About this title: This text teaches you how to embrace painful emotions in order to gain wisdom and compassion for yourselves and others. It shows you that when you have the courage to step into uncharted territory and relax with the essential groundlessness of your situation, you can discover a fundamental happiness and contentment that does not depend on external conditions for sustenance. It also contains practical breathing and visualization exercises.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Shambhala
Date Published: 1996
ISBN-13:9781570621604ISBN:1570621608
Description: Good. A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact (including dustcover, if applicable). The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include "from the library of" labels. read more
Description: Good. Book is in good reading condition. Cover has wear at edges and corners, and may have creases. Spine has wear at edges and creases. read more
Description: Acceptable. Book is in good reading condition. Cover has wear at edges and corners, and may have creases. Spine has wear at edges and creases. read more
Description: Good. 2000-Paperback----Used-Good-Hall Street Books proudly ships from Brooklyn, NY. All orders are processed and shipped within 24 hours, M-F. 100% money back No-Worry guarantee with expedited delivery and delivery confirmation available. read more
Description: Good. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
Date Published: 1997
ISBN-13:9781570621604ISBN:1570621608
Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. Spine straight w/o creases, binding tight, no reader/remainder/library marks, covers/pgs flat w/sharp corners, very slight shelf wear. 147 numbered pgs. Audience: General/trade. Photos or other information available by e-mail. Daily orders/e-mail responses. E-mail confirmation of shipment. Check our feedback. read more
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
Date Published: 1997
ISBN-13:9781570623448ISBN:1570623449
Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. softcover; solid binding; no marking or highlighting within text; VB84. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 160 p. Shambhala Classics. Audience: General/trade. read more
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
Date Published: 1997
ISBN-13:9781570623448ISBN:1570623449
Description: Good. No dust jacket as issued. Edge wear and scuffing to cover. Good reading copy. No writing or highlighting. A couple of dog-eared corners. Uncreased spine. Fast confirm and shipping! ! ! Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 160 p. Shambhala Classics. Audience: General/trade. read more
Binding: Softcover; Eleventh Printing
Publisher: Shambhala, Boston
Date Published: 2000
ISBN-13:9781570623448ISBN:1570623449
Description: Fair with no dust jacket. 1570623449. Shambhala Classics; 8vo 8"-9" tall; 147 pages; Trade Size Soft Cover Paperback, No Dust Jacket, Book Shows Wear, Water Stained. read more
"Chodron is an American Buddhist nun and is apparently a prolific writer. Going through some difficult times now, this book called to me from the Border's book shelf.
I'm going to admit that I started off reading this book thinking "What the hell are you talking about?" Leaning into the sharp points, facing your demons, embracing suffering - all sounds well and good but HOW do you do it? Buddhism is all abut guidelines and rarely ever says "Here is how you do this"
The more I read, though, the more I got it. I need to be kinder to myself. Less critical, less admonishment. The underlying factor here is if you can't have compassion for yourself, it's going to be difficult to be compassionate towards others. There is no right or wrong, no good or evil. Things just ARE. We're all here for a short time, so why not give yourself a break and lighten up a little?
I'm a classic case of escapism. When things are difficult, I do my best but I always retreat; into books, classes, knitting, what have you. Chodron encourages us to not reach for comfort when things go rotten. That's going to be mighty hard to do.
There's a really good chapter about not harming others. While you may not deliberately harm people, chances are you are doing harm when you're upset, embarrassed, angry, etc. Words, actions, emotions all mean the world and you have to be aware of what you say, do and feel. Being aware of how you react to things is even applauded as a great first step.
I'm going to try to put these things into practice. We'll see how it goes :)"
"this book is hella helpful when you're going through it. it's by a white lady (i think) who's really into buddhism, and i really can't comment on its value as a religious text because i know next to nothing about buddhism. however, i do know that this book saw me through a difficult time when i screwed up big time & had to live with the consequences. and it really helped a friend of mine when she was going through a breakup. you don't have to have a background in buddhism to get something out of it."
"I'm not sure I fully understood everything Chödrön had to say in this book - at the very least I need time to digest the ideas. At its most basic level, there's much I admire and appreciate here: the idea of loving-kindness; of viewing the self (and others) with compassion; of abdicating our obsession with the future; of pausing in difficult moments; of welcoming feelings, no matter their type, rather than running away or trying to distract ourselves with whatever is at hand. What I need to parse out is largely the language - while I see the absolute wisdom in stopping the act of pinning happiness on future events that may or may not come to pass, I have trouble labeling that as 'hopelessness.' I also struggle with the idea that the best way to help the homeless person on my street corner is to breathe in their pain and breathe out acceptance - but I do see the kernel of truth within that hypothetical; that all human suffering adds to the suffering of all, and that compassion can do wonders.
Much for me to think on at greater length, and I suspect I'll come back to this book to read select parts over and over again."
"Pema Chodron is a wife and mother-turned Buddhist nun. (I didn't even know there were Buddhist nuns!) Her book is filled with interesting and useful advice such as connecting ourselves to the suffering of ourselves and others, overcoming our fear of suffering, awakening the compassion that is inherent in all of us, "no matter how cruel or cold we might seem to be" (93) She describes a fairly well-known meditation technique: "If we know a person who is being hurt, we breath in with the wish to take away all of that person's pain and fear. Then as we breath out, we send happiness, joy or whatever would relieve the person (93-94) . . . "Breath poison in, breath it out, regard everything that arises as the manifestation of widsom." I admit I had to take issue with Chodron's basic philosophy of "hopelessness." She says, "If hope and fear are two sides of the same coin, so are hopelessness and confidence. If we're willing to give up hope that insecurity and pain can be exterminated, then we can have the courage to relax with the ground lessons of our situation. Hopelessness is the basic ground. . . Begin the journey without hope of getting ground under your feet. Begin with hopelessness" (42). That is a little too extreme into the Zen realm for me. I think people have to be a little proactive when facing any kind of situation. And isn't hope one of the three basic principles of Christian doctrine--right up their with faith and charity? Oh well, I guess that just shows I have a long way to go to become the kind of Zen master that Chodron is. Along the way, she does provide some more realistic and doable advice."
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