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Quote of the Day: Pema Chödrön

January 6th, 2013

“We think that if we just meditated enough or jogged enough or ate perfect food, everything would be perfect. But from the point of view of someone who is awake, that’s death. Seeking security or perfection, rejoicing in feeling confirmed and whole, self-contained and comfortable, is some kind of death. It doesn’t have any fresh air…

To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest….

When we wake up, we can live fully without seeking pleasure and avoiding pain, without re-creating ourselves when we fall apart… We can give up on being perfect and experience each moment to its fullest.”

Pema Chödrön from When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
trees_in_fog
Experiencing each moment to it’s fullest is something Mr Chiots and I try to do. It’s easy in good times and difficult in tough times. Embracing the tough times truly does make them easier and helps you see them for the learning and growth that they provide! Living well is all about experiencing everything that comes our way, whether good or bad!

Do you try to avoid difficult situations or do you experience them for what they bring to your life?

8 Comments to “Quote of the Day: Pema Chödrön”
  1. daisy on January 6, 2013 at 5:57 am

    The difficult times are where the growth lies. It’s easy to be joyful when things are going well. Gratitude as a mainstay in one’s life allows the balance of hardships and ease to coexist. And knowing that around every emotional corner, lies something that wouldn’t have otherwise been discovered. You just gotta be grateful for every experience. They’ve gotten you this far…

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  2. Nebraska Dave on January 6, 2013 at 10:07 am

    Susy, it is a fact of life that there will be good times and there will be bad times. In my past experiences, the bad things seemed to come in groups. It wasn’t just the clothes washer acting up but then the dish washer would start acting up at the same time or the drains would cause issues. Health for my wife was a constant threat especially during the stressful bad times. One thing I boiled it down to was to just do the next right thing during those times and don’t give up. By moving forward through the rough times, eventually the good times would come back and were appreciated all the more. I believe it is true that our character is strengthened and tested by the rough times. Some of my best skills have been learned when I had no choice but to fix the car myself, or fix appliances because we couldn’t afford a repairman, or stand fast against health issues. Now in my retirement years, I’m able to share those skills with others that are making their way through the bad spots in life.

    Have a great winter day on your new homestead.

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  3. Songbirdtiff on January 6, 2013 at 10:49 am

    I spent a lot of my younger years trying to avoid discomfort, but the older I get, the better I understand how it changes us and makes us stronger.

    Reply to Songbirdtiff's comment

  4. Maybelline on January 6, 2013 at 1:25 pm

    I try to avoid but am not successful most times.

    Reply to Maybelline's comment

  5. KimH on January 6, 2013 at 8:34 pm

    I love Pema Chödrön! That is a gorgeous photo… and no, I dont try to avoid difficulties in my life..
    Usually Im more likely to try to meet them head-on.. Its really the only way for me to comfortably meet them & deal with them.

    There are others in my life who dont take that same tack and it drives me batty sometimes, but I’ve also learned that each of us has to deal with life on its own terms in our own way..

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  6. Missy on January 6, 2013 at 9:20 pm

    This is deeply meaningful to me right now. We always seem to think that WE should not have to experience suffering. WE should not have to go through difficult times. Why ME?

    Why not? Why not me? Why not you? What makes us immune from suffering or pain. I am learning again and again that we are not in control of our lives. We can only choose how we will respond when we are hurt or our lives are damaged.

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  7. MrBrownThumb on January 7, 2013 at 12:58 am

    That picture is so cool. I recently ordered a Holga and I can’t wait to take it out and do some B&W photography of the barren trees around here. A belated Happy New Year.

    Reply to MrBrownThumb's comment

  8. matt on January 8, 2013 at 1:52 am

    such a good reminder that we are not meant to perfect ourselves even as we grow and change, hopefully for the “better.” but who’s judging? we are meant to be happy fully embracing each moment for what it is. good, bad, who is to say. just breath for a bit.

    yes, i’ve been known to avoid conflict.

    happy winter’s day!

    Reply to matt's comment

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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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