Bill Moyers on Faith & Reason: Pema Chödrön

Here's what I'm watching this morning, thanks to my friend Erica's comment about Chödrön and boundaries on yesterday's post.  Thanks for the reminder that I still hadn't crossed off, "Investigate this Pema Chödrön person" from my personal growth To Do List.  I've been a fan of The Dalai Lama since I discovered his teachings six years ago, so I'm looking forward to some fresh inspiration.

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Wow!  I finished watching the interview.  It's wonderful.  Thank you so much, Erica, for reminding me that I wanted to find out more about Chödrön.  This discussion between Bill Moyers and Pema Chödrön is a great introduction to a fascinating spiritual leader.  I'll definitely check out some of her books now.

Here are my favorite quotes from the Moyers' interview:

"You could say that it isn't the things that happen to us in our lives that cause us to suffer. It's how we relate to the things that happen to us that causes us to suffer." -- Pema Chödrön

and


"I see now, as I look out of my eyes at the world, I see that a lot of us are just running around in circles, pretending that there's ground, where there actually isn't any ground.  And that somehow, if we could learn to not be afraid of groundlessness, not be afraid of insecurity and uncertainty, it would be calling on an inner strength that would allow us to be open and free and loving and compassionate in any situation.  But as long as we keep trying to scramble to get ground under our feet, and avoid this uneasy feeling of groundlessness and insecurity and uncertainty and ambiguity, paradox, any of that, then the wars will continue, the racial prejudice will continue, the hatred against people of a different -- you don't agree with their sexual preferences, you don't agree with their religion, you don't agree with their skin color, you don't agree with their whatever, you know, their politics, it will always continue, because something will keep --because you can't avoid being triggered.  What triggers you can get less and less in your life.  But, you know, it's if you're trying to avoid being triggered -- I read something recently where someone said, that's like becoming a celibate nun, like me, or monk, and then trying to get rid of all the sexually attractive people in the world.  You know, it just doesn't work.  You have to work on your side of it." -- Pema Chödrön