Being an old soul refers to how you view and approach life. Usually, old souls look at life through a vignette of experiences they may not have lived during this lifetime, yet, but somehow, just seem to know. If you feel like you’ve lived before, and you have wisdom you can’t explain, you could be an old soul. Whether you’re an old soul or not, our collection of 30 old soul quotes could be relatable to you or some of your friends and family. When reading through these old soul quotes you may start recognizing yourself (or someone you know) and understand your (or someone’s) spiritual nature better.

Here they are 30 insightful old soul quotes!

30 Old Soul Quotes

#1

“There is a beautiful thing inside you that is thousands of years old. Too old to be captured in poems. Too old to be loved by everyone but loved so very deeply by a chosen few.” ~ Nikita Gill

#2

“The Old Soul is more inclined to be a lifelong learner, constantly feeding his thirst for insight through his own persistent efforts. His learning has not been forced into him through education or learned out of obligation, but has been absorbed out of curiosity and personal choice.” ~ Aletheia Luna

#3

“She’s an old soul with young eyes, a vintage heart, and a beautiful mind.” ~ Nicole Lyons

#4

“Old souls are humble enough to acknowledge that life is random and surprising, but are comforted by the fact that they can always choose how to react from what happens. And the ability to reflect on one’s life is an absolute must. As an old soul, you know that it’s up to you to make it through this life in one piece. And you ensure that you take time everyday to reflect on what has transpired in order to learn about how you can move forward in life.” ~ Lachlan Brown

#5

“My heart is a thousand years old. I am not like other people.” ~ Charles Bukowski

#6

“Old souls come into this life with an agenda to experience and complete karma, while new souls want to make form out of light, and experience what it’s like to be a being in a body. As such, the new souls’ experience is a bit more lighthearted, where being an old soul can feel heavy. But in addition to that, because the old soul comes to this life with more experience and understanding, they’re able to handle obstacles and challenges with greater clarity.” ~ Randi Merzon

#7

“As an old soul, you get tired out around people quite easily. Some old souls would identify as introverts, but it’s more than that: if you are an old soul, you feel like both your body, mind, and soul need rest. This is probably why you love taking breaks from everything and everyone. From time to time, you like going somewhere different, where no one knows you, and you like to rejuvenate your energy with the unknown or with nature.” ~ Lachlan Brown

#8

“I don’t belong on earth, my soul is from the stars. I’m visiting this planet for a while so I can help people listen to their hearts.” ~ Nikki Rowe

#9

“There is a special kind of person in our world who finds himself alone and isolated, almost since birth. His solitary existence isn’t from a preference or antisocial temperament– he is simply old. Old in heart, old in mind, and old in soul, this person who finds his outlook on life vastly different and more matured than those around him.” ~ Alethia Luna

#10

“No one enjoys being a newbie, but in fact, the benefit of being a new soul is that they carry around a lot less karma.” ~ Randi Merzon

#11

“Some people say an old soul is simply more mature than those around them. But that doesn’t tell the full story. An old soul creates their own path while the rest of society follow each other like sheep. Banality and toxic energy are non-existent in an old soul’s life. Instead, an old soul questions conventional wisdom and critically thinks for themselves. They’re not concerned with gossiping or making money. They want to understand more about life and what makes the universe tick. ~ Lachlan Brown

#12

“Anyone who takes the time to attentively listen is either an old soul or a romantic one.” ~ Richelle E. Goodrich

#13

“Be grateful if you look younger than your age while also being wiser than many of your contemporaries. It means the fire of your Old Soul is alive and well. Embrace it. Surround yourself with those who celebrate this fiery Light shining bright out of your soul; those who are summoned to fan your glimmering flames and dance within them. Embrace them.” ~ Omar Cherif

#14

“Old souls are misunderstood for several things. For possibly appearing standoffish. For their desire to be alone — read, introvert. For acting withdrawn. They are deep thinkers. They could be considered daydreamers. And more often than not, when they speak, the attention quickly and quietly moves to them because you know they’ve been waiting for just the right time to say just the right, meaningful thing.” ~ Kym Klass

Old Soul Quotes

#15

“How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?” ~ Satchel Paige

#16

“If you are an old soul, it’s likely that you have been referred to as more mature than your friends, even from a young age. You might have always felt like you were a bit older, not just physically, but mentally. Perhaps you didn’t always get along with people your own age because you were seeing things from a different perspective. And how they see things seem short-sighted to you. It can even put you off when people can’t look at the bigger picture. It can be difficult when you are young and don’t understand why you are different, but as you age, it becomes more clear that you meant to be this way. Being an old soul is a gift, not a curse.” ~ Lachlan Brown

#17

“Innately, the Old Soul carries a sense of world-wariness as he stands on the outside, looking in. As an observer, the Old Soul like the Steppenwolf feels an all-pervading sense of alienation. He is the ultimate Outsider who is both in the world, but not quite of the world at the same time.” ~ Aletheia Luna

#18

“Old souls are givers — but they don’t do this for attention. Rather, it is something that has been ingrained in them from the beginning. They’ve just always known it is better to give. And they do that with passion.” ~ Kym Klass

#19

“Many people are drawn to old souls, for they radiate a sense of peacefulness and inner strength that is captivating and reassuring.” ~ Carla Marie Manly

#20

“People who have old souls don’t require outside validation of their worth or value. A lot of people turn to others, the internet, their jobs, or another outside source of validation to make meaning in their lives, but as an old soul, you see the value of your experiences and what you bring to the table so there’s no need to exhaust your efforts in those areas.” ~ Lachlan Brown

#21

“The concept of the old soul is inspired by the idea that our bodies are containers for spirit, and an old soul is someone who continues to reincarnate in order to heal or complete karmic agreements.” ~ Randi Merzon

#22

“The reason old souls enjoy spending time alone is because they never really are.” ~ Unknown

#23

“A new soul wants to be fresh and new and maybe have a more hedonistic lifestyle, while an old soul wants to go into the depths and learn. Old souls may also feel somewhat isolated, as they can see through much of the illusion and separation in modern culture.” ~ Karen Brailsford

#24

“In a world of sensationalized automated newsfeeds and fake news, old souls are now more needed than ever.”

#25

“People who have old souls are often found at home. It is where they feel safe and secure. It’s where they are happiest. People who have old souls don’t have to look far outside themselves to find what really makes them happy. And if you find yourself bound to home as much as possible, then you’re definitely an old soul. There is nothing more restful than being in your favorite couch, tucked under a blanket, and simply enjoying the comforts of the place you made for yourself.” ~ Lachlan Brown

#26

“When we talk about ‘old souls’ in the realm of psychology, we are often referring to those individuals who seem to have inherent wisdom and a grounded sense of being in the world—often far more than would be expected for someone their age.” ~ Carla Marie Manly

#27

“Old souls are certainly introspective, but they don’t only think about themselves; they’re known to be thoughtful in a broader way, and they enjoy collecting, connecting, appreciating, and learning. Despite perhaps coming across as all-knowing, an old soul is keenly aware that they’re a student of the universe, not a teacher. Given this truth, it’s clear that old souls are more interested in the depth of a story than the superficial details.” ~ Mary Grace Garis

#28

“Old souls know that there’s always more than one way to look at something, and they can put themselves in someone else’s shoes. That doesn’t mean you always agree with the person you’re talking to – but you do find it easy to understand their perspective. This ability to see both sides of an issue makes old souls fair-minded – rather than just going with their gut, they make decisions based on carefully accumulated facts and opinions. The downside? Old souls often appear uncommitted to their own point of view. If people accuse you of being changeable, just keep in mind that what you are is rare. Not everyone will see what you offer, but your ability to see others’ perspectives benefits everyone.” ~ Jen Hubley Luckwaldt

Old Soul Quotes & Sayings

#29

“Old souls are picky with people they choose to spend time with. They don’t like superficial relationships. So they would rather be alone than to be with people they don’t relate with. As a result, they are often seen alone.” ~ Lachlan Brown

#30

“Old souls serve a wonderful purpose here on Earth. We use our wisdom that we have attained through many lifetimes to pass down to others, so that we may have a peaceful, happier world. We see life differently than most people and have a unique sense of how to approach the world with an open mind, and a strong will that keeps us grounded in our convictions. An old soul sees through ancient eyes and understands with an ancient heart.” ~ Aurora Eliam

Please feel free to share our collection of old soul quotes on your Social media to inspire others!

Dr. David Hawkins was an internationally known psychiatrist, physician, researcher, spiritual teacher, and lecturer. His spiritual work and experience were very unique because scientists and physicians rarely, if ever, reach a state of enlightenment and deep self-realization such that what was achieved by Dr. Hawkins. Therefore, we can say that Dr. David Hawkins was uniquely qualified to share his spiritual knowledge that is scientifically compelling to modern society. In this article, we have collected 55 thought-provoking David Hawkins quotes that will help you to see your spiritual path from a different angle. Just reading these quotes and meditating on them can be very helpful for your self-realization.

Here they are 55 David Hawkins quotes to support your spiritual journey!

55 Enlightening David Hawkins Quotes

#1

“With humility comes the willingness to stop trying to control or change other people or life situations or events ostensibly ‘for their own good’. To be a committed spiritual seeker, it is necessary to relinquish the desire to be ‘right’ or of imaginary value to society. In fact, nobody’s ego or belief systems are of any value to society at all. The world is neither good nor bad nor defective, nor is it in need of help or modification because its appearance is only a projection of one’s own mind. No such world exists.” ~David R. Hawkins

#2

“We change the world not by what we say or do, but as a consequence of what we have become.” ~David Hawkins

#3

“Love is misunderstood to be an emotion; actually, it is a state of awareness, a way of being in the world, a way of seeing oneself and others.” ~David R. Hawkins

#4

“Behind all of the “I can’ts” are merely “I won’ts.” The “I won’ts” mean “I am afraid to” or “I am ashamed to” or “I have too much pride to try, for fear I might fail.” Behind that is anger at ourselves and circumstances engendered by pride. Acknowledging and letting go of these feelings brings us up to courage and, with that, finally acceptance and an inner peacefulness, at least as it regards the area which has been surmounted. Apathy and depression are the prices we pay for having settled for and bought into our smallness. It’s what we get for having played the victim and allowed ourselves to be programmed. It’s the price we pay for having bought into negativity. It’s what results from resisting the part of ourselves that is loving, courageous, and great. It results from allowing ourselves to be invalidated by ourselves or others; it is the consequence of holding ourselves in a negative context. In reality, it is only a definition of ourselves that we have unwittingly allowed to happen. The way out is to become more conscious. What does it mean, “to become more conscious”? To begin with, becoming more conscious means to start looking for the truth for ourselves, instead of blindly allowing ourselves to be programmed, whether from without or by an inner voice within the mind, which seeks to diminish and invalidate, focusing on all that is weak and helpless. To get out of it, we have to accept the responsibility that we have bought into the negativity and have been willing to believe it. The way out of this, then, is to start questioning everything.” ~David R. Hawkins

#5

“Handling an emotional crisis leads to greater wisdom and results in lifetime benefits. Fear of life is really the fear of emotions. It is not the facts that we fear but our feelings about them. Once we have mastery over our feelings, our fear of life diminishes.” ~David R. Hawkins

David Hawkins Quotes

#6

“I just realized that I don’t have to have an opinion about everything – what a relief!” ~David R. Hawkins

#7

“The only way to enhance one’s power in the world is by increasing one’s integrity, understanding, and capacity for compassion.” ~David R. Hawkins

#8

“The other person merely mirrors back what we are projecting onto them.” ~David R. Hawkins

#9

“The basic rule of the psychic universe is that “like attracts like.” Similarly, “love promotes love,” so that the person who has let go of a lot of inner negativity is surrounded by loving thoughts, loving events, loving people, and loving pets. This phenomenon explains many scriptural quotations and common sayings that have puzzled the intellect, such as, “The rich get richer and the poor get poorer,” and “Those who have, get.” As a general rule, therefore, people who are carrying the consciousness of apathy bring poverty circumstances into their lives, and those with a prosperity consciousness bring abundance into their lives. Because all living things are connected on vibrational energy levels, our basic emotional state is picked up and reacted to by all life forms around us. It is well known that animals can instantly read a person’s basic emotional state. There are experiments demonstrating that even the growth of bacteria is affected by human emotions and that plants register measurable reactions to our emotional state.” ~David R. Hawkins

#10

“The person who suffers from inner poverty is relentlessly driven to accumulate on the material level.” ~David R. Hawkins

#11

“Enlightenment is not something that occurs in the future, after 50 years of sitting cross-legged and saying “OM.” It is right here, in this instant. The reason you’re not experiencing this state of total peace and timelessness is because it is being resisted. It is being resisted because you are trying to control the moment. If you let go of trying to control your experience of the moment, and if you constantly surrender it like a tone of music, then you live on the crest of this exact always-ness. Experience arises like a note of music. The minute you hear a note, it’s already passing away. The instant you’ve heard it, it’s already dissolving. So every single moment is dissolving as it arises. Let go of anticipating the next moment, trying to control it, trying to hang on to the moment that has just passed. Let go clinging to what has just occurred. Let go trying to control what you think is about to occur. Then you live in an infinite space of non-time and non-event. There is an infinite peace beyond description. And you are home.” ~David R. Hawkins

Enlightening David Hawkins Quotes

#12

“The world can only see us as we see ourselves.” ~David R. Hawkins

#13

“Repressed and suppressed feelings require counter-energy to keep them submerged. It takes energy to hold down our feelings. As these feelings are relinquished, the energy that had been holding down the negativity is now freed for constructive uses.” ~David R. Hawkins

#14

“Why is true success so relatively effortless? It might be likened to the magnetic field created by an electric current running through a wire. The higher the power of the current, the greater the magnetic field that it generates. And the magnetic field itself then influences everything in its presence. There are very few at the top. The world of the mediocre, however, is one of intense competition, and the bottom of the pyramid is crowded. Charismatic winners are sought out; losers have to strive to be accepted. People who are loving, kind, and thoughtful of others have more friends than they can count; success in every area of life is a reflex to those who are aligned with successful patterns. And the capacity to be able to discern the difference between the strong patterns of success and the weak patterns leading to failure is now available to each of us.” ~David R. Hawkins

#15

“Desire, especially strong desire (e.g., cravingness), frequently blocks our getting what we want.” ~David R. Hawkins

#16

“People think, “Oh, I’m being selfish if I allow somebody to be helpful to my life.” Actually, it’s being generous. Generosity is the willingness to share your life with others. It’s a gift to people to allow them to love you.” ~David R. Hawkins

#17

“Greatness is the courage to overcome obstacles.” ~David R. Hawkins

David Hawkins Quotes and Sayings

#18

“The truly humble cannot be humbled. They are immune to humiliation. They have nothing to defend. There is no vulnerability and, therefore, the truly humble do not experience critical attacks by others. Instead, a truly humble person sees the critical verbalization by another person as merely a statement of the other person’s inner problems.” ~David R. Hawkins

#19

“If we let go of guilt, we will see innocence; however, a guilt-ridden person will see only evil. The basic rule is that we focus on what we have repressed.” ~David R. Hawkins

#20

“Love as depicted in the mass media is not what this level implies. On the contrary, what the world generally refers to as love is an intense emotionality combining physical attraction, possessiveness, control, addiction, eroticism, and novelty. It is usually evanescent and fluctuating, waxing and waning with varying conditions. When frustrated, this emotion often reveals an underlying anger and dependency that it had masked. That love can turn to hate is a common concept, but what is being spoken about rather than love is an addictive sentimentality and attachment. Hate stems from Pride, not Love.” ~David R. Hawkins

#21

“Spiritual evolution occurs as the result of removing obstacles and not actually acquiring anything new.” ~David R. Hawkins

#22

“In any situation which involves suffering, we have to ask ourselves: “How long am I willing to pay the cost? What were the karmic propensities to begin with? How much blame is enough? Is there a time to call an end to it? How long will I hang on to it? How much sacrifice am I willing to pay to the other person for their wrongs, real or imaginary? How much guilt is enough? How much self-punishment is enough? When will I give up the secret pleasure of the self-punishment? When does the sentence come to an end?” When we really examine it, we will always find that we have been punishing ourselves for ignorance, naïveté, innocence, and lack of inner education.” ~David R. Hawkins

#23

“Most people are preoccupied with survival in all its subtle forms, and so they reflect primarily fear, anger, and a desire for gain. They have not learned that the state of lovingness is the most powerful of all survival tools.” ~David R. Hawkins

Thought-Provoking David Hawkins Quotes

#24

“When we heal something in ourselves, we heal it for the world.” ~David R. Hawkins

#25

“The way to become that exciting person whom people want to know is very easy. We simply picture the kind of person we want to be and surrender all the negative feelings and blocks that prevent us from being that. What happens, then, is that all we need to have and to do will automatically fall into place. This is because, in contrast to having and doing, the level of being has the most power and energy. When it is given priority, it automatically integrates and organizes one’s activities. This mechanism is evidenced in the common experience, “What we hold in mind tends to manifest.” ~David R. Hawkins

#26

“In contrast, nonattachment allows full participation in life without trying to control outcomes.” ~David R. Hawkins

#27

“Real love is unconditional love. Unconditional love is a decision we make within ourselves. The process is one of intention and the decision to be a loving person. If I decide to love you, that is my inner decision. There is nothing the other person can do about it.” ~David R. Hawkins

#28

“It is said that most people spend their lives regretting the past and fearing the future; therefore, they are unable to experience joy in the present.” ~David R. Hawkins

#29

“Because genius is a characteristic of consciousness, genius is also universal. That which is universal is, therefore, theoretically available to every man. The process of creativity and genius are inherent in human consciousness. Inasmuch as every human has within himself the same essence of consciousness, genius is a potential that resides within everyone. It awaits only the right circumstances to express it.” ~David R. Hawkins

#30

“Pain tells us that we have put our survival onto something that is a violation of some principle of consciousness.” ~David R. Hawkins

Inspirational David Hawkins Quotes

#31

“Facts are accumulated by effort, but truth reveals itself effortlessly.” ~David R. Hawkins

#32

“We could take the same protective actions out of love rather than out of fear. Can we not care for our bodies because we appreciate and value them, rather than out of fear of disease and dying? Can we not be of service to others in our life out of love, rather than out of fear of losing them? Can we not be polite and courteous to strangers because we care for our fellow human beings, rather than because we fear losing their good opinion of us? Can we not do a good job because we care about the quality of our performance and we care about our fellow workers? Can we not perform our job well because we care about the recipients of our services, rather than just the fear of losing our jobs or pursuing our own ambition? Can we not accomplish more by cooperation, rather than by fearful competition? Can we not drive carefully because we have a high regard for ourselves and care for our welfare and those who love us, rather than because we fear an accident? On a spiritual level, isn’t it more effective if, out of compassion and identification with our fellow human beings, we care for them, rather than trying to love them out of fear of God’s punishment if we don’t?” ~David R. Hawkins

#33

“If we dump our negative feelings on others, they experience it as an attack, and they, in turn, are forced to suppress, express, or escape the feelings; therefore, the expression of negativity results in the deterioration and destruction of relationships. A far better alternative is to take responsibility for our own feelings and neutralize them. Then, only positive feelings remain to be expressed.” ~David R. Hawkins

#34

“Emotions themselves are actually the cause of the basic fear that drives everyone to seek security constantly.” ~David R. Hawkins

#35

“If you think a guilty thought and have somebody test your muscle strength, you will see that the muscle instantly goes weak. Your cerebral hemisphere has become desynchronized and all of your energy meridians are thrown out of balance. Nature, therefore, says that guilt is destructive.” ~David R. Hawkins

#36

“The greater our attachment to that which is outside of ourselves, the greater is our overall level of fear and vulnerability to loss. We can ask ourselves why we feel so incomplete. “Why am I so empty within myself that I have to search for solutions in the form of attachment and dependency on others?” ~David R. Hawkins

David Hawkins Quotes

#37

”The body is like a companion, a friendly pet that follows one around…One can continue to own the body and be responsible for it without identifying with it as one’s identity.” ~David Hawkins

#38

“All of us have available at all times a computer far more advanced than the most elaborate artificial intelligence machine—the human mind itself.” ~David R. Hawkins

#39

“Healing invokes the power of compassion, both for yourself and for others… At this point, the healed may become a healer.” ~David Hawkins

#40

“One is not the victim of mentation but instead is the very originator by virtue of intention to extract projected value. With this understanding, one is free from being dominated by the false “I” of the experiencer.” ~David Hawkins

#41

“No amount of riches can compensate for an inner feeling of poverty.” ~David R. Hawkins

#42

“The effect on human consciousness of the experience of the Presence of God is subjectively transformative and identical throughout human history. It leaves a timeless mark that is verifiable as a calibration of a recorded level of consciousness.” ~David Hawkins

#43

“The decision to overlook the seeming inequities of life instead of reacting to them is a choice.” ~David Hawkins

#44

“Totalitarian systems are notably devoid of humor at every level. Laughter, which brings acceptance and freedom, is a threat to their rule through force and intimidation. It is hard to oppress people who have a good sense of humor. Beware the humorless, whether in a person, institution, or belief system; it is always accompanied by an impulse to control and dominate, even if its proclaimed objective is to create prosperity or peace.” ~David R. Hawkins

David Hawkins Quotes

#45

“Fear of the future no longer exists when the past has been healed.” ~David Hawkins

#46

“The evolution of consciousness requires a wide range of opportunities and a playing field that affords almost unlimited options for development. If human life represents a learning process, then society is the ideal school that affords an extremely wide range of options for numerous levels of consciousness to develop, progress, define, identify, and grasp endless subtleties as well as learn more gross lessons. The ego is extremely tenacious and therefore often seems to require extreme conditions before it lets go of a positionality. It often takes the collective experience of millions of people over many centuries to learn even what appears upon examination to be a simple and obvious truth, namely, that peace is better than war or love is better than hate.” ~David R. Hawkins

#47

“What the addict is seeking is not to be ashamed of. The whole spiritual world wants to reach that blissful state of consciousness. Change your technique, not your aspiration. The state doesn’t have to be sought; it is always within us.” ~David R. Hawkins

#48

“The real source of “stress” is actually internal; it is not external, as people would like to believe.” ~David R. Hawkins

#49

“Self-awareness is increased much more rapidly by observing feelings rather than thoughts. The thoughts associated with even one feeling may literally run into the thousands. The understanding of the underlying emotion and its correct handling is, therefore, more rewarding and less time-consuming than dealing with one’s thoughts.” ~David R. Hawkins

#50

“Possessiveness and attachment occur as a consequence of pride. Attachment is, therefore, a potential cause for suffering, because attachment brings about fear of loss and, with loss, we go back into apathy, depression, and grief.” ~David R. Hawkins

#51

“Every life experience, no matter how “tragic,” contains a hidden lesson. When we discover and acknowledge the hidden gift that is there, a healing takes place.” ~David R. Hawkins

#52

“God is immutable and cannot be manipulated into granting favors or seduced by bargaining or adulation. Worship benefits the worshipper by reinforcing commitment and inspiration. God is still, silent, and unmoving.” ~David Hawkins

#53

“From previous studies, it was learned that everyone is born under optimal conditions for karmic opportunities; therefore, it is wise to judge not, for what appears as misery or catastrophe may be the doorway to liberation for those who have negative karma to undo. Thus, seemingly catastrophic events may be the very essential and necessary elements for the evolution of the soul.” ~David R. Hawkins

#54

“Apathy and depression are the prices we pay for having settled for and bought into our smallness. It’s what we get for having played the victim and allowed ourselves to be programmed. It’s the price we pay for having bought into negativity. It’s what results from resisting the part of ourselves that is loving, courageous, and great.” ~David R. Hawkins

#55

“Sometimes, it is best not to tell people that you love them because they’ll get scared and think that you have designs on them or you want something from them. Frankly, some people are afraid and suspicious of love; therefore, you love such people without telling them. Lovingness is a way of being that transforms everything around you because of the radiation of that energy. It happens of its own. We don’t have to “do” anything, and we don’t have to call it anything. Love is the energy that silently transfigures every situation.” ~David R. Hawkins

Pema Chodron is one of the best-known faces of American Buddhism. She has devoted her life to inspiring people from around the world to awaken and practice peace even in the most turbulent times. Pema Chodron has written many influential books, such as “The Wisdom of No Escape”, “Start Where You Are”, “When Things Fall Apart”, “The Places that Scare You”, and most recently, “Smile at Fear”. In her books, she explores Buddhist concepts and explains how suffering, fear, and difficult times can be conquered. In this article, we have collected the most enlightening Pema Chodron quotes to support your spiritual journey.

60 Enlightening Pema Chodron Quotes

#1

“You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just the weather.”
― Pema Chodron

#2

“People get into a heavy-duty sin and guilt trip, feeling that if things are going wrong, that means that they did something bad and they are being punished. That’s not the idea at all. The idea of karma is that you continually get the teachings that you need to open your heart. To the degree that you didn’t understand in the past how to stop protecting your soft spot, how to stop armoring your heart, you’re given this gift of teachings in the form of your life, to give you everything you need to open further.”
― Pema Chodron

#3

“If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher.”
― Pema Chodron

#4

“When you open yourself to the continually changing, impermanent, dynamic nature of your own being and of reality, you increase your capacity to love and care about other people and your capacity to not be afraid. You’re able to keep your eyes open, your heart open, and your mind open. And you notice when you get caught up in prejudice, bias, and aggression. You develop an enthusiasm for no longer watering those negative seeds, from now until the day you die. And, you begin to think of your life as offering endless opportunities to start to do things differently.”
― Pema Chodron

#5

“Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It’s a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.”
― Pema Chodron

#6

“Once there was a young warrior. Her teacher told her that she had to do battle with fear. She didn’t want to do that. It seemed too aggressive; it was scary; it seemed unfriendly. But the teacher said she had to do it and gave her the instructions for the battle. The day arrived. The student warrior stood on one side, and fear stood on the other. The warrior was feeling very small, and fear was looking big and wrathful. They both had their weapons. The young warrior roused herself and went toward fear, prostrated three times, and asked, “May I have permission to go into battle with you?” Fear said, “Thank you for showing me so much respect that you ask permission.” Then the young warrior said, “How can I defeat you?” Fear replied, “My weapons are that I talk fast, and I get very close to your face. Then you get completely unnerved, and you do whatever I say. If you don’t do what I tell you, I have no power. You can listen to me, and you can have respect for me. You can even be convinced by me. But if you don’t do what I say, I have no power.” In that way, the student warrior learned how to defeat fear. ”
― Pema Chödrön

#7

“Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth”
― Pema Chodron

Pema Chodron Quotes

#8

“To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.”
― Pema Chodron

#9

“There is a story of a woman running away from tigers. She runs and runs and the tigers are getting closer and closer. When she comes to the edge of a cliff, she sees some vines there, so she climbs down and holds on to the vines. Looking down, she sees that there are tigers below her as well. She then notices that a mouse is gnawing away at the vine to which she is clinging. She also sees a beautiful little bunch of strawberries close to her, growing out of a clump of grass. She looks up and she looks down. She looks at the mouse. Then she just takes a strawberry, puts it in her mouth, and enjoys it thoroughly. Tigers above, tigers below. This is actually the predicament that we are always in, in terms of our birth and death. Each moment is just what it is. It might be the only moment of our life; it might be the only strawberry we’ll ever eat. We could get depressed about it, or we could finally appreciate it and delight in the preciousness of every single moment of our life.”
― Pema Chödrön

#10

“If someone comes along and shoots an arrow into your heart, it’s fruitless to stand there and yell at the person. It would be much better to turn your attention to the fact that there’s an arrow in your heart…”
― Pema Chödrön

#11

“The only reason we don’t open our hearts and minds to other people is that they trigger confusion in us that we don’t feel brave enough or sane enough to deal with. To the degree that we look clearly and compassionately at ourselves, we feel confident and fearless about looking into someone else’s eyes. ”
― Pema Chodron

#12

“We don’t set out to save the world; we set out to wonder how other people are doing and to reflect on how our actions affect other people’s hearts.”
― Pema Chodron

#13

“As human beings, not only do we seek resolution, but we also feel that we deserve resolution. However, not only do we not deserve resolution, we suffer from resolution. We don’t deserve resolution; we deserve something better than that. We deserve our birthright, which is the middle way, an open state of mind that can relax with paradox and ambiguity.”
― Pema Chödrön

Inspirational Pema Chodron Quotes

#14

!!!“Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know. Nothing ever really attacks us except our own confusion. perhaps there is no solid obstacle except our own need to protect ourselves from being touched. Maybe the only enemy is that we don’t like the way reality is now and therefore wish it would go away fast. But what we find as practitioners is that nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know. If we run a hundred miles an hour to the other end of the continent in order to get away from the obstacle, we find the very same problem waiting for us when we arrive. It just keeps returning with new names, forms, manifestations until we learn whatever it has to teach us about where we are separating ourselves from reality, how we are pulling back instead of opening up, closing down instead of allowing ourselves to experience fully whatever we encounter, without hesitating or retreating into ourselves.”
― Pema Chödrön

#15

“Do I prefer to grow up and relate to life directly, or do I choose to live and die in fear?”
― Pema Chodron

#16

“We already have everything we need. There is no need for self-improvement. All these trips that we lay on ourselves—the heavy-duty fearing that we’re bad and hoping that we’re good, the identities that we so dearly cling to, the rage, the jealousy and the addictions of all kinds—never touch our basic wealth. They are like clouds that temporarily block the sun. But all the time our warmth and brilliance are right here. This is who we really are. We are one blink of an eye away from being fully awake.”
― Pema Chödrön

#17

“The most fundamental aggression to ourselves, the most fundamental harm we can do to ourselves, is to remain ignorant by not having the courage and the respect to look at ourselves honestly and gently.”
― Pema Chödrön

#18

“We habitually erect a barrier called blame that keeps us from communicating genuinely with others, and we fortify it with our concepts of who’s right and who’s wrong. We do that with the people who are closest to us and we do it with political systems, with all kinds of things that we don’t like about our associates or our society. It is a very common, ancient, well-perfected device for trying to feel better. Blame others… Blaming is a way to protect your heart, trying to protect what is soft and open and tender in yourself. Rather than own that pain, we scramble to find some comfortable ground.”
― Pema Chodron

#19

“Letting there be room for not knowing is the most important thing of all. When there’s a big disappointment, we don’t know if that’s the end of the story. It may just be the beginning of a great adventure. Life is like that. We don’t know anything. We call something bad; we call it good. But really we just don’t know.”
― Pema Chödrön

#20

“When things are shaky and nothing is working, we might realize that we are on the verge of something. We might realize that this is a very vulnerable and tender place, and that tenderness can go either way. We can shut down and feel resentful or we can touch in on that throbbing quality.”
― Pema Chödrön

Enlightening Pema Chodron Quotes

#21

“The truth you believe in and cling to makes you unavailable to hear anything new.”
― Pema Chödrön

#22

“We think that if we just meditated enough or jogged enough or ate perfect food, everything would be perfect. But from the point of view of someone who is awake, that’s death. Seeking security or perfection, rejoicing in feeling confirmed and whole, self contained and comfortable, is some kind of death. It doesn’t have any fresh air. There’s no room for something to come in and interrupt all that. We are killing the moment by controlling our experience.”
― Pema Chödrön

#23

“So even if the hot loneliness is there, and for 1.6 seconds we sit with that restlessness when yesterday we couldn’t sit for even one, that’s the journey of the warrior.”
― Pema Chödrön

#24

“Hope and fear come from feeling that we lack something; they come from a sense of poverty. We can’t simply relax with ourselves. We hold on to hope, and hope robs us of the present moment. We feel that someone else knows what’s going on, but that there’s something missing in us, and therefore something is lacking in our world.”
― Pema Chödrön

#25

“No one ever tells us to stop running away from fear…the advice we usually get is to sweeten it up, smooth it over, take a pill, or distract ourselves, but by all means make it go away.”
― Pema Chödrön

#26

“We are all capable of becoming fundamentalists because we get addicted to other people’s wrongness.”
― Pema Chodron

#27

“As long as our orientation is toward perfection or success, we will never
learn about unconditional friendship with ourselves, nor will we find
compassion. ”
― Pema Chödrön

Pema Chodron Quotes

#28

“When we protect ourselves so we won’t feel pain, that protection becomes like armor, like armor that imprisons the softness of the heart.”
― Pema Chödrön

#29

“Once you create a self-justifying storyline, your emotional entrapment within it quadruples.”
― Pema Chodron

#30

“When you begin to touch your heart or let your heart be touched, you begin to discover that it’s bottomless, that it doesn’t have any resolution, that this heart is huge, vast, and limitless. You begin to discover how much warmth and gentleness is there, as well as how much space.”
― Pema Chödrön

#31

“The more we witness our emotional reactions and understand how they work, the easier it is to refrain.”
― Pema Chödrön

#32

“Be grateful to everyone” is about making peace with the aspects of ourselves that we have rejected… If we were to make a list of people we don’t like – people we find obnoxious, threatening, or worthy of contempt – we would discover much about those aspects of ourselves that we can’t face… other people trigger the karma that we haven’t worked out.”
― Pema Chödrön

#33

“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

#34

“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.”
― Pema Chödrön

Pema Chodron Quotes

#35

“Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts. Each time we drop our complaints and allow everyday good fortune to inspire us, we enter the warrior’s world.”
― Pema Chödrön

#36

“There is a common misunderstanding among all the human beings who have ever been born on earth that the best way to live is to try to avoid pain and just try to get comfortable. You see this even in insects and animals and birds. All of us are the same. A much more interesting, kind and joyful approach to life is to begin to develop our curiosity, not caring whether the object of our curiosity is bitter or sweet. To lead a life that goes beyond pettiness and prejudice and always wanting to make sure that everything turns out on our own terms, to lead a more passionate, full, and delightful life than that, we must realize that we can endure a lot of pain and pleasure for the sake of finding out who we are and what this world is, how we tick and how our world ticks, how the whole thing just is. If we are committed to comfort at any cost, as soon as we come up against the least edge of pain, we’re going to run; we’ll never know what’s beyond that particular barrier or wall or fearful thing.”
― Pema Chödrön

#37

“Meditation practice isn’t about trying to throw ourselves away and become something better. It’s about befriending who we are already.”
― Pema Chödrön

#38

“When we touch the center of sorrow, when we sit with discomfort without trying to fix it, when we stay present to the pain of disapproval or betrayal and let it soften us, these are times that we connect with bohdichitta.”
― Pema Chödrön

#39

“It’s hard to know whether to laugh or to cry at the human predicament. Here we are with so much wisdom and tenderness, and—without even knowing it—we cover it over to protect ourselves from insecurity. Although we have the potential to experience the freedom of a butterfly, we mysteriously prefer the small and fearful cocoon of ego.”
― Pema Chödrön

#40

“Not causing harm obviously includes not killing or robbing or lying to people. It also includes not being aggressive – not being aggressive with our actions, our speech, or our minds. Learning not to cause harm to ourselves or others is a basic Buddhist teaching on the healing power of nonaggression. Not harming ourselves or others in the beginning, not harming ourselves or others in the middle, and not harming ourselves or others in the end is the basis of enlightened society.”
― Pema Chödrön

#41

“One can appreciate and celebrate each moment — there’s nothing more sacred. There’s nothing more vast or absolute. In fact, there’s nothing more!”
― Pema Chödrön

Pema Chodron Quotes

#42

“Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.”
― Pema Chödrön

#43

“At the root of all the harm we cause is ignorance.”
― Pema Chödrön

#44

“We insist on being Someone, with a capital S. We get security from defining ourselves as worthless or worthy, superior or inferior. We waste precious time exaggerating or romanticizing or belittling ourselves with a complacent surety that yes, that’s who we are. We mistake the openness of our being—the inherent wonder and surprise of each moment—for a solid, irrefutable self. Because of this misunderstanding, we suffer.”
― Pema Chödrön

#45

“Honesty without kindness, humor, and goodheartedness can be just mean.”
― Pema Chödrön

#46

“It is only when we begin to relax with ourselves that meditation becomes a transformative process. Only when we relate with ourselves without moralizing, without harshness, without deception, can we let go of harmful patterns. Without maitri (metta), renunciation of old habits becomes abusive. This is an important point.”
― Pema Chodron

#47

“The essence of bravery is being without self-deception.”
― Pema Chödrön

#48

“My experience with forgiveness is that it sort of comes spontaneously at a certain point and to try to force it it’s not really forgiveness. It’s Buddhist philosophy or something spiritual jargon that you’re trying to live up to but you’re just using it against yourself as a reason why you’re not okay.”
― Pema Chodron

Pema Chodron Quotes

#49

“When we resist change, it’s called suffering. But when we can completely let go and not struggle against it, when we can embrace the groundlessness of our situation and relax into its dynamic quality, that’s called enlightenment.”
― Pema Chödrön

#50

“Patience is the training in abiding with the restlessness of our energy and letting things evolve at their own speed.”
― Pema Chödrön

#51

“Pain is not a punishment, pleasure is not a reward.”
― Pema Chödrön

#52

“We can let the circumstances of our lives harden us so that we become increasingly resentful and afraid, or we can let them soften us and make us kinder and more open to what scares us. We always have this choice.”
― Pema Chödrön

#53

“We can use our personal suffering as the path to compassion for all beings.”
― Pema Chödrön

#54

“The difference between theism and nontheism is not whether one does or does not believe in God. . . Theism is a deep-seated conviction that there’s some hand to hold: if we just do the right things, someone will appreciate us and take care of us. . . Nontheism is relaxing with the ambiguity and uncertainty of the present moment without reaching for anything to protect ourselves.”
― Pema Chodron

#55

“We have two alternatives: either we question our beliefs – or we don’t. Either we accept our fixed versions of reality- or we begin to challenge them. In Buddha’s opinion, to train in staying open and curious – to train in dissolving our assumptions and beliefs – is the best use of our human lives.”
― Pema Chodron

Pema Chodron Quotes

#56

“Times are difficult globally; awakening is no longer a luxury or an ideal. It’s becoming critical. We don’t need to add more depression, more discouragement, or more anger to what’s already here. It’s becoming essential that we learn how to relate sanely to difficult times. The earth seems to be beseeching us to connect with joy and discover our innermost essence. This is the best way that we can benefit others.”
― Pema Chodron

#57

“Maybe the most important teaching is to lighten up and relax. It’s such a huge help in working with our crazy mixed-up minds to remember that what we’re doing is unlocking a softness that is in us and letting it spread. We’re letting it blur the sharp corners of self-criticism and complaint.”
― Pema Chödrön

#58

“Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what next or how. The moment you know how, you begin to die a little. The artist never entirely knows. We guess. We may be wrong, but we take leap after leap in the dark.”
― Pema Chödrön

#59

“Whether we’re seeking inner peace or global peace or a combination of the two, the way to experience it is to build on the foundation of unconditional openness to all that arises. Peace isn’t an experience free of challenges, free of rough and smooth, it’s an experience that’s expansive enough to include all that arises without feeling threatened.”
― Pema Chödrön

#60

“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.”
― Pema Chödrön

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