• When Pain is the Doorway

  • Awakening in the Most Difficult Circumstances
  • By: Pema Chödrön
  • Narrated by: Pema Chödrön
  • Length: 1 hr and 55 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (614 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
When Pain is the Doorway  By  cover art

When Pain is the Doorway

By: Pema Chödrön
Narrated by: Pema Chödrön
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $9.78

Buy for $9.78

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Finding freedom in our most difficult circumstances.

What if the full sense of our aliveness were only to be found amidst our most challenging times and difficult experiences? In pain and crisis, teaches Pema Chödrön, there lies a hidden doorway to freedom that appears to us only when we're sure that there is no way out.

In these intimate audio learning sessions, Pema Chödrön helps us distinguish the triggers or external events that we blame for our suffering from the deeper habitual patterns that feed our anger, fear, or sadness. From this understanding, we learn how to free ourselves from our propensity to suffer through the transformative awareness of impermanence - the dynamic and ever-shifting nature of both joy and suffering, self and selflessness-and the absolute and eternal flow from which all of it arises.

What is causing my pain? What will happen if I simply lean in, keep company with it, hold it with tenderness? Moment by moment, Pema supports and encourages listeners to bring an openhearted sense of curiosity and welcoming to our apparently impossible situations or unbearable relationships - to discover the deeper freedom available just beneath the surface.

For those experiencing emotional crisis, When Pain Is the Doorway provides expert guidance to help us stop, stay present, and enter into a more welcoming, spacious place of being that is our true home.

©2013 Pema Chödrön (P)2013 Pema Chödrön

What listeners say about When Pain is the Doorway

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    470
  • 4 Stars
    92
  • 3 Stars
    36
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    7
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    380
  • 4 Stars
    76
  • 3 Stars
    31
  • 2 Stars
    15
  • 1 Stars
    7
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    395
  • 4 Stars
    75
  • 3 Stars
    27
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Crucial topic. sound is fine.

Where does When Pain is the Doorway rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This topic is basically 'Charnal ground practice' which is interacting with/coming to terms with one's own interactions with and reaction to death. There is discussion on approaches to death and how that applies to our experience of life. It is clear that Pema is coming to terms with this subject, and this talk reflects that more than other talks which may be more concretized in regards to information. I still found it highly valuable and enjoyable.This topic is fairly short and a specific guided meditation is not included, however techniques for working with the topic are discussed, as well as experiences and approaches of people working with it. This is a lecture with some very good question and answers at the end. This is not a full retreat and so does not have the lengthy discussion with multiple meditation sessions during the lecture.I find Pema very approachable as a listener due to her humility and complete honesty. This allows me to listen to not only what she is teaching, but how she embodies walking her spiritual path.

What was one of the most memorable moments of When Pain is the Doorway?

It is in the sample recording I believe. Pema describes a hospice worker helping someone who is terrified to die, and what seems to work is telling the person to 'rest in the space' between breaths when this person is having severe difficulty breathing. She also describes her own and other's experiences working Charnal ground practice, and views of life working it -- as a way of working 'things are falling apart'.

What does Pema Chödrön bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I don't think a book would include her honest revelations 'I get panic attacks' that in some ways are so profound - she just accepts it like everything else. Those to me keep all the work and talks 'real'. I don't think that would make print in a polished book, yet it sets the ground for life's problems to be acceptable for anyone. I also find integrating this information easier listening to it versus reading it.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

"Death is the paintbrush of Life"

Any additional comments?

It's a short topic (about 2 hrs). It doesn't give all the answers but does spend time there.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • L.
  • 04-12-15

A Cognitive Shift

Great lectures, with practicality and helps you shift into a healthier cognitive paradigm. Highly recommended. Don't just listen once, repeat.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

I felt gypped

I had expected that this would be a talk primarily on physical pain. Instead it was on harboring bad feelings against a person.
Very short talk and very long question and answer period. The questions brought up other topics, such as fear of death, but did not touch on physical pain or illness.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars
  • CB
  • 09-04-14

Pema not at her best here...

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

When someone asked her about depression, Pema suggested they try singing
and dancing. I found it very surprising as she is usually sensitive to people's
pain, not this time.

What do you think your next listen will be?

I have other books of hers that are useful, this one is not good. Her advice for the person whose friend is dying and is terrified was useless, too. Not at her best this day for sure.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Pema Chödrön?

Maybe Pema was very tired and needed a break, I know she must have to help
a lot of people in pain, and maybe she was burned out.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

I hope she had a chance to take a vacation.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A different way to relate to life's obstacles

Pema patiently works with us till we can truly grasp how a keen awareness of impermanence of all phenomena can take us from the pain of the moment into the depths of our silent eternal being.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful on pain

As always; very uplifting to listen to Pema Chödrön, even (or maybe especially) when pain is the subject.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Pema is so wise!

Whenever I'm having trouble in life, I listen to pema and get clarity. Amazing. Her advice, while not easy, is so simple.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good message to deal with fear and anxiety

Pema Chodron uses stories to help the listener deal with fear and anxiety. This was very useful to me.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I love this book ❤

Pema's voice is always soothing. Thank you ❣ Insightful, I'm able to apply it to the ups and down of my life❤

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Listen to it all the.time

Clam my soul. Pema has a way to pacify my psychic ..many sleepless night, this book put me to sleep

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful