Pema Chödrön
Deirdre Blomfield-Brown
1936-present • American
BuddhismTibetan Buddhism
American Tibetan Buddhist nun and author. Resident teacher at Gampo Abbey, known for accessible teachings on working with difficult emotions.
Key Works
- When Things Fall Apart
- The Places That Scare You
- Start Where You Are
103
quotes in library
Quotes by Pema Chödrön
103 quotes“Lojong slogans are the spiritual gym for our heart and mind.”
lojongStart Where You Are
“Drive all blames into oneself.”
responsibilityStart Where You Are
“What we don't acknowledge in ourselves, we will hate in others.”
projectionThe Places That Scare You
“Real strength has to do with helping others.”
serviceThe Places That Scare You
“Letting go takes a lot of courage sometimes.”
letting-goWhen Things Fall Apart
“Even our most difficult emotions are workable, even welcome.”
workabilityWelcoming the Unwelcome
“Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth.”
fearWhen Things Fall Apart
“You don't get rid of fear by avoiding it. You get rid of it by sitting still and saying hello.”
fearWhen Things Fall Apart
“Whatever happens, just relax. Be open. Touch the rawness.”
presenceWhen Things Fall Apart
“Bodhichitta exists on two levels. Conventional and ultimate. Both are wisdom.”
bodhichittaThe Places That Scare You
“To cultivate basic sanity is the work of a lifetime.”
practiceWhen Things Fall Apart
“You can't escape the fact of your humanness. So make peace with it.”
humanityWhen Things Fall Apart
“What you do for yourself, any gesture of kindness, is a gesture of kindness to all beings.”
interbeingThe Places That Scare You
“Cool loneliness allows us to look honestly and without aggression at our own minds.”
lonelinessWhen Things Fall Apart
“To live fully is to live with uncertainty.”
groundlessnessWhen Things Fall Apart
“The Buddhist teachings say there is nothing to fear, that the things we fear are illusory in nature.”
fearThe Places That Scare You
“Trust yourself enough to keep going.”
trustWelcoming the Unwelcome
“Compassion practice begins with making friends with ourselves.”
self-compassionStart Where You Are
“What might it be like to drop the story line and just experience what's happening?”
presenceWhen Things Fall Apart
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