Latest Pema Chodron Quotes from Interviews

Quotes about:

• 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

  Heart, Compassion, Practice

• In the end, that's what we all need more than anything else: to be there for each other, in every kind of situation.

  Pema Chodron

  Needs, Kind, Ends

• Tonglen is a way for you to be with people who need you - beginning with yourself.

  Pema Chodron

  People, Needs, Way

• Tonglen dissolves your solid sense of "I'm the wise person, I'm going to help this poor, unfortunate loser."

  Pema Chodron

  Wise, Helping, Loser

• When people are hurting, what they really need is someone who is fully there for them - not someone who is condescending or officious. The only way for you to be there for them is by facing your fear or anger, whatever feelings cause you to shut down.

  Pema Chodron

  Hurt, People, Feelings

• Many people hope a spiritual practice will let them avoid what they are ashamed of. But when you hide something from yourself, you are going to project it onto your world. You continually find it in others and it becomes the source of prejudices and dogmatic views. On top of that, you feel bad about yourself, because you aren't the loving, open-minded, "spiritual" person you'd like to be.

  Pema Chodron

  Spiritual, Views, Practice

• If you see a homeless person on the street, and they need food, housing, medical attention - if you can give that, do it. But at the same time, work with tonglen, because that is how you start dissolving the barrier between you and them.

  Pema Chodron

  Giving, Needs, Attention

• So many of us start along the spiritual path because we are suffering. But you must realize that for real healing to occur, there must first be deep compassion for yourself, especially the parts of yourself you dislike or consider ugly.

  Pema Chodron

  Spiritual, Real, Healing

• Tonglen practice begins to dissolve the illusion that each of us is alone with this personal suffering that no one else can understand.

  Pema Chodron

  Practice, Suffering, Illusion

• If seeing that other person's pain brings up your fear or anger or confusion (which often happens), just start doing tonglen for yourself and all the other people who are stuck in the very same way.

  Pema Chodron

  Pain, People, Confusion

• You see, there really is no separation between you and everyone else.

  Pema Chodron

  Separation

• This is the tendency of all living things: to avoid pain and to cling to pleasure.

  Pema Chodron

  Pain, Pleasure, Tendencies

• One very powerful and effective way to work with this tendency to push away pain and hold on to pleasure is the practice of tonglen.  In tonglen practice, when we see or feel suffering, we  breathe in with the notion of completely feeling it, accepting it, and owning it.

  Pema Chodron

  Pain, Powerful, Practice

• 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

  Appreciation, Pain, And Love