I haven’t read all of Pema Chodron’s books, but I’ve read enough to know that I think she’s quite amazing and insightful…not to mention pretty darned helpful with what she says.
Quite a few years ago, I read her book Comfortable With Uncertainty. This was at a time in my life when I still believed that I absolutely, positively had to know how things were going to turn out.
It was imperative!
I had a lot of ‘should’ words in my life at the time; Life SHOULD look like this. He SHOULD behave like this. She SHOULDN’T do that to me. My life SHOULD include this. Blah. Blah. Blah.
I was seeing a counselor at the time who was telling me to simply, “Live with the question.”
WTH? Really?
And then I found Pema Chodron essentially saying the same thing; let go of expectations. Live with what is.
It felt like a special type of hellish purgatory to accept that teaching.
I resisted it like crazy, until bit by bit the truth of their words hit me. And now I shake my head at how bloody I made my forehead with all that banging against the wall of life (this is not to say that I don’t revert to this bloody-minded thinking every now and again…I never claimed to be totally enlightened 🙂
I think Pema Chodron is very cool, very smart and very insightful…And this weekend you can catch her on a weekend webinar program. I like the idea of this format. You can tune in for the whole thing, or catch up on whatever you missed later.
I’m going to be checking it out. If you want to purchase the webinar, just click on the Shambhala Publications banner on the side bar to the right of this post. If you’d rather just get her books, you can go through that link too.
I’ll meet you for a cup of tea at the intermission…
Hi. I can’t seem to find the Shambala Publications Banner to sign up for the online seminar. It might be right in front of me but I cannot see it! Can you give a hint? Thanks.
Hi Terry. Unfortunately that link is broken as that was two years ago 🙂
It was embedded in the text that read, “And this weekend you can catch her on a weekend webinar program.”
Here’s another link that you might try..http://www.shambhala.org/teachers/pema/
So sorry Colleen. I didn’t realize it was 2 years ago! Please forgive me for asking such a silly question. I guess I had better not try to be a detective. 🙂
No worries Terry. I’m thrilled that you were reading back that far!
I’m sure they must run those webinars now and again. It would be worth searching for. I really think Pema Chodron is amazing.
Thanks again for taking the time to comment. I LOVE comments, no matter what post they’re referring to 🙂
I agree with you three . . . I’ve also read Pema Chodron, and appreciated the impact of her wisdom in my life. Byron Katie’s “Loving What Is” is another head banging stopper.
Thanks for the heads up on this Colleen!
Hey Carol…You’re right about Byron Katie’s book. I’d forgotten about that one. I’m going to dig that out and give it another review. Thanks for the reminder…
thanks so much Colleen,
yes, I think we have all gone through many times in our lives
where we feel that our expectations get the best of us.
It is so good to be reminded to take a breath, enjoy the moment,
and see what happens out of every situation we are in.
I love the fact that we are all on a wonderful insightful journey
and are able to share our feelings, good or bad, crazy or straight,
with each other and know that we all have our own road to travel.
Exactly Laurie…It really is a wonderful journey and so much more interesting when we are able to share our experiences 🙂
My forehead impression is also on that head-banging wall. Along with with the one that says “Why don’t people just behave like I think they’re supposed to?”
I’ve become slightly more successful at living with what is, rather than what I think it should be. It’s nice to know that someone much wiser than I says it’s not only okay but good to do that 🙂
Thanks for the info. I will be there.
Hey Becca. Looks like our collective wall has quite a few big dents in it! Getting older has certainly helped me figure this stuff out, but people like Miz Pema really help the message sink in.
See you at the tea-break 🙂