Pema tells us that we already have everything we need and are “one blink of an eye away from being fully awake.” Inspiring Buddhist teachings on promoting peace within our own lives—and throughout the greater world—by examining how we respond to conflict in our thoughts and actions Ani Pema first met her root guru, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, in 1972. Lama Chime encouraged her to work with Trungpa, and it was with him that she ultimately made her most profound connection, studying with him from 1974 until his death in 1987. At the request of the Sixteenth Karmapa, she received the full bikshuni ordination in the Chinese lineage of Buddhism in 1981 in Hong Kong.

A portable collection of short inspirational readings by “one of the world’s wisest women”—the American Buddhist teacher and author of When Things Fall Apart ( O, the Oprah Magazine) I Love Pema Chadron. I really can't put my finger on it but whenever I read her I feel inspired to be a better person. She talks openly and honestly about how she fails at times to live you to the whole zen thing but she never makes you feel like you are an asshole if you are struggling to get to a higher plane of existence I guess is how I would put it. The key is to be here, fully connected with the moment, paying attention to the details of ordinary life.” What is different about her writings is that she writes not as though she is enlightened but a person just like us with everyday problems and negative feelings. While in her mid-thirties, Ani Pema traveled to the French Alps and encountered Lama Chime Rinpoche, with whom she studied for several years. She became a novice nun in 1974 while studying with Lama Chime in London. His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa came to Scotland at that time, and Ani Pema received her ordination from him.Ani Pema served as the director of the Karma Dzong, in Boulder, CO, until moving in 1984 to rural Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to be the director of Gampo Abbey. Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche gave her explicit instructions on establishing this monastery for western monks and nuns. While in her mid-thirties, she traveled to the French Alps and encountered Lama Chime Rinpoche, with whom she studied for several years. She became a novice nun in 1974 while studying with Lama Chime in London. His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa came to England at that time, and Ani Pema received her ordination from him. I’ve reviewed a couple of Pema’s previous books. The present book is a compendium of small extracts from her various works. Pema first met her root guru, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, in 1972. Lama Chime encouraged her to work with Rinpoche, and it was with him that she ultimately made her most profound connection, studying with him from 1974 until his death in 1987. At the request of the Sixteenth Karmapa, she received the full bikshuni ordination in the Chinese lineage of Buddhism in 1981 in Hong Kong.

Yet I don't feel like she is talking down to me like I get the feeling with some Christian authors. I feel like she is merely pointing out a way up. Like she is clearing the path for me so to speak. Ani Pema Chödrön was born Deirdre Blomfield-Brown in 1936, in New York City. She attended Miss Porter’s School in Connecticut and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley. She taught as an elementary school teacher for many years in both New Mexico and California. Pema has two children and three grandchildren. Loving-kindness, or maitri, doesn’t mean getting rid of anything. “The point is not to try to change ourselves. --- it’s about befriending who we are already.”

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