Reflecting on Pema Chödrön’s 80th birthday, I thought I would share a few inspiring, heart-opening teachings…
I was fortunate to do a Dathun (month-long sit) in mostly silence with Pema in the Winter of 1991, with a two dozen students. I never felt the month was long since we were joined by a few monastics who were preparing for a three-year retreat.
Pema taught from Atisha’s lojong (“mind training”) slogans based on the book The Great Path of Awakening by the 19th century Tibetan Teacher Jamgön Kongtrül the Great.
“When I first read the lojong (“mind training”) I was struck by their unusual message that we can use our difficulties and problems to awaken our hearts. Rather than seeing the unwanted aspects of life as obstacles, Jamgön Kongtrül presented them as the raw material necessary for awakening genuine uncontrived compassion.” – Pema Chödrön
The path of the bodhisattva presents us with many challenging ideals—for example, we’re encouraged to feel compassion for anyone who’s harmed us. In this clip, Pema Chödrön shares how we can be kind to ourselves as we practice opening our hearts at the very moment we feel least inclined to do so.
