Everything in our lives has the potential to wake us up or put us to sleep. Allowing it to awaken us is up to us.
Pema ChodronAs long as our orientation is toward perfection or success, we will never learn about unconditional friendship with ourselves, nor will we find compassion.
Pema ChodronWelcome the present moment as if you had invited it. Why? Because it is all we ever have.
Pema ChodronIf we Pause and breathe in and out, then we can have the experience of timeless presence, of the inexpressible wisdom and goodness of our own minds. We can look at the world with fresh eyes and hear things with fresh ears.
Pema ChodronMany people hope a spiritual practice will let them avoid what they are ashamed of. But when you hide something from yourself, you are going to project it onto your world. You continually find it in others and it becomes the source of prejudices and dogmatic views. On top of that, you feel bad about yourself, because you aren't the loving, open-minded, "spiritual" person you'd like to be.
Pema Chodron