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“Sit with what you're trying to escape.”
stayingWhen Things Fall Apart
“Tonglen practice is exchanging oneself for others.”
tonglenStart Where You Are
“The truth you believe and cling to makes you unavailable to hear anything new.”
opennessWhen Things Fall Apart
“The way to dissolve our resistance to life is to meet it face to face.”
presenceWhen Things Fall Apart
“Real spiritual progress can be measured by how we respond to difficulty.”
practiceThe Places That Scare You
“Everything we encounter — even what we want to push away — can be the path.”
pathWhen Things Fall Apart
“The healing power of presence cannot be overstated.”
presenceWelcoming the Unwelcome
“Open your heart to whatever comes.”
opennessThe Places That Scare You
“Whatever arises, let it arise. Whatever passes, let it pass.”
non-clingingStart Where You Are
“It's the willingness to feel that opens the door.”
feelingWhen Things Fall Apart
“Wisdom is born in the heart that has met its own pain.”
wisdomThe Places That Scare You
“To live with an open heart is to be willing to be moved.”
opennessWelcoming the Unwelcome
“Don't take the world too personally.”
perspectiveWhen Things Fall Apart
“The answer is in the stillness.”
stillnessThe Wisdom of No Escape
“Begin again. The breath always invites us back.”
breathStart Where You Are
“Whatever is happening in your life right now, that is the practice.”
practiceWelcoming the Unwelcome
“Hopelessness, in the spiritual sense, is the doorway to genuine refuge.”
hopelessnessWhen Things Fall Apart
“In every moment, we have the opportunity to begin again.”
renewalStart Where You Are
“Not running away from impermanence is what cultivates the courage to live.”
impermanenceWhen Things Fall Apart
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