Best-selling author Pema Chodron is a leading exponent of teachings on meditation and how they apply to everyday life. She is widely known for her charming and down-to-earth interpretation of Tibetan Buddhism for Western audiences. Pema studied under the meditation master Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and is the resident teacher at Gampo Abbey in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan monastery for Westerners. The Pema Chodron: Awakening the Heart 2008 wall calendar features quotes from Ms. Chodron's book "When Things Fall Apart," which is designed to help us cultivate compassion and awareness within the challenges of daily life. These insightful quotes are paired with the beautifully evocative and meditative nature photography of Frans Lanting. Ms. Chodron has authored several best-selling books, including "Start Where You Are" and "Comfortable with Uncertainty." Sample Caption: "Looking for alternatives - better sights than we see, better sounds than we hear, a better mind than we have - keeps us from realizing that we could stand with pride in the middle of our life and realize it's a sacred mandala."