Excerpts: “The third type of suffering, known as ‘all-pervasive suffering,’ happens at a deeper and subtler level than the first two. This is the constant discomfort that comes from our basic resistance to life as it really is. We want solid ground to rely on, but that’s just not in the cards. The reality is that nothing ever stays still, even for an instant” (p. 8).

“We can continue to resist reality, or we can learn to frame things in a new way, seeing our life as dynamic and vibrant, an amazing adventure” (p. 10).

“How we relate to things falling apart right now foreshadows how we’ll relate to things falling apart when we die” (p. 19).

“When we tap into what’s going on with ourselves and realize the same thing is happening to so many others, there’s a real possibility of bringing down barriers between ourselves and others, rather than putting them up. By contemplating our sameness with others, we may begin to question the illusion of separateness” (p. 80)

“On the other hand, if we work day by day–to the best of our current ability–on connecting with our heart and opening our mind, our outer situations and the people we encounter will become more friendly and hospitable” (p. 124).

“For this reason, we’re encouraged to give away possessions before we die and to state our wishes clearly in a will. When we die, the less there is that bothers us, the better. The more we let go of our preferences and our attachments to things now, the better” (p. 125).

“Rather than beating ourselves up, we can use our personal stuckness as a stepping stone to understanding what people are up against all over the world. Breathe in for all of us and breathe out for all of us. Use what seems like poison as medicine. We can use our personal suffering as a path to compassion for all beings” (p. 185).

Chodron, Pema. (2022). How We Live Is How We Die. Boulder, Colorado: Shambhala Publications, Inc.