2022
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