When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times (Shambhala Classics)

by Pema Chödrön

Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth.

“When you have made good friends with yourself, your situation will be more friendly too.”

“Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible be found in us.”

When there’s a big disappointment, we don’t know if that’s the end of the story. It may be just the beginning of a great adventure.

Every day we could reflect on this and ask ourselves, “Am I going to add to the aggression in the world?” Every day, at the moment when things get edgy, we can just ask ourselves, “Am I going to practice peace, or am I going to war?”

We use all kinds of ways to escape—all addictions stem from this moment when we meet our edge and we just can’t stand it.

The most important aspect of being on the spiritual path may be to just keep moving.

Again and again just come back to being right where you are.

Mindfulness is the ground; refraining is the path.