the world does not need any more books written by white people, when there are plenty of good books on the same topic by people more qualified to talk on the subject. ( )

When we find ourselves in a mess, we don’t have to feel guilty about it. Instead, we could reflect on the fact that how we relate to this mess will be sowing the seeds of how we will relate to whatever happens next. We can make ourselves miserable, or we can make ourselves strong. The amount of effort is the same.

whilst i have a distinct and differing spiritual outlook in comparison to chödrön, i found her viewpoint to be informative and enlightening. though the book was often repetitive, the abstract natture of the ideas discussed meant this was a somewhat useful construction, and assisted in gaining more depth in my comprehension of what was discussed. i will note that, in contrast to the book's title, it deals far more with everyday difficulties (and some large-scale ones) as opposed to personal tragedy, which is what i was hoping for when i read it. ( )

This is more a collection of essays than a cohesive whole. Pena Chodron says that the book came about as a collection of unrelated dharma talks she has given. Still, the central theme of all of them is facing pain rather than hiding from it. Using meditation, finding one's boddhicatta and converting pain to loving-kindness, one can face pain and convert it to compassion. Some chapters are stronger than others, and if you have time to read only one, make it chapter 10. I'd give this 3 and 1/2 stars if I could. It's not a strong enough book to warrant 4 stars. ( )

My interest in wisdom for life's challenging times lead me to this book. [b:When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times|687278|When Things Fall Apart Heart Advice for Difficult Times|Pema Chödrön|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320553046s/687278.jpg|2464740] is my first venture into Buddhist thought. Chodron's voice is seasoned, warm, and wry, making her an excellent companion.

Compiled from recordings of lectures and teachings, the text feels conversational. Buddhist terms that might be distracting jargon are simply and directly defined so that even novice readers like me understand.

As I work on my on writing about how people transition well, I value the process over presto approach for life's substantive shifts. Chodron has been teaching process for years. Lesson learned: when the student is ready, the teacher appears. ( )

One of the finest books on spirituality and spiritual life ( )