When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times

During a relaxing sabbatical in 1995, author Chödrön looked through transcripts of talks she gave during the preceding several years. Some of it sounded inspired to her, while some seemed “pedantic.” The transcripts had no theme, but she noticed a recurring topic, “the great need for maitri (loving-kindness toward oneself)” (1). From this, people can develop a “fearlessly compassionate attitude” toward pain and suffering (1).

The talks center on the technique of welcoming problems—something her teacher, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, called “leaning into the sharp points” (2), a way of accepting one’s “demons” that leads to serenity and joy. Chödrön and her editor spent several months sifting through and editing the talks to produce the present work. Her sabbatical became an instructive lesson in the value of “doing nothing.” She hopes that the book will help readers accept themselves more fully.

Chödrön purports that life is an adventure in exploration, but people enter it without knowing whether they’re safe. To move forward, they must face their fears to clarify their minds. To do so, people must be willing to give up safe belief systems and encounter the world without mental defenses. Buddhist practices, such as