Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know.
Pema Chödrön When Things Fall Apart (1997)
Source checked by an editor
When and why it was written
- When
- Published in 1997, from talks given at Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia.
- Why
- Chödrön wrote the book during a period of personal collapse, for readers in the same condition.
What it means
The claim is about recurrence. A difficulty that keeps returning in new clothing is not bad luck; it is the same lesson, re-sent.
The consolation and the demand arrive together. Nothing is wasted, and nothing is finished early.
Read the source
When Things Fall Apart, 1997
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What does this bring up for you?
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