Always Maintain a Joyful Mind Quotes

“Others will always show you exactly where you are stuck. They say or do something and you automatically get hooked into a familiar way of reacting—shutting down, speeding up, or getting all worked up. When you react in the habitual way, with anger, greed, and so forth, it gives you a chance to see your patterns and work with them honestly and compassionately. Without others provoking you, you remain ignorant of your painful habits and cannot train in transforming them into the path of awakening.”
― Pema Chödrön, Always Maintain a Joyful Mind: And Other Lojong Teachings on Awakening Compassion and Fearlessness

“There are six teachings that you might misinterpret: patience, yearning, excitement, compassion, priorities, and joy. The misinterpretations are: You’re patient when it means you’ll get your way but not when your practice brings up challenges. You yearn for worldly things but not for an open heart and mind. You get excited about wealth and entertainment but not about your potential for enlightenment. You have compassion for those you like and admire but not for those you don’t. Worldly gain is your priority rather than cultivating loving-kindness and compassion. You feel joy when your enemies suffer, but you do not rejoice in others’ good fortune.”
― Pema Chödrön, Always Maintain a Joyful Mind: And Other Lojong Teachings on Awakening Compassion and Fearlessness

“The key instruction is to stay in the present. Don't get caught up in hopes of what you'll achieve and how good your situation will be some day in the future. What you do right now is what matters.”
― Pema Chödrön, Always Maintain a Joyful Mind: And Other Lojong Teachings on Awakening Compassion and Fearlessness [Book and CD]

“Constantly apply cheerfulness, if for no other reason than because you are on this spiritual path. Have a sense of gratitude to everything, even difficult emotions, because of their potential to wake you up.”
― Pema Chödrön, Always Maintain a Joyful Mind: And Other Lojong Teachings on Awakening Compassion and Fearlessness [Book and CD]

“31 Don’t malign others.     COMMENTARY You speak badly of others thinking it will make you feel superior. This only sows seeds of meanness in your heart, causing others not to trust you and causing you to suffer.”
― Pema Chödrön, Always Maintain a Joyful Mind: And Other Lojong Teachings on Awakening Compassion and Fearlessness

“key instruction is to stay in the present. Don’t get caught up in hopes of what you’ll achieve and how good your situation will be some day in the future. What you do right now is what matters.”
― Pema Chödrön, Always Maintain a Joyful Mind: And Other Lojong Teachings on Awakening Compassion and Fearlessness

“Don’t ponder others’ weak points, becoming arrogant about your own accomplishments.”
― Pema Chödrön, Always Maintain a Joyful Mind: And Other Lojong Teachings on Awakening Compassion and Fearlessness

“Change your attitude, but remain natural.”
― Pema Chödrön, Always Maintain a Joyful Mind: And Other Lojong Teachings on Awakening Compassion and Fearlessness