Right now in the very instant of groundlessness is the seed of taking care of those who need our care and of discovering our goodness.

Pema Chödrön

Discovering Our Goodness

Topic: Overcoming Adversity

Things falling apart is a kind of testing and also a kind of healing. We think that the point is to pass the test or to overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It’s just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy…

The very first noble truth of the Buddha points out that suffering is inevitable for human beings as long as we believe that things last—that they don’t disintegrate, that they can be counted on to satisfy our hunger for security. From this point of view, the only time we ever know what’s really going on is when the rug’s been pulled out and we can’t find anywhere to land. We use these situations either to wake ourselves up or to put ourselves to sleep. Right now in the very instant of groundlessness is the seed of taking care of those who need our care and of discovering our goodness.

Pema Chödrön

Early Life and Education

Pema Chödrön, born as Deirdre Blomfield-Brown in 1936 in New York City, embarked on her educational journey at Miss Porter’s School in Connecticut, followed by the University of California, Berkeley. After her graduation, she dedicated many years to teaching elementary school in New Mexico and California. A mother of two and a grandmother to three, Pema has always been a guiding light for her family, instilling values and wisdom from her rich life experiences.

Spiritual Awakening and Ordination

In her mid-thirties, Pema experienced a significant spiritual awakening during a trip to the French Alps, where she met Lama Chime Rinpoche. This encounter led her to take her novice nun vows in 1974 in London, a pivotal moment in her life, further solidified by her ordination by His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa. Her spiritual journey continued under the mentorship of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche from 1974 until his passing in 1987, deepening her Buddhist practice and understanding. In 1981, Pema was fully ordained in the Chinese lineage of Buddhism in Hong Kong, marking a significant milestone in her spiritual path.

Teaching and Legacy

Pema Chödrön's commitment to spreading Buddhist teachings led her to assume the role of director at Karma Dzong in Boulder, Colorado. In 1984, following Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche's vision, she moved to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, to lead Gampo Abbey, a monastery for Western practitioners. Pema continues to focus on teaching in the US and Canada, interspersed with solitary retreats under the guidance of Venerable Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche. Her literary contributions, including "The Wisdom of No Escape", "Start Where You Are", and "Smile at Fear", reflect her profound insights and her commitment to establishing monastic traditions in the Western world.

Buddhism
When Things Fall Apart

Chodron, Pema. When Things Fall Apart. Shambhala, 1997 [Pema Chödrön, When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times] pp. 8-9.

Pema Chödrön

Theme: Adversity

About This Pema Chödrön Quotation [Commentary]

Pema Chödrön’s quote, “Right now in the very instant of groundlessness is the seed of taking care of those who need our care and of discovering our goodness,” highlights the transformative potential in moments of uncertainty. Pema Chödrön suggests that when life feels unstable and disorienting, we have an opportunity to connect deeply with our inherent compassion and kindness. In the context passage, she explains that life’s cycle of things falling apart and coming together is both a test and a healing process. This perspective encourages us to accept impermanence and find strength in vulnerability.

Experiencing groundlessness, where we feel as if the rug has been pulled out from under us, often accompanies adversity. Pema Chödrön emphasizes that in these challenging times, we can choose to awaken to a deeper understanding of ourselves and others or retreat into numbness. By embracing discomfort and instability, we open ourselves up to genuine compassion and empathy. This choice to remain present and caring in the face of difficulty allows us to discover and nurture our innate goodness.

Pema Chödrön’s teachings remind us that adversity is not just an obstacle but a crucial part of our spiritual journey. The instability and unpredictability of life reveal our interconnectedness and the necessity of compassion. In moments of groundlessness, we can find the seeds of our true nature—our ability to care for others and uncover our inner goodness. By accepting the impermanence of life, we allow room for all experiences and emotions, fostering a deeper sense of empathy and understanding. This perspective transforms adversity into an opportunity for personal and collective growth.

On Being with Krista Tippett: Devendra Banhart ‘When Things Fall Apart’ [Excerpt]

Tippett: So maybe I’ll read a few of these parts from “When Things Fall Apart,” just because I just want to read them and see if they—they struck me, when I was getting ready. “Things falling apart is a kind of testing and also a kind of healing. We think that the point is to pass the test or to overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It’s just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.”

A little bit later on, she says, “The only time we ever know what’s really going on … the only time we ever know what’s really going on—is when the rug’s been pulled out and we can’t find anywhere to land. We use these situations either to wake ourselves up or to put ourselves to sleep. Right now — in the very instant of groundlessness—is the seed of taking care of those who need our care and of discovering our goodness.”

Banhart: Amen. [laughs] That passage is perfect. Perfect.

And there’s also something really, really hopeful, in that when you initially read, “Things come together, and they fall apart,” there’s that sorrow—“No, I don’t want it to fall apart. I want to hold onto that good thing.” But then look at it inversely, and it’s like, this time will pass. This is gonna fall apart, too; this thing we’re going through, this pandemic, it will fall apart.

Tippett: [laughs] The falling apart will fall apart, too.

Banhart: So that’s nice. We can embrace, we can celebrate that, because it’s a fact. Things fall apart. [laughs]

Tippett: Devendra Banhart is a singer-songwriter and visual artist. He’s released ten albums including Rejoicing in the Hands, and most recently, Ma.

Discovering Our Goodness

Resources

Related Quotes