When Things Fall Apart
Based on Pema Chödrön's book "When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times," we will begin our spiritual journey to face the many adversities in our lives with a level of gentleness and kindness we may still be inspired to explore.
This Sunday, Jean-Marie will share his take on the first four chapters of Pema Chödrön's book, mixed in with Unity teachings and those of other religions and spiritual practices. You are welcome to read along or just come along for the ride.
Join us for another thought-provoking service on the many opportunities we have in our lives to find ways to see ourselves and others in a brighter Light.
Experience the Sermon
Sermon Notes
Book Talk Series
“When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times” by Pema Chödrön
Sunday, May 23, read chapters 1–4
Sunday, May 30, read chapter 5–8
Quotes
Chapter 1: Intimacy with Fear
“Fear is a universal reaction to moving closer to the truth.” (2)
“No one ever tells us to stop running away from fear. We are rarely told to move closer, to just be there, to become familiar with fear. ” (4)
“…we cannot be present and run our story lines at the same time.” (2)
“The trick is to keep exploring and not bail out, even when we find out that something is not what we thought.” (5)
“Nothing is what we thought…Emptiness is not what we thought. Neither is mindfulness or fear. Compassion—not what we thought. Love. Buddha nature. Courage.” (5)
Chapter 2: When Things Fall Apart
“When things fall apart and we’re on the verge of know not what, the test for each of us is to stay at that brink and not concretize.” (10)
“To stay with that shakiness—to stay with a broken heart, with a rumbling stomach, with the feeling of hopelessness and wanting to get revenge—that is the path of true awakening.” (11)
“Sticking with that uncertainty, getting the knack of relaxing in the midst of chaos, learning not to panic—that is the spiritual path.” (11)
Chapter 3: This Very Moment Is the Perfect Teacher
“Each day, we’re given many opportunities to open up or shut down.” (13)
“Most of us do not take these situations as teachings. We automatically hate them. We run like crazy.” (14)
“Reaching out limit is not some kind of punishment. It’s actually a sign of health that, when we meet the place where we are about to die, we feel fear and trembling.” (15)
“It doesn’t really matter what causes us to reach our limit. The point is that sooner or later it happens to all of us.” (15)
“We don’t sit in meditation to become good meditators. We sit in meditation so that we’ll be more awake in our lives.” (17)
“‘This very moment is the perfect teacher, and it’s always with us.’ Is really a most profound instruction. Just seeing what’s going on—that’s the teaching right there.” (18)
“Awakeness is found in our pleasure and our pain, our confusion and our wisdom, available in each moment of our weird, unfathomable, ordinary everyday lives.” (18)
Chapter 4: Relax as It Is
“The point [of meditation] was not try to achieve some special state or to transcend the sounds and movement of ordinary life. Rather we were encourage to relax more completely with our environment and to appreciate the world around us and the ordinary truth that takes place in every moment.” (20)
