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Softening what is rigid in our hearts.

Pema Chodron

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Pema Chodron
Age: 88
Born: 1936
Born: July 14
Clergyman
Philosopher
Writer
New York City
New York
Deirdre Blomfield-Brow
Heart
Softening
Rigid
Hearts

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By not knowing, not hoping to know and not acting like we know what's happening, we begin to access our inner strength.
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No one ever tells us to stop running away from fear...the advice we usually get is to sweeten it up, smooth it over, take a pill, or distract ourselves, but by all means make it go away. (5)
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Never give up on yourself. Then you will never give up on others.
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We tend to forget that we are part of the natural scheme of things.
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So war and peace start in the human heart. Whether that heart is open or whether that heart closes has global implications.
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Holding on to anything blocks wisdom.
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Anything we experience, no matter how challenging, can become an open pathway to awakening.
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It is only when we begin to relax with ourselves that meditation becomes a transformative process. Only when we relate with ourselves without moralizing, without harshness, without deception, can we let go of harmful patterns. Without maitri (metta), renunciation of old habits becomes abusive. This is an important point.
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Buddhism itself is all about empowering yourself, not about getting what you want.
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Patience is not learned in safety.
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The wisdom, the strength, the confidence - the awakened heart and mind are always accessible -- here, now, always.
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When things are shaky and nothing is working, we might realize that we are on the verge of something. We might realize that this is a very vulnerable and tender place, and that tenderness can go either way. We can shut down and feel resentful or we can touch in on that throbbing quality. (9)
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You see, there really is no separation between you and everyone else.
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The third noble truth says that the cessation of suffering is letting go of holding on to ourselves.
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If you aren't feeding the fire of anger or the fire of craving by talking to yourself, then the fire doesn't have anything to feed on.
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The first noble truth of the Buddha is that when we feel suffering, it doesn’t mean that something is wrong. What a relief.
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Fear is a natural reaction of moving closer to the truth. If we commit ourselves to staying right where we are, then our experience becomes very vivid. Things become very clear when there is nowhere to escape.
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Never underestimate the desire to bolt.
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A heartfelt sense of aspiring cuts through negativity about yourself it cuts through the heavy trips you lay on yourself.
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Never underestimate the power of compassionately recognizing what's going on.
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