Holding it Together When Things Fall Apart | Pema Chodron

Pema Chodron has seemingly been trying to prepare us for this pandemic for years, through a series of popular books, with titles such as When Things Fall Apart, Welcoming the Unwelcome, and The Wisdom of No Escape. But as you will hear, she is anything but gloomy. Like all of the great meditation teachers I've met, she has a lightness and a sense of humor about her. Notwithstanding her chipper demeanor, she has worked hard to point out to her readers and students that groundlessness and uncertainty are fundamental facts of life - which are becoming increasingly salient in our current crisis. Pema Chodron was born Deirdre Blomfield in Connecticut. She lived a conventional life, going to UC Berkeley, becoming a school teacher, and having a pair of kids. But after a rough divorce, she found herself adrift. During this time, she discovered Tibetan Buddhism, shaved her head, and became a nun. Now in her mid-eighties, she lives in rural Nova Scotia, where she is the director of Gampo Abbey. We connected with her on an old-school landline. We talked about how to actually welcome the unwelcome. We also discussed how to: befriend your demons, sympathize without being stupid, lighten up in the face of fear, and embrace chaos as "extremely good news." Where to find Pema Chodron online: Website: https://pemachodronfoundation.org/about/pema-chodron/ Twitter: Pema Chödrön (@AniPemaChodron) / https://twitter.com/AniPemaChodron Facebook: Pema Chodron / https://www.facebook.com/Pema.Chodron/ Instagram: AniPemaChodron (@anipemachodron) / https://www.instagram.com/anipemachodron/ Books Mentioned: When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times by Pema Chodron / https://www.amazon.com/When-Things-Fall-Apart-Difficult-ebook/dp/B00BBXJH2C Welcoming the Unwelcome by Pema Chodron / https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V77TZ33/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1 Emotional Awareness by The Dalai Lama and Paul Ekman / https://www.amazon.com/Emotional-Awareness-Overcoming-Psychological-Compassion/dp/0805090215 Other Resources Mentioned: Theravada Tradition / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_meditation#Contemporary_Therav%C4%81da Tonglen Practice / https://www.lionsroar.com/how-to-practice-tonglen/ For a limited time, we're offering a 40% discount on a year-long subscription to the app. Visit tenpercent.com/podcast40 to get your discount and get support for your meditation practice today. This promotion is only available to users without a current Ten Percent Happier app subscription. Additional Resources: Ten Percent Happier Live: https://tenpercent.com/live Coronavirus Sanity Guide: https://www.tenpercent.com/coronavirussanityguide We want to deeply thank and recognize healthcare workers, teachers, warehouse workers, grocery and food delivery workers for the essential role that they play in our lives. For FREE access to the app and hundreds of meditations and resources visit https://tenpercent.com/care Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/pema-chodron-250 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Om Podcasten

Dan Harris is a fidgety, skeptical journalist who had a panic attack on live national television, which led him to try something he otherwise never would have considered: meditation. He went on to write the bestselling book, 10% Happier. On this show, Dan talks with eminent meditation teachers, top scientists, and even the odd celebrity. Guests include everyone from His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Brené Brown to Karamo from Queer Eye. On some episodes, Dan ventures into the deep end of the pool, covering subjects such as enlightenment and psychedelics. On other episodes, it’s science-based techniques for issues such as anxiety, productivity, and relationships. Dan's approach is seemingly modest, but secretly radical: happiness is a skill you can train, just like working your bicep in the gym. Your progress may be incremental at first, but like any good investment, it compounds over time.New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free. Listen 1-week early and to all episodes ad-free with Wondery+ or Amazon Music with a Prime membership or Amazon Music Unlimited subscription.