It's also helpful to realize that this very body that we have, that's sitting right here right now… with its aches and it pleasures… is exactly what we need to be fully human, fully awake, fully alive.

—Pema Chödrön

More quotations from Pema Chödrön

How did I get so lucky to have my heart awakened to others and their suffering?

—Pema Chödrön

Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.

—Pema Chödrön

humanity presence relationship compassion equality darkness healer wounded similarity

The only reason that we don't open our hearts and minds to other people is that they trigger confusion in us that we don't feel brave enough or sane enough to deal with. To the degree that we look clearly and compassionately at ourselves, we feel confident and fearless about looking into someone else's eyes.

—Pema Chödrön

others clear-seeing perspective hearts compassion eyes confidence fearlessness sanity confusion minds

Things falling apart is a kind of testing and also a kind of healing. We think that the point is to pass the test or to overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don't really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It's just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for joy.

—Pema Chödrön

truth space grief joy healing relief overcoming test room

Spiritual awakening is frequently described as a journey to the top of a mountain. We leave our attachments and our worldliness behind and slowly make our way to the top. At the peak we have transcended all pain. The only problem with this metaphor is that we leave all the others behind.… In the process of discovering our true nature, the journey goes down, not up.… Instead of transcending the suffering of all creatures, we move toward the turbulence and doubt.… We explore the reality and unpredictability of insecurity and pain, and we try not to push it away. If it takes years, if it takes lifetimes, we will let it be as it is. At our own pace, without speed or aggression, we move down and down and down. With us move millions of others, our companions in awakening from fear. At the bottom we discover water, the healing water of compassion. Right down there in the thick of things, we discover the love that will not die.

—Pema Chödrön

More quotations tagged with “body”

It is confidence in our bodies, minds and spirits that allows us to keep looking for new adventures, new directions to grow in, and new lessons to learn—which is what life is all about.

—Oprah Winfrey

I finally realized that being grateful to my body was key to giving more love to myself.

—Oprah Winfrey

There is but one temple in the universe and that is the body of man.

The body says what words cannot.

—Martha Graham

The body is shaped, disciplined, honored, and in time, trusted.

—Martha Graham

History

11 Jul 2015 Added
26 Oct 2026 Wording changed

Previous wording

It's also helpful to realize that this very body that we have, that's sitting right here right now... with its aches and it pleasures... is exactly what we need to be fully human, fully awake, fully alive.