Ani Pema Chödrön was born on July 14, 1936 in New York City. She was educated at University of California in Berkeley. During her early years of her life, Pema Chödrön was an elementary school teacher for many years in New Mexico and California. When she was in her mid-thirties, Chödrön traveled to the French Alp Mountains and stumbled upon Lama Chim Rinpoche. Pema Chödrön traveled and studied with Rinpoche for many years. During her travels and studies in London, Pema became a novice nun in 1974. Then, she received her ordination from Sixteenth Karmapa when he came to England. .
In 1972, Pema Chödrön met her first guru, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Chime Rinpoche invigorated Pema to work with Chögyam, who helped her make a profound spiritual connection. Chögyam Trumgpa was born in a village located in eastern Tibet on February 28, 1939. As a child, he was raised to take his position as head of the Surmang monasteries and governor of the Surmang region of eastern Tibet. He spent all of his childhood training to a difficult routine and studying under the care of Tibet's greatest masters. These masters included, his guru, Jamgon Kongtrul of Sechen, Khenpo Gangshar, and Dilgo Khyentse. Pema Chödrön studied with him from 1974 to his death in 1987. After her studies with Chögyam Rinpoche ended, the Sixteenth Karmapa, Pema Chödrön received the full bikshuni ordination in the Chinese heredity of Buddhism on 1981 in Hong Kong. This is when her spiritual journey truly began. She shared all her teaching with the rest of the world.
Pema Chödrön taught about many topics amongst adults and youth in our society. She usually taught about things that most people could relate to. One of her topics that she speaks about is Fear and Fearlessness. This is an audio of her explaining where fear comes from and how we, as human, can confront our fear to become fearless.