Pema Chödrön on how we react

From Heart Advice comes this quote from Pema Chödrön's When Things Fall Apart.

"When someone blames us, how do we react? When we've lost something, how do we react? When we feel we've gained something, how do we react? When we feel pleasure or pain, is it as simple as that? Do we just feel pleasure or pain? Or is there a whole libretto that goes along with it?

"When we become inquisitive about these things, look into them, see who we are and what we do, with the curiosity of a young child, what might seem like a problem becomes a source of wisdom. Oddly enough, this curiosity begins to undercut what we call ego pain or self-centeredness, and we see more clearly."

Want more wisdom from Pema? She'll be leading a "virtual retreat" on July 14, her 76th birthday, giving an exclusive video teaching on the theme of practicing peace; click here for more information about the retreat.

And for even more of her teachings, look for "Signs of Spiritual Progress" in our July magazine, and check out our Pema Chödrön spotlight page. An exclusive excerpt from Pema's new book, Living Beautifully, will be featured in our November 2012 Shambhala Sun magazine—look for it in the fall!

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