--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whole-heartedn ess is a precious gift…" description: "\"Whole-heartedn ess is a precious gift, but no one can actually give it to you. You have to find the path that has heart and then walk it impeccably…It'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/pema-ch-dr-n-327_challenges_whole-heartedn-ess-is-a-precious-gift-bu_1546657.png" --- # Whole-heartedn ess is a precious gift, but no one can… ![“Whole-heartedn ess is a precious gift, but no one can actually give it to you. You have to find the path that has heart and then walk it impeccably…It' s like someone laughing in your ear, challenging you to figure out what to do when you don't know what to do. It humbles you. It opens your heart.” quote by Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/pema-ch-dr-n-327_challenges_whole-heartedn-ess-is-a-precious-gift-bu_1546657.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/pema-ch-dr-n-327_challenges_whole-heartedn-ess-is-a-precious-gift-bu_1546657.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/pema-ch-dr-n-327_challenges_whole-heartedn-ess-is-a-precious-gift-bu_1546657.png) > “Whole-heartedn ess is a precious gift, but no one can actually give it to you. You have to find the path that has heart and then walk it impeccably…It' s like someone laughing in your ear, challenging you to figure out what to do when you don't know what to do. It humbles you. It opens your heart.” [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True love cannot be given by others; it must be discovered within and lived out authentically. **In simple terms:** Love comes from within. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner compassion and follow your heartfelt path. Themes self‑love inner peace authenticity Mood calm inspired Type spiritual motivational When to use this quote - personal meditation - therapy - spiritual practice Key Concepts mindfulness spiritual growth self‑discovery Questions to Reflect On - What inner qualities do you need to develop? - How does authentic living affect relationships? A Different Perspective Finding love externally may lead to dependence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actually Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually-path-1749903/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Ears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ears/) [Ess Precious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ess-precious-5771878/) [Figures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figures/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Impeccable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impeccable/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Laughing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughing/) [Opens Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opens-heart-799367/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Path Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path-heart/) [Precious gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precious-gift/) [Precious gifts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precious-gifts/) [Tibetan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tibetan/) [Walks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walks/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) [Wholeheartedness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wholeheartedness/) ## Related quotes > [When you refrain from habitual thoughts and behavior, the uncomfortable feelings will still be there. They don’t magically disappear. Over the years, I’ve come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/when-you-refrain-from-habitual-thoughts-and-behavior-the/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“How strange to actually have to see the path of your journey in order to make it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/how-strange-to-actually-have-to-see-the-path-of-your-journey-in-order/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [It's my contention that there is no sincere path a human being can take without breaking his or her heart...so it can be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-whyte/it-s-my-contention-that-there-is-no-sincere-path-a-human-being-can/) [David Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-whyte/) > [Sometimes the things we think are the impediments are actually the path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/sometimes-the-things-we-think-are-the-impediments-are-actually-the/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [Living well has something to do with the spirituality of wholeheartedness, of seeing life more as a grace than as a penance, as time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/living-well-has-something-to-do-with-the-spirituality-of/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Our capacity for wholeheartednes s can never be greater than our willingness to be broken-hearted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/our-capacity-for-wholeheartednes-s-can-never-be-greater-than-our/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [The most comprehensive formulation of therapeutic goals is the striving for wholeheartedness: to be without pretense, to be emotionally sincere, to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-horney/the-most-comprehensive-formulation-of-therapeutic-goals-is-the/) [Karen Horney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-horney/) > [The antidote to exhaustion may not be rest but wholeheartedness... we are typically exhausted because we are not doing our TRUE work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-t-smith/the-antidote-to-exhaustion-may-not-be-rest-but-wholeheartedness-we/) [Gordon T. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-t-smith/) > [Wholeheartedness. There are many tenets of Wholeheartedness, but at its very core is vulnerability and worthiness; facing uncertainty, exposure, and emotional risks, and knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/wholeheartedness-there-are-many-tenets-of-wholeheartedness-but-at-its/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“Those who feel lovable, who love, and who experience belonging simply believe they are worthy of love and belonging. I often say that Wholeheartedness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/those-who-feel-lovable-who-love-and-who-experience-belonging-simply/) [Brene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [If you're really mind-full, and if you underline that aspect of fullness, wholeness, or wholeheartedness, it reveals the gift character of everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/if-you-re-really-mind-full-and-if-you-underline-that-aspect-of/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [I think our capacity for wholeheartedness can never be greater than our willingness to be broken-hearted. It means engaging with the world from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-think-our-capacity-for-wholeheartedness-can-never-be-greater-than/) [Brene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [This is the power of art: The power to transcend our own self-interest, our solipsistic zoom-lens on life, and relate to the world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-popova/this-is-the-power-of-art-the-power-to-transcend-our-own-self-interest/) [Maria Popova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-popova/) > [The antidote to exhaustion isn't rest. It's wholeheartedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-whyte/the-antidote-to-exhaustion-isn-t-rest-it-s-wholeheartedness/) [David Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-whyte/) > [“The purpose or calling of your life will require all of you—a wholeheartedness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-barkalow/the-purpose-or-calling-of-your-life-will-require-all-of-you-a/) [Gary Barkalow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-barkalow/) ## More by Pema Chodron > [“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/) [Explore all 664 Pema Chodron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) ## More Challenges quotes > [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) > [Our biggest challenge is to eliminate the popular perception that economists don't have anything useful to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zandi/our-biggest-challenge-is-to-eliminate-the-popular-perception-that/) [Mark Zandi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zandi/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [People in great groups have blinders on. Their work is all they see. They value failures as learning opportunities. They are optimistic, not realistic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/people-in-great-groups-have-blinders-on-their-work-is-all-they-see/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [If, as I anticipate, a wide array of personal, portable information/communication devices becomes increasingly important and widespread for information-intensive users, it will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-as-i-anticipate-a-wide-array-of-personal-portable-information/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [“Two powerful, little words I've learned to use when facing challenges, fears, and doubts— so what? ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/two-powerful-little-words-i-ve-learned-to-use-when-facing-challenges/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [It's a challenge to work a character's arc into a format in which you only have a very limited amount of time to grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/it-s-a-challenge-to-work-a-character-s-arc-into-a-format-in-which-you/) [Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/) > [I personally think if something's not a challenge, there's no point doing it, because you're not gonna learn much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-personally-think-if-something-s-not-a-challenge-there-s-no-point/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Men want a challenge, but they want a challenge they can win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-gaskell/men-want-a-challenge-but-they-want-a-challenge-they-can-win/) [Whitney Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-gaskell/) > [Growing up with a parent in the army, I saw firsthand the challenges our service members face when transitioning to new jobs after time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/growing-up-with-a-parent-in-the-army-i-saw-firsthand-the-challenges/) [Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/) > [Nobody challenges me. I challenge myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakuntala-devi/nobody-challenges-me-i-challenge-myself/) [Shakuntala Devi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakuntala-devi/) > [Challenging is good, like good conversation, yes? Who wants to have dinner with the same old easy listening music sounding friends all the time?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/challenging-is-good-like-good-conversation-yes-who-wants-to-have/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) [Browse all 8,851 Challenges quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whole-heartedn ess is a precious gift, but no one can actually give it to you. You have to find the path that has heart and then walk it impeccably…It' s like someone laughing in your ear, challenging you to figure out what to do when you don't know what to do. It humbles you. 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