Three Steps to Courage: Working Compassionately with Difficult Emotions (Original Recording‪)‬

In the midst of fear, anger, or sadness it may seem impossible to find our ground. Yet, the feelings we want to avoid the most can open the way to fearlessness, our basic goodness, and true freedom.

Beloved Tibetan Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön has a unique gift for helping those of all faiths to work with their most difficult inner and outer challenges. In this supportive series of talks, listeners will join her at her best - showing us the way back to our wisest and most heartful selves. 

Here, Pema shares three simple, time-honored steps to practice when we are in pain or crisis: 

Finding the stillness and space within our inner storms so that we can act rather than react
Using all of our felt experiences - positive and negative - as a direct path not only to immediate relief, but to real courage, nurtured through compassion
Transforming our emotions and welcoming them as friends


The feelings that we want to run from, Pema tells us, offer us the very fuel we need to grow our strength and self-acceptance. With Three Steps to Courage, you will learn how to do just that - with welcome support and inspiration along the way. 

Program Highlights

Session 1: Refraining from Emotional Reactivity 

The three steps to courage
Guided Practice: Feeling Our Feelings 
Facing debilitating insecurity and feeling with kindness
"Recognition" and the ability to refrain
Releasing our storylines and softening into experience
Emotions and intimacy


Session 2: Emotions as Paths of Awakening 

Melting the ice cube: becoming intimate with your experience 
The mindful gap, letting go, and clear seeing
Q&A topics: holding space, recognizing wisdom, empathy, and basic goodness


Session 3: Transforming Emotions 


Working with grief and loneliness
Courage, ignorance, and the "qualities" game
Cultivating spaciousness with tonglen practice
Q&A topics: karmic seeds, shenpa, patience, loneliness, optimism, regret, virtue, and the healing power of love