Again and again Quote by Pema Chodron
“The trick is to keep exploring and not bail out, even when we find out that something is not what we thought. That's what we're going to discover again and again and again. Nothing is what we thought. I can say that with great confidence. Emptiness is not what we thought. Neither is mindfulness or fear. Compassion––not what we thought. Love. Buddha nature. Courage. These are code words for things we don't know in our minds, but any of us could experience them. These are words that point to what life really is when we let things fall apart and let ourselves be nailed to the present moment.”
About This Quote
Source Talk: Dharma Talk, 2015, Pema Chodron
Explores how concepts like emptiness, mindfulness, compassion, love, and courage are pointers to direct experience beyond mental labels.
In simple terms: Words point to direct experience beyond mental concepts.
Key Takeaway
Embrace present moment without clinging to labels.
Themes
mindfulness
impermanence
direct experience
spiritual growth
Mood
contemplative
curious
serene
Type
teaching
philosophical
When to use this quote
- Meditation practice
- therapy
- creative work
- stressful situations
- personal crisis
Key Concepts
Buddhist philosophy
nondual awareness
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you experience compassion without defining it?
- What does “being nailed to the present moment” feel like?
A Different Perspective
Labels can become limiting if taken as absolute truth.
