The Places That Scare You

A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times

“A lively and accessible take on ancient techniques for transforming terror and pain into joy and compassion,” from beloved Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön (O, The Oprah Magazine)

Lifelong guidance for changing the way we relate to the scary and difficult moments of our lives—showing us how we can use our difficulties and fears as a way to soften our hearts and open us to greater kindness

We always have a choice in how we react to the circumstances of our lives. We can let them harden us and make us increasingly resentful and afraid, or we can let them soften us and allow our inherent human kindness to shine through.

In The Places That Scare You, Pema Chödrön provides essential tools for dealing with the many difficulties that life throws our way, teaching us how to awaken our basic human goodness and connect deeply with others—to accept ourselves and everything around us complete with faults and imperfections. Drawing from the core teachings of Buddhism, she shows the strength that comes from staying in touch with what’s happening in our lives right now and helps us unmask the ways in which our egos cause us to resist life as it is. If we go to the places that scare us, Pema suggests, we just might find the boundless life we’ve always dreamed of.
“Chödrön has once again proven herself to be one of the very best working in this field.”
Library Journal

“Chödrön demonstrates how effective the Buddhist point of view can be in bringing order into disordered lives.”
Publishers Weekly

“A lively and accessible take on ancient techniques for transforming terror and pain into joy and compassion.”
O, The Oprah Magazine
Pema Chödrön is an American Buddhist nun and one of the foremost students of Chögyam Trungpa, the renowned meditation master. She is the author of The Wisdom of No Escape, Start Where You Are, and The Places That Scare You, and she is resident teacher at Gampo Abbey, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan monastery in North America established for Westerners. View titles by Pema Chodron

About

“A lively and accessible take on ancient techniques for transforming terror and pain into joy and compassion,” from beloved Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön (O, The Oprah Magazine)

Lifelong guidance for changing the way we relate to the scary and difficult moments of our lives—showing us how we can use our difficulties and fears as a way to soften our hearts and open us to greater kindness

We always have a choice in how we react to the circumstances of our lives. We can let them harden us and make us increasingly resentful and afraid, or we can let them soften us and allow our inherent human kindness to shine through.

In The Places That Scare You, Pema Chödrön provides essential tools for dealing with the many difficulties that life throws our way, teaching us how to awaken our basic human goodness and connect deeply with others—to accept ourselves and everything around us complete with faults and imperfections. Drawing from the core teachings of Buddhism, she shows the strength that comes from staying in touch with what’s happening in our lives right now and helps us unmask the ways in which our egos cause us to resist life as it is. If we go to the places that scare us, Pema suggests, we just might find the boundless life we’ve always dreamed of.

Reviews

“Chödrön has once again proven herself to be one of the very best working in this field.”
Library Journal

“Chödrön demonstrates how effective the Buddhist point of view can be in bringing order into disordered lives.”
Publishers Weekly

“A lively and accessible take on ancient techniques for transforming terror and pain into joy and compassion.”
O, The Oprah Magazine

Author

Pema Chödrön is an American Buddhist nun and one of the foremost students of Chögyam Trungpa, the renowned meditation master. She is the author of The Wisdom of No Escape, Start Where You Are, and The Places That Scare You, and she is resident teacher at Gampo Abbey, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan monastery in North America established for Westerners. View titles by Pema Chodron