108 books
—
243 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Living Beautifully: with Uncertainty and Change” as Want to Read:
Living Beautifully: with Uncertainty and Change
by
Is it possible to live well when the very ground we stand on is shaky? Yes, says everyone's favorite Buddhist nun, it's even possible to live beautifully, compassionately, and happily on shaky ground—and the secret is: the ground is always shaky. Pema shows how using a traditional Buddhist practice called the Three Vows or Three Commitments is a way to relax into profound
...more
Get A Copy
Hardcover, 128 pages
Published
October 9th 2012
by Shambhala
(first published January 1st 2012)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Living Beautifully,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Living Beautifully
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of Living Beautifully: with Uncertainty and Change

Look, it's impossible to not like Pema Chodron if you are someone who in interested in spiritual enlightenment. She is an American raised Buddhist who writes in the style anyone can understand and relate to. She's not overly "God" in her dialogue, and she's very down-to-earth. She's not out of touch with the realities of life.
This is NOT a self-help book. This is a self-AWARENESS book. It's about how to live with and accept the crap and the glory in life. It's how Buddhists make it through the ...more
This is NOT a self-help book. This is a self-AWARENESS book. It's about how to live with and accept the crap and the glory in life. It's how Buddhists make it through the ...more

"The Tibetan word for warrior, paw for a male warrior or pawmo for a female warrior, means “the one who cultivates bravery.” As warriors in training, we cultivate the courage and flexibility to live with uncertainty — with the shaky, tender feeling of anxiety, of nothing to hold on to — and to dedicate our lives to making ourselves available to every person, in every situation."
I have been a Pema Chodron fan for many years now. The Buddhist nun’s work has been critical to my on-sometimes, off-so ...more

I wish I could just memorize this book. Every time I read it, I get so much more from it. It's a guide for living and never more appropriate and useful than right now as the world seems to be exploding (at least here in NYC).
I feel that I "should" be reading other books but this is where I'm turning to and finding comfort. ...more
I feel that I "should" be reading other books but this is where I'm turning to and finding comfort. ...more

Such a beautifully written little book.
"When the appearances of this life dissolve
May I with ease and great happiness,
Let go of all attachments to this life,
As a son or daughter returning home."
Dzigar Kongtrül ...more

There is nothing that I can say that can match the beauty of this book. I have read quite a few of Pema's books by now, and this is by far, the most practical of those. Not that the others were impractical, but here Pema is vividly honest, interspersing her own life experiences with many practices that can make the task of living more joyful and utterly simple.
...more

A few months ago, I went back to read “Living Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change” by Pema Chödrön. Such a small book, such a long time to read. I bought this book last year in one of those book-shopping sprees that was no more than an attempt to make my time in Qatar bearable, it had stayed on the shelves for a while. Then it migrated to my night table together with another book of similar inclinations—books that proclaimed to rework the teachings of the Buddha for modern western audiences—
...more

Pema Chodron's books are full of wisdom, and I say this because I have read many of them and talked with others who have read them. This book is not only for our precarious lives today but for all times. She helps us understand that it is not the circumstances that threaten us but our reaction, our resistance to "the fundamental uncertainty of our situation" that causes our suffering. We need to let the truth of "how things really are" sink in by being fully present, feeling our hearts, and meet
...more

This book will end up changing my life, in a utility kind of way. I have read, and learned about several of the techniques Pema Chödrön suggests for dealing with the storm constantly beating down on us throughout life, but this time, with her book it means more.
This book will be meaningful to those that are seeking joy, amongst turbulence, but also open minded enough to see that their self made narrative, or adopted narrative will prevent them from moving forward.
I really hesitate to write these ...more
This book will be meaningful to those that are seeking joy, amongst turbulence, but also open minded enough to see that their self made narrative, or adopted narrative will prevent them from moving forward.
I really hesitate to write these ...more

Jul 22, 2013
Rose
rated it
liked it
Shelves:
netgalley,
health,
arc-or-galley,
non-fiction,
meditation,
psychological,
reference,
religion,
wellness
Initial reaction: I thought this open approach to mindfulness and meditation was worth the read, but probably a bit redundant if you've read other works in Chodron's bibliography covering the same topic. Still, I appreciated her words and approach in one volume.
Full review:
I'll start this review by saying that I've always appreciated reading Pema Chödrön's inspiring expansions on approaching life and meditation practices. I've read a number of her narratives in the past, so it was with little wo ...more
Full review:
I'll start this review by saying that I've always appreciated reading Pema Chödrön's inspiring expansions on approaching life and meditation practices. I've read a number of her narratives in the past, so it was with little wo ...more

In which I realize that I am not yet a Buddhist and may never be one. Helpful insights abound in this book but I found myself being contrary as I read it, which I am pretty sure is not at all the point of Buddhism. I am still really attached to my emotions, even the ones I don't like, and while I loved learning that most emotions only last for 90 seconds before they pass unless we feed them, sometimes I want to feed my emotions.
Simultaneously while reading the book, my family is preparing for th ...more
Simultaneously while reading the book, my family is preparing for th ...more

I am exhausted of these books and the fact that I am so tired tells me that I probably need them all the more, that I am burning out because they are the right thing, that I am unwilling to internalize them because they are so potent. The point of this book—and others like it—is that resistance is futile, that to be whole, we must lean into the dogs that chase us in the night, that we must accept the hard things, the angry things; we must meet darkness in full, move within it and then, perhaps,
...more

There is much to ponder and integrate in this little book. The three main themes are to committing to not cause harm, committing to take care of one another and committing to embrace the world just as it is. It's written in the context of living with uncertainty and change and this would be a good book to go to when our lives hit those bumps in the road.
...more

A wonderful and comforting book for pretty much anybody. Chodron reminds us to stay present and be open; don't cling to your preconceived notions of anything. Breathe in suffering and pain, and out comfort and joy. Uncertainty is a welcome teacher. #bookworm #bookstagram #livingbeautifully
...more

Buddhist Pema Chödrön offers inspiring, down-to-earth advice for those of any or no religion on dealing constructively with the human condition. The book centers on three traditional Buddhist vows – to do no harm, to do good, and to see the world as it is – which aren’t about being moral but “about opening ourselves to a vaster perspective and changing at the core.” To make this change we need to be honest and kind with ourselves while confronting our mental and emotional habits: “Buddhism holds
...more

Book Review: Pema Chodron’s “Living Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change”
Pema Chödrön is my go to for books that both kick me in the rump and provide that warmbelly feeling after eating a nice bowl of soup on a cold winter day. How can it feel both good and bad at the same time? How can it be like medicine that burns going down but yet helps to soothe? Well that’s just Pema’s teachings. They’re like that.
Based on a series of talks delivered at Gampo Abbey in 2009 during a winter retreat, the ...more
Pema Chödrön is my go to for books that both kick me in the rump and provide that warmbelly feeling after eating a nice bowl of soup on a cold winter day. How can it feel both good and bad at the same time? How can it be like medicine that burns going down but yet helps to soothe? Well that’s just Pema’s teachings. They’re like that.
Based on a series of talks delivered at Gampo Abbey in 2009 during a winter retreat, the ...more

An excellent book, presenting the three levels of Buddhist vows (in the Tibetan tradition called the Pratimoksha, Bodhisattva, and Samaya Vows) in the form of three commitments that correspond to three components of spiritual training and growth. Pema Chodron always seems very understanding of the problems we are facing, while also being relentlessly insistent that we can do this spiritual warrior training, no matter where we are starting from or what we are grappling with. Thus her teachings se
...more

This is about building inner strength, emotionally and mentally. Choosing to be brave! Chodron explains about taking a fresh look at your belief system that causes pain and suffering and going through the process of releasing and finding your true self. Chodron says that we all cling to fixed ideas and our fixed identity and therein lies the problem. Unmask, let go, open the mind and heart. Be totally honest. She uses a metaphor of a rapidly moving river as life. We are clinging to the shore, af
...more

A really great book that found me at a really opportune time. As a person who deals with fear by bracing myself and rushing through, the practices described are challenging and I believe will help me in the long run.
I borrowed this from the library and I think I will re-read to enjoy it all over again.
I borrowed this from the library and I think I will re-read to enjoy it all over again.

Some really great ideas, and a smattering of practical advice. But lots of advice like "Sit with your emotions" - without a whole lot of explanation of what that really means.
...more

Apr 03, 2017
Margot Note
added it
"How can we make friends with unpredictability and uncertainty--and embrace them as vehicles to transform our lives?" (3-4).
"Looking deeper, we could say that the real cause of suffering is not being able to tolerate uncertainty--and thinking that it's perfectly sane, perfectly normal, to deny the fundamental groundlessness of being human" (8).
"Acknowledge the feeling, give it your full compassionate, even welcoming attention, and even if it's only for a few seconds, drop the story line about t ...more
"Looking deeper, we could say that the real cause of suffering is not being able to tolerate uncertainty--and thinking that it's perfectly sane, perfectly normal, to deny the fundamental groundlessness of being human" (8).
"Acknowledge the feeling, give it your full compassionate, even welcoming attention, and even if it's only for a few seconds, drop the story line about t ...more

Despite being a short one , this has been a strenuous read, demanding complete attention while reading, as a poetic justice to the content it presents! I read this one after many other spiritual but this one still managed to present a different perspective about being completely present and live to the fullest! Pema nicely explains the basic human tendency to label things as an escape from feeling the complete uncertainty of life. Some powerful lines I liked from the book below...
Whatever is see ...more

Pema Chodron is my favorite spiritual teacher.
Whenever I feel sad or depressed I always go to her teachings or listen to her audio books.
She is always wise,funny and down to earth.
In this book she talks about how to embrace life as it is, how to embrace groundless and restless and how to refrain from bad habits that make our life worse.
She talks about three commitments that we need to make in order to have better life.
This is not about chasing happiness or temporary pleasures but it is rath ...more
Whenever I feel sad or depressed I always go to her teachings or listen to her audio books.
She is always wise,funny and down to earth.
In this book she talks about how to embrace life as it is, how to embrace groundless and restless and how to refrain from bad habits that make our life worse.
She talks about three commitments that we need to make in order to have better life.
This is not about chasing happiness or temporary pleasures but it is rath ...more

This is a hard book to categorize because I think whether you like it or not will be where you are in your life and whether you are ready for it.
I think I was ready. I enjoyed this book over a series of days. I could only read a bit at a time and then needed to digest. That being said, I think to get full beauty from this book, I am going to need to read it again. (I am not so good at that re-reading part...)
I definitely like the book's philosophy and do recommend.
Thanks to Cindy / Isaac for ha ...more
I think I was ready. I enjoyed this book over a series of days. I could only read a bit at a time and then needed to digest. That being said, I think to get full beauty from this book, I am going to need to read it again. (I am not so good at that re-reading part...)
I definitely like the book's philosophy and do recommend.
Thanks to Cindy / Isaac for ha ...more

Reading Pema’s words is a great comfort, like talking with an old friend.
Through all the suffering and uncertainty we face on a day-to-day basis, compassion for ourselves and others is the key to living a beautiful life.
I believe this is the all-encompassing message of the book. I love how Pema emphasizes the fact that we are constantly in a transitory state. We start wherever we are right now and go from there on our path to awakening. Forgive yourself and learn from your mistakes. Seek to do ...more
Through all the suffering and uncertainty we face on a day-to-day basis, compassion for ourselves and others is the key to living a beautiful life.
I believe this is the all-encompassing message of the book. I love how Pema emphasizes the fact that we are constantly in a transitory state. We start wherever we are right now and go from there on our path to awakening. Forgive yourself and learn from your mistakes. Seek to do ...more

I highlighted the hell of this book because it was overloaded with JUST THE MOST INCREDIBLE WISDOM OF ALL TIME.
I hope to find a book that compiles all of this wisdom so that I can incorporate the teachings into a daily or weekly routine. Even though I may consciously forget what I’ve read, I also hope it remains deep within me forever and that my subconscious gets to work so I learn how to fully live in times of uncertainty and embrace the groundlessness and fluidity that is being human.
Trust me ...more
I hope to find a book that compiles all of this wisdom so that I can incorporate the teachings into a daily or weekly routine. Even though I may consciously forget what I’ve read, I also hope it remains deep within me forever and that my subconscious gets to work so I learn how to fully live in times of uncertainty and embrace the groundlessness and fluidity that is being human.
Trust me ...more

Hi, I'm a control freak, who probably needs to reread this book on a weekly basis.
...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Ani Pema Chödrön (Deirdre Blomfield-Brown) is an American Buddhist nun in the Tibetan tradition, closely associated with the Kagyu school and the Shambhala lineage.
She attended Miss Porter's School in Connecticut and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley. She taught as an elementary school teacher for many years in both New Mexico and California. Pema has two children and three g ...more
She attended Miss Porter's School in Connecticut and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley. She taught as an elementary school teacher for many years in both New Mexico and California. Pema has two children and three g ...more
News & Interviews
Need another excuse to treat yourself to a new book this week? We've got you covered with the buzziest new releases of the day.
To create our...
47 likes · 12 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“When we resist change, it’s called suffering. But when we can completely let go and not struggle against it, when we can embrace the groundlessness of our situation and relax into it’s dynamic quality, that’s called enlightenment”
—
84 likes
“We have a choice. We can spend our whole life suffering because we can't relax with how things really are, or we can relax and embrace the open-endedness of the human situation, which is fresh, unfixated, unbiased.”
—
50 likes
More quotes…