Buy new:
Save with Used - Good

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Follow the authors
OK
Getting Unstuck: Breaking Your Habitual Patterns and Encountering Naked Reality Audio CD – Audiobook, January 1, 2005
Purchase options and add-ons
Have you ever had an itch and not scratched it? In the Buddhist tradition, this points to a vast paradox: that by refraining from our urge to scratch, great peace and happiness is available.
On Getting Unstuck, Pema Chödrön introduces a rare Tibetan teaching she received from her teacher, Dzigar Kontrul Rinpoche, and one that has become critical to her practice. Here, she unveils the mystery of an ineffable quality: a pre-emotional feeling that arises in us, brings us discomfort, and causes us to react by escaping the discomfort often with harmful habits.
With Getting Unstuck, she offers us a first look at both the itch and the scratch, which Tibetan Buddhists call shenpa. On this full-length recording, Pema Chödrön, bestselling author and beloved American Buddhist nun, shows us how to recognize shenpa, catch it as it appears, and develop a playful, lively curiosity toward it. Join Pema Chödrön to discover more about:
Critical mind―how to recognize this fundamental shenpa, and approach yourself and others with a sense of humor and loving-kindness
• Ways to unravel the patterns of self-denigration, and develop the fundamental maitri―loving-kindness―toward yourself
• How to cultivate acceptance of your irritability, insecurities, and other simply human traits
• Recognition, Refrain, Relaxing, and Resolve: the four R's of working with shenpa, and more
An urge comes up, we succumb to it, and it becomes stronger, teaches Pema Chödrön. We reinforce our cravings, habits, and addictions by giving in to them repeatedly. On Getting Unstuck, Chödrön guides us through this sticky feeling, exploring the moments when we get hooked, and offers us tools for learning to stay with our uneasiness, soften our hearts toward ourselves and others, and live a more peaceful life in the fullness of the present moment.
- Print length3 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherSounds True
- Publication dateJanuary 1, 2005
- Dimensions5.5 x 0.64 x 5.96 inches
- ISBN-10159179238X
- ISBN-13978-1591792383
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
Frequently bought together

Frequently purchased items with fast delivery
Editorial Reviews
Review
About the Author
Pema Chödrön was born Deirdre Blomfield-Brown in 1936, in New York City. She attended Miss Porter’s School in Connecticut and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley. She taught as an elementary school teacher for many years in both New Mexico and California. Pema has two children and three grandchildren.
While in her mid-thirties, Pema traveled to the French Alps and encountered Lama Chime Rinpoche, with whom she studied for several years. She became a novice nun in 1974 while studying with Lama Chime in London. His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa came to England at that time, and Pema received her ordination from him.
Pema first met her root teacher, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, in 1972. Lama Chime encouraged her to work with Rinpoche, and it was with him that she ultimately made her most profound connection, studying with him from 1974 until his death in 1987. At the request of the Sixteenth Karmapa, she received the full monastic ordination in the Chinese lineage of Buddhism in 1981 in Hong Kong.
Pema served as the director of Karma Dzong, in Boulder, until moving in 1984 to rural Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to be the director of Gampo Abbey. Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche asked her to work towards the establishment of a monastery for western monks and nuns.
Pema currently teaches in the United States and Canada and plans for an increased amount of time in solitary retreat under the guidance of Venerable Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche.
Pema is interested in helping establish the monastic tradition in the West, as well in continuing her work with Buddhists of all traditions, sharing ideas and teachings. She has written several books: The Wisdom of No Escape, Start Where You Are, When Things Fall Apart, The Places that Scare You, No Time to Lose, Practicing Peace in Times of War, and most recently, Smile at Fear.
For more information, visit pemachodronfoundation.org.
Product details
- Publisher : Sounds True
- Publication date : January 1, 2005
- Language : English
- Print length : 3 pages
- ISBN-10 : 159179238X
- ISBN-13 : 978-1591792383
- Item Weight : 3.99 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.5 x 0.64 x 5.96 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #806,482 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #645 in Buddhist Rituals & Practice (Books)
- #2,049 in Books on CD
- #4,689 in Meditation (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
Pema Chödrön is an American Buddhist nun in the lineage of Chögyam Trungpa. She is resident teacher at Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan monastery in North America established for Westerners. She is also the author of many books and audiobooks, including the best-selling When Things Fall Apart and Don't Bite the Hook.
Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book insightful, with one noting it offers a refreshing view on the human experience. Moreover, the content is simple and accessible, with one customer mentioning it's easy to apply daily. Customers appreciate the author's humor, which never fails to inspire, and find her voice easy to listen to, with one describing it as warm.
AI Generated from the text of customer reviews
Select to learn more
Customers find the book enlightening and thoughtful, with one customer describing it as a refreshing view on the human experience and another noting it as a great addition to their spiritual growth.
"...Like Ms. Clark, I found Pema's voice soothing and he words insightful. An unexpected bonus was that she has a great sense of humor...." Read more
"...are about sitting as comfortably and as still as possible, focussing on our breathing and then seeing what comes into our minds- be it an impulse to..." Read more
"...I don't meditate, but I found the information to be very useful and I believe it can be of benefit to everyone...." Read more
"...In summary, this is an important work addressing shenpa in depth rather than a breadth of topics. It's lovely, easy to digest, & useful. Enjoy!" Read more
Customers find the book easy to use, describing it as simple, down-to-earth, and accessible, with one customer noting it's convenient to apply daily.
"...Pema Chodron speaks in a very accessable manner and uses stories and humor to illustrate her teachings, making it very easy to listen to these CD's...." Read more
"...Sound quality is great & Pema speaks at a nice pace--easy to understand without being bored--in her usual down-to-earth, humorous, modest style--..." Read more
"...She does it with an ease that makes you feel so comfortable and cared for. There is no pushing ideas onto you...." Read more
"...She is also user friendly in her presentations where anyone can learn from her. This program is one of my favorite...." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's humor, noting that it never fails to inspire, with one customer highlighting its refreshing humility and another mentioning its charismatic style.
"...An unexpected bonus was that she has a great sense of humor...." Read more
"...one gets a sense of her compassion for herself and others, her sense of humor, her humble view of herself (considered a master by many), and her..." Read more
"...speaks in a very accessable manner and uses stories and humor to illustrate her teachings, making it very easy to listen to these CD's...." Read more
"...--easy to understand without being bored--in her usual down-to-earth, humorous, modest style--which I find extremely engaging; she radiates..." Read more
Customers appreciate the audio quality of the book, finding Pema's voice easy to listen to and convenient, with one customer noting its warm and soothing nature.
"...Like Ms. Clark, I found Pema's voice soothing and he words insightful. An unexpected bonus was that she has a great sense of humor...." Read more
"...But once I put the CD's in and heard Pema Chodron's compassionate voice I realized this was going to be great...." Read more
"...uses stories and humor to illustrate her teachings, making it very easy to listen to these CD's...." Read more
"...Sound quality is great & Pema speaks at a nice pace--easy to understand without being bored--in her usual down-to-earth, humorous, modest style--..." Read more
Customers find the audiobook engaging and enjoyable to listen to, with one customer mentioning they will listen to it repeatedly.
"...Brilliant, funny, humble, easy and enjoyable to listen to. Thank you so much Pema!" Read more
"...I enjoyed listening to the 3 CDs in my car on the way to work in the morning...." Read more
"...A must buy, great for listening during the work commute." Read more
"...It is excellent, straight forward information and fun to listen to. I'm going to recommend it to all my counseling clients...." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2009Format: Audio CDVerified PurchaseAfter reading "Always Maintain a Joyful Mind" I was about ready to give up on Pema Chodron; however, another reviewer, Carol M. Clark persuaded me that I should Listen to her 3-CD instruction set "Getting Unstuck" before doing so. I did and I was impressed.
Like Ms. Clark, I found Pema's voice soothing and he words insightful. An unexpected bonus was that she has a great sense of humor.
Pema gives credit to her teacher Dzigar Kongtual and introduces the Tibetan words and concepts of shenpa, prajna, and shenluk or renunciation. Shenpa is an uneasy feeling--that "sticky feeling"--that leads us to seek temporary relief--"getting hooked"--that is harmful to our health in the long-run. Chodron provides an analogy of scabies and scratching. The uneasy feeling is to scabies as scratching is to temporary relief. The result is the spread of scabies and no long-term relief. A real life example is using alcohol, food, or some other thing as a temporary relief to some other uneasiness in one's life to the point of an addiction that is unhealthy. Prajna on the other hand is the wisdom or openness to clearly see both the uneasy feeling and the connected habituation for what they really are. Shenluk or renunciation is the act of refraining or in the analogy above to stop scratching so that Prajna becomes more powerful than shenpa or as the title of the CD suggests, the act of "Getting Unstuck."
I enjoyed this set of CD's and have already begun listening to another set of CD's by Pema Chodron titled The Pema Chodron Audio Collection: Pure Meditation:Good Medicine:From Fear to Fearlessness.
Thanks Carol M. Clark for the tip about Pema Chodron's powerful CD's. I found them powerful, enjoyable and enlightening. I am sure that others will too.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2007Format: Audio CDVerified PurchaseGetting Unstuck is my second CD set of Pema Chodron's lessons. I listen to them while commuting. I started with Good Medicine, which I love. Anyway, this one is harder to hear because it addresses our addictions, not just drugs and alcohol, but mean thoughts, shopping sprees, obsessions, and whatever we all do to avoid just being with our feelings. I listen to each CD a few times before moving on to the next CD. Then I go back and listen to the first CDs again. This set has six lessons on three CDs. This week I am beginning to understand what she is teaching.
I find that listening to the CDs, rather than reading the books, allows me to get the message. Somehow I am forced to listen, while the book is so easy to put down and forget.
Changing how one reacts to the world is not like taking a pill with instant results. And it is not like riding an escalator where the only direction we go is up. You can't listen to these lesson once and become the Dalai Lama. But if you can listen to Pema, you can start to listen to yourself with compassion. And that in itself is liberating.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2006Format: Audio CDVerified PurchaseI was initially put off when I received this, because I thought I'd ordered a book. But once I put the CD's in and heard Pema Chodron's compassionate voice I realized this was going to be great. Listening to these CD's of her lectures to meditation students, one gets a sense of her compassion for herself and others, her sense of humor, her humble view of herself (considered a master by many), and her honesty about how difficult doing the simplest meditation techniques can be for her even now after decades of devotion to meditating. Ultimately these CD's are about sitting as comfortably and as still as possible, focussing on our breathing and then seeing what comes into our minds- be it an impulse to scratch an itch, or an angry thought about some work your having done on your house or anything- and with as much compassion as possible, to label this "thinking", and then let it go and move on to the next inevitable thought. This practice takes time and discipline, but is truly effective when applied with honest intent.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2008Format: Audio CDVerified PurchaseThis CD set is taken from a series of classes given by Pema Chodron to help us to understand that we can have some control over the thoughts and emotions that enter our minds. Although meditation is the primary tool used by Buddhists to be become of aware of and work with thoughts and emotions, the information given by Pema Chodron is not specific to meditation. We all have trouble dealing with our emotions at times, and these teachings help us to see what it is that we are dealing with and offers advise on how to deal with our emotions. I don't meditate, but I found the information to be very useful and I believe it can be of benefit to everyone. Pema Chodron speaks in a very accessable manner and uses stories and humor to illustrate her teachings, making it very easy to listen to these CD's. I can't imagine that anyone would not appreciate hearing them--I've listened to them several times. I highly recommend this set.
Top reviews from other countries
- LISEReviewed in Canada on April 26, 2013
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing discovery
Format: Audio CDVerified PurchaseI wish I had these CD's when I first heart about meditation. Pema describes meditation and how we are stuck with such comprehensive details but most of all, she took away for me that meditation like us is not perfect and yet whatever comes is perfect and we can always learn from it. I thought I would have to meditate for years to finally get to a peaceful, undisturbed mind and so that seemed too much of a task to undertake and never found the time ha! ha! to meditate but in fact didn't want to go through all that struggle and time for what seems years of getting not much in the end. But she convinced me that meditation for most of us will be not alway good or bad and it is what it is.
If you struggle with meditation or with feeling stuck, get her CD's they are very much worth the price and it will uplift you in so many ways.
I highly recommand them.
-
Birgit MeyerReviewed in Germany on April 27, 2016
5.0 out of 5 stars Wunderbar anregend und entschleunigend
Format: Audio CDVerified PurchaseFühle mich durch das Hörspiel angeregt, neugierig, wach, bewusster, zum Meditieren motviert, bereichert in meinem denken und wahrnehmen, danke und viel Freude dabei.
- IanReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 31, 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Format: Audio CDVerified PurchaseJust perfect, good read, short, to the point
- LorraineReviewed in Canada on August 20, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Love Pena!
Format: Audio CDVerified PurchaseLove to get some spiritual understanding while driving alone.
- RACH CHELReviewed in Canada on March 27, 2016
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Format: Audio CDVerified PurchaseTotally made me be unstucked!!!