"The Buddhist teachings are fabulous at simply working with what’s happening as your path of awakening, rather than treating your life experiences as some kind of deviation from what is supposed to be happening. The more difficulties you have, in fact, the greater opportunity there is to let them transform you. The difficult things provoke all your irritations and bring your habitual patterns to the surface. And that becomes the moment of truth. You have the choice to launch into the lousy habitual patterns you already have, or to stay with the rawness and discomfort of the situation and let it transform you, on the spot." - Pema Chödrön
How are you suffering in the present moment, and what opportunity may be found in the suffering?
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for Mindful Monday
Source: Pema Chödrön, "The Wondrous Path of Difficulties," conversation with Jack Kornfield, Lion's Roar, 2015.
Photo Credit: Bureau of Land Management Top 15 Places on National Conservation Lands for Night Sky Viewing, 2015.