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The Courage to Love the World: Discovering Compassion, Strength, and Joy Through Tonglen Meditation
Heart-Centered Meditations for Opening to the Depths of All Your Experience
Pain, loss, shame, sadness—suffering is an unavoidable part of being human. The practice of tonglen offers us a way to transform our relationship with suffering—our own and that which is all around us. In The Courage to Love the World, beloved teacher Pema Chödrön shares insightful and heartfelt stories about tonglen, along with direct instruction and guided practice. Recorded on retreat with an intimate group of students, this four-part series presents:
Pema’s step-by-step guidance in the formal practice of tonglen
• The importance of becoming a "Modern-Day Bodhisattva"—awaken your heart and be of benefit to beings
• The practice of "compassionate abiding" in everyday life
• Q&A with retreat participants addressing the most common questions that arise with practice
• Tonglen as a practical skill for survival in today’s world
"The practice of tonglen is one of bravery," teaches Pema, "It takes courage to develop a new relationship with suffering." Now, each of us can immerse ourselves in this ancient Tibetan practice for cultivating kindness and compassion under the guidance of one of our most beloved teachers.
Pain, loss, shame, sadness—suffering is an unavoidable part of being human. The practice of tonglen offers us a way to transform our relationship with suffering—our own and that which is all around us. In The Courage to Love the World, beloved teacher Pema Chödrön shares insightful and heartfelt stories about tonglen, along with direct instruction and guided practice. Recorded on retreat with an intimate group of students, this four-part series presents:
Pema’s step-by-step guidance in the formal practice of tonglen
• The importance of becoming a "Modern-Day Bodhisattva"—awaken your heart and be of benefit to beings
• The practice of "compassionate abiding" in everyday life
• Q&A with retreat participants addressing the most common questions that arise with practice
• Tonglen as a practical skill for survival in today’s world
"The practice of tonglen is one of bravery," teaches Pema, "It takes courage to develop a new relationship with suffering." Now, each of us can immerse ourselves in this ancient Tibetan practice for cultivating kindness and compassion under the guidance of one of our most beloved teachers.
4 pages, Audio CD
Published April 3, 2018
2 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Pema Chödrön
199 books5,489 followersAni 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 grandchildren.
While in her mid-thirties, she traveled to the French Alps and encountered Lama Chime Rinpoche, with whom she studied for several years. She became a novice nun in 1974 while studying with Lama Chime in London. His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa came to England at that time, and Ani Pema received her ordination from him.
Ani Pema first met her root guru, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, in 1972. Lama Chime encouraged her to work with Trungpa, and it was with him that she ultimately made her most profound connection, studying with him from 1974 until his death in 1987. At the request of the Sixteenth Karmapa, she received the full bikshuni ordination in the Chinese lineage of Buddhism in 1981 in Hong Kong.
Ani Pema served as the director of the Karma Dzong, in Boulder, CO, until moving in 1984 to rural Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to be the director of Gampo Abbey. Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche gave her explicit instructions on establishing this monastery for western monks and nuns.
Ani Pema currently teaches in the United States and Canada and plans for an increased amount of time in solitary retreat under the guidance of Venerable Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche.
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 grandchildren.
While in her mid-thirties, she traveled to the French Alps and encountered Lama Chime Rinpoche, with whom she studied for several years. She became a novice nun in 1974 while studying with Lama Chime in London. His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa came to England at that time, and Ani Pema received her ordination from him.
Ani Pema first met her root guru, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, in 1972. Lama Chime encouraged her to work with Trungpa, and it was with him that she ultimately made her most profound connection, studying with him from 1974 until his death in 1987. At the request of the Sixteenth Karmapa, she received the full bikshuni ordination in the Chinese lineage of Buddhism in 1981 in Hong Kong.
Ani Pema served as the director of the Karma Dzong, in Boulder, CO, until moving in 1984 to rural Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to be the director of Gampo Abbey. Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche gave her explicit instructions on establishing this monastery for western monks and nuns.
Ani Pema currently teaches in the United States and Canada and plans for an increased amount of time in solitary retreat under the guidance of Venerable Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 4, 2018
This is a recording of a retreat on tonglen meditation where you breath in others' suffering and breath out compassion (it is kind of the flip side of metta/lovingkindness meditation). Pema gives a number of short talks on different aspects, then attendees ask questions — and they ask fabulous questions. There are not many works focusing on tonglen out there so if you’re interested at all, this is a great place to start. And if you don't know Pema, she brings humor to the darkest of subjects so the recording is never oppressive and she makes you feel like you can take on anything. Grade: A
May 18, 2021
I found this on Hoopla as an audiobook. It's actually a recorded series of sessions: part lecture, part Q&A, part meditation teaching.
It's PHENOMENAL!
I'm not a Buddhist, or a practicing "anything" religious, and I found this to be refreshing and relevant. The best gift this gave me was a reliable shortcut technique to navigate my way from overwhelming pain to compassion and resilience.
It's PHENOMENAL!
I'm not a Buddhist, or a practicing "anything" religious, and I found this to be refreshing and relevant. The best gift this gave me was a reliable shortcut technique to navigate my way from overwhelming pain to compassion and resilience.
December 29, 2018
Best course on tonglen
August 18, 2020
I found this book to be really thought provoking and I experienced all the feelings.
January 29, 2022
I love Pema Chodron's teaching.
March 1, 2019
Does Tonglen for Palestinians. Includes
a doctor whose entire family,
the US Israel military bombed killed.
Is good healing practice.
a doctor whose entire family,
the US Israel military bombed killed.
Is good healing practice.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews