--- title: "6 Big deal Quotes By Pema Chödrön" description: "6 Big deal quotes by Pema Chödrön. Plus more from Pema Chödrön and more Big deal sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09c/pema-ch-dr-n-327_affirmation_affirmations-are-like-screaming-that-you_456611.png" --- > [Affirmations are like screaming that you're okay in order to overcome this whisper that you're not. That's a big contrast to actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/affirmations-are-like-screaming-that-you-re-okay-in-order-to-overcome/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09c/pema-ch-dr-n-327_affirmation_affirmations-are-like-screaming-that-you_456611.png) > [“No … big … deal.” He wasn’t saying “bad,” and he wasn’t saying “good.” He was saying that these things happen and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/no-big-deal-he-wasn-t-saying-bad-and-he-wasn-t-saying-good-he-was/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5c/pema-ch-dr-n-327_beam_no-big-deal-he-wasn-t-saying-bad-and-he_1089054.jpg) > [“Affirmations are like screaming that you're okay in order to overcome this whisper that you're not... maybe you're not okay. Well, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/affirmations-are-like-screaming-that-you-re-okay-in-order-to-overcome-2/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae0/pema-ch-dr-n-327_affirmations_affirmations-are-like-screaming-that-you_2150875.png) > [“Even though peak experiences might show us the truth and inform us about why we are training, they are essentially no big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/even-though-peak-experiences-might-show-us-the-truth-and-inform-us/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/pema-ch-dr-n-327_big-deal_even-though-peak-experiences-might-show_2191361.jpg) > [“Life is glorious, but life is also wretched. It is both. Appreciating the gloriousness inspires us, encourages us, cheers us up, gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/life-is-glorious-but-life-is-also-wretched-it-is-both-appreciating/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33f/pema-ch-dr-n-327_big-deal_life-is-glorious-but-life-is-also-wretch_2391277.jpg) > [The painful thing is that when we buy into disapproval, we are practicing disapproval. When we buy into harshness, we are practicing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-painful-thing-is-that-when-we-buy-into-disapproval-we-are/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/pema-ch-dr-n-327_arise_the-painful-thing-is-that-when-we-buy-in_2616353.jpg) ## Other authors on Big deal ## More by Pema Chödrön > [“LIFE’S work is to wake up, to let the things that enter into your life wake you up rather than put you to sleep.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/life-s-work-is-to-wake-up-to-let-the-things-that-enter-into-your-life/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Since death is certain and the time of death is uncertain, what is the most important thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/since-death-is-certain-and-the-time-of-death-is-uncertain-what-is-the/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Buddhist words such as compassion and emptiness don't mean much until we start cultivating our innate ability simply to be there with pain with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/buddhist-words-such-as-compassion-and-emptiness-don-t-mean-much-until/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [The essence of generosity is letting go. Pain is always a sign that we are holding on to something - usually ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-essence-of-generosity-is-letting-go-pain-is-always-a-sign-that-we/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“If the object of meditation were something concrete, something solid and graspable - an image or a statue or a dot on the floor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-the-object-of-meditation-were-something-concrete-something-solid/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [It's a transformative experience to simply pause instead of immediately fill up the space. By waiting, we begin to connect with fundamental restlessness as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/it-s-a-transformative-experience-to-simply-pause-instead-of/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“The essence of life is that it’s challenging. Sometimes it is sweet, and sometimes it is bitter. Sometimes your body tenses, and sometimes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-essence-of-life-is-that-it-s-challenging-sometimes-it-is-sweet/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If we run a hundred miles an hour to the other end of the continent in order to get away from the obstacle, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-we-run-a-hundred-miles-an-hour-to-the-other-end-of-the-continent/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“But in this meditation technique, we are with the out-breath; there's no particular instruction about what to do until the next out-breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/but-in-this-meditation-technique-we-are-with-the-out-breath-there-s/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know. Nothing ever really attacks us except our own confusion. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/nothing-ever-goes-away-until-it-has-taught-us-what-we-need-to-know/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [So even if the hot loneliness is there, and for 1.6 seconds we sit with that restlessness when yesterday we couldn't sit for even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/so-even-if-the-hot-loneliness-is-there-and-for-1-6-seconds-we-sit/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If you have rage and righteously act it out and blame it all on others, it's really you who suffers. The other people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-you-have-rage-and-righteously-act-it-out-and-blame-it-all-on/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“When we realize that the path is the goal, there’s a sense of workability. Trungpa Rinpoche said, “Whatever occurs in the confused mind is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/when-we-realize-that-the-path-is-the-goal-there-s-a-sense-of/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Every day is a new opportunity to work with what you have inside toward enlightenment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/every-day-is-a-new-opportunity-to-work-with-what-you-have-inside/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If someone comes along and shoots an arrow into your heart, it’s fruitless to stand there and yell at the person. It would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-someone-comes-along-and-shoots-an-arrow-into-your-heart-it-s/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-deal/pema-ch-dr-n/#itemlist", "name": "6 Big deal Quotes By Pema Chödrön", "numberOfItems": 6, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Affirmations are like screaming that you're okay in order to overcome this whisper that you're not. That's a big contrast to actually uncovering the whisper, realizing that it's a passing memory, and moving closer to all those fears and all those edgy feelings that maybe you're not okay. Well, no big deal. None of us is okay and all of us are fine. It's not just one way. 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If we can't integrate them into the ups and downs of our lives, if we cling to them, they will hinder us. We can trust our experiences as valid, but then we have to move on and learn how to get along with our neighbors. Then even the most remarkable insights can begin to permeate our lives. As the twelfth-century Tibetian yogi Milarepa said when he heard of his student Gampopa's peak experiences, 'They are neither good not bad. 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