When Things Fall Apart
by Pema Chödrön
"When Things Fall Apart" by Pema Chödrön offers insights into embracing life's challenges and uncertainties. Through Buddhist teachings, she encourages readers to confront their fears and vulnerabilities, highlighting the transformative power of compassion and mindfulness. The book serves as a guide for finding strength and resilience in difficult times.
17 curated highlights from this book
Key Insights & Memorable Quotes
Below are the most impactful passages and quotes from When Things Fall Apart, carefully selected to capture the essence of the book.
The most fundamental aggression to ourselves, the most fundamental harm we can cause ourselves, is to remain ignorant by not having the courage and the humility to look at ourselves honestly and gently.
The truth you believe and cling to makes you unavailable to hear anything new.
To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.
We think that the point is to pass the test or overcome the problem, but the truth is that things can be just as they are.
The essence of bravery is being without self-deception.
Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth.
Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness.
The only way to deal with the chaos is to embrace it.
When we start to feel uncomfortable, we may want to avoid it, but instead we should embrace it.
Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know.
The most fundamental aggression to ourselves, the most fundamental harm we can do to ourselves, is to remain ignorant by not having the courage and the humility to look at ourselves honestly and gently.
We think that the point is to pass the test or overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don't really get solved.
The essence of bravery is being afraid and doing it anyway.
When we take a step back and look into the chaos, we can begin to see the truth of our lives.
You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.
Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals.
The path of the warrior is the path of the heart.