Pema Chödrön teaches that there is a fundamental opportunity for happiness right within our reach, yet we usually miss it—ironically, while we are caught up in attempts to escape pain and suffering. Drawn from traditional Buddhist wisdom, Pema’s radical and compassionate advice for what to do when things fall apart in our lives goes against the grain of our habits and expectations. There is only one approach to suffering that is of lasting benefit, Pema teaches, and that approach involves moving toward painful situations with friendliness and curiosity, relaxing into the essential groundlessness of our entire situation. It is there, in the midst of chaos, that we can discover the truth and love that are indestructible.
Why it matters: When Things Fall Apart teaches that the opportunity for happiness lies not in escaping pain and suffering but in moving toward painful situations with friendliness and curiosity. By drawing from traditional Buddhist wisdom to show that the only approach to suffering with lasting benefit involves relaxing into the essential groundlessness of our entire situation rather than seeking solid ground, Pema Chödrön demonstrates that we usually miss fundamental happiness while caught up in attempts to escape what we’re experiencing. The teaching that truth and love are indestructible and can be discovered in the midst of chaos rather than by avoiding it proves that transformation comes from befriending our experience rather than fighting it.
