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Pema Chödrön

Beloved American Nun, Buddhist teacher, & Author

The Pema Chödrön Foundation is dedicated to preserving and sharing Pema’s inspiration and teachings in order to help us all awaken wisdom and compassion in ourselves and the world around us.

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"I consider the Pema Chödrön Foundation to be my greatest legacy – it certainly is the thing I’m most proud of, and the thing that brings me the most joy." –Pema

Another Kind of Freedom by Pema Chodron, (2026)

Another Kind of Freedom - Pre-Order Now!

Pema Chödrön shows how real freedom comes from meeting discomfort with mindfulness and compassion.

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THE PEMA CHODRON FOUNDATION

The foundation was initially inspired to support Pema’s home monastery, Gampo Abbey, well into the future. As the years have gone by, The Pema Chödrön Foundation evolved to support a wide range of organizations dear to Pema’s heart.

Some of the projects we support:

Gampo Abbey
The Tibetan Nuns Project
Homeboy Industries
The Prison Mindfulness Institute
Malezi School
HELP
Prison Mindfulness Institute
Prison Mindfulness Institute
Tergar Charity Nepal
Tergar Charity Nepal
Tergar Charity Nepal
Tergar Charity Nepal
Surmang Kyelaka Nunnery
Surmang Kyelaka Nunnery

The Pema Chodron Foundation Donor Update

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The Pema Chödrön Foundation Book Initiative aims to make Pema’s books and recorded teachings available to underserved individuals and the organizations that serve them.

With your help, we have donated thousands of Pema’s books to prisons, shelters, and non-profit organizations for social good around the world.

“I want to express my deepest thanks for the books you have sent me. I have found many hours of joy and serenity practicing what I have read.”

— KS, Inmate

“Being in jail and going through the court system is a very difficult time for us. What you all are doing brings a bright light of love and hope to a dark place.”

— RB, Inmate

“Pema's books have changed my life and my opinion of the human experience. They have allowed me to investigate where I get stuck. I meditate constantly and truly feel a weight lifted.”

— CH, inmate

“As soon as I started reading ‘When Things Fall Apart’, my life began to change. All of my thoughts, moral values, and ideas I had been living by (and maybe never fully understood) were perfectly articulated and explained right in front of me!!”

— MM, Inmate

“Pema's wisdom in her books have changed my life and have been instrumental in helping me find my true path and purpose which I now know is the Way of the Bodhisattva.”

— JS, Student

THE BOOK INITIATIVE

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Buy a book, change a life...

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Living Beautifully: An Inspirational Journal

Pema Chödrön's keepsake journal shares thoughtful quotes and invites your reflections, insights, and intentions.

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Pema Chodron's Compassion Cards

59 cards with teachings for daily contemplation with a card stand for easy display. Learn more...

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“No matter what the size, color, or shape is, the point is still to lean toward the discomfort of life and see it clearly rather than to protect ourselves from it.”

Pema Chödrön

When Things Fall Apart

“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

The Places That Scare You

“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

Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living

"On a simple, everyday level, sacred world begins with an attitude of openness and curiosity rather than judgment and dread."

Pema Chödrön

How We Live Is How We Die

"Can we feel the emotion and breathe it into our hearts for ourselves and everyone else? If we can remember to experiment like this, we are training as a warrior."

Pema Chödrön

Comfortable with Uncertainty

"To lead a passionate, full, and delightful life, we must realize we can endure a lot of pain and pleasure for the sake of finding out who we are and what this world is."

Pema Chödrön

The Wisdom of No Escape

"Times are difficult globally: 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 Chödrön

The Essential Pema

"The whole process of meditation is one of creating that good ground, that cradle of loving-kindness where we actually are nurtured.”

Pema Chödrön

Awakening Loving-Kindness