The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times

by Pema Chodron

Overview

“A lively and accessible take on ancient techniques for transforming terror and pain into joy and compassion,” from beloved Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön (O, The Oprah Magazine)

Lifelong guidance for changing the way we relate to the scary and difficult moments of our lives—showing us how we can use our difficulties and fears as a way to soften our hearts and open us to greater kindness

We always have a choice in how we react to the circumstances of our lives. We can let them harden us and make us increasingly resentful and afraid, or we can let them soften us and allow our inherent human kindness to shine through.

In The Places That Scare You, Pema Chödrön provides essential tools for dealing with the many difficulties that life throws our way, teaching us how to awaken our basic human goodness and connect deeply with others—to accept ourselves and everything around us complete with faults and imperfections. Drawing from the core teachings of Buddhism, she shows the strength that comes from staying in touch with what’s happening in our lives right now and helps us unmask the ways in which our egos cause us to resist life as it is. If we go to the places that scare us, Pema suggests, we just might find the boundless life we’ve always dreamed of.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781590302651
Publisher:	Shambhala
Publication date:	08/09/2005
Series:	Shambhala Library
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	960,189
Product dimensions:	6.84(w) x 4.52(h) x 0.81(d)

About the Author

Pema Chödrön is an American Buddhist nun in the lineage of Chögyam Trungpa and resident teacher at Gampo Abbey in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery in North America. She is the author of numerous best-selling books, including When Things Fall Apart, Living Beautifully, and Welcoming the Unwelcome.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	ix
Prologue	1
1. The Excellence of Bodhichitta	3
2. Tapping into the Spring	9
3. The Facts of Life	17
4. Learning to Stay	23
5. Warrior Slogans	31
6. Four Limitless Qualities	37
7. Loving-Kindness	41
8. Compassion	49
9. Tonglen	55
10. Finding the Ability to Rejoice	61
11. Enhancing the Training in Joy	67
12. Thinking Bigger	69
13. Meeting the Enemy	75
14. Fresh Start	81
15. Strength	83
16. Three Kinds of Laziness	89
17. Bodhisattva Activity	93
18. Groundlessness	99
19.Heightened Neurosis	105
20. When the Going Gets Rough	109
21. The Spiritual Friend	113
22. The In-Between State	119
Concluding Aspiration	123
APPENDIX: PRACTICES
The Mind-Training Slogans of Atisha	125
The Four Limitless Ones Chant	129
Loving-Kindness Practice	130
Compassion Practice	131
The Three-Step Aspiration	132
Bibliography	133
Resources	137

Editorial Reviews

Chödrön has once again proven herself to be one of the very best working in this field.”
—Library Journal

“Chödrön demonstrates how effective the Buddhist point of view can be in bringing order into disordered lives.”
—Publishers Weekly

“A lively and accessible take on ancient techniques for transforming terror and pain into joy and compassion.”
—O, The Oprah Magazine

From the Publisher

According to American Buddhist nun Pema Chodron, the secret to cultivating a compassionate heart and an enlightened mind lies in facing what we most fear.

bn.com

American Tibetan Buddhist nun Chodron (When Things Fall Apart) teaches an intense form of meditation in which readers are encouraged to become "warrior-bodhisattvas," those who courageously confront suffering. Warrior-bodhisattvas, according to Chodron, are willing to have their inner selves broken, while keeping their minds and hearts from shutting down. They take on suffering with compassion and loving-kindness, working through their own emotions of fear or anger to help alleviate others' pain. Chodron highlights six traditional paramitas to model (generosity, discipline, patience, enthusiasm, meditation and unconditional wisdom) and cautions that ego, self-deception, unforgiveness and a grasping for permanence all present barriers to compassion. True meditation cultivates the qualities of steadfastness, clarity of vision and attention to the present moment. Despite the title, this book is more about generating compassion than facing fears. A few humorous vignettes are interspersed with the deeply philosophical text, such as when Chodron describes discovering her boyfriend in an intimate embrace with another woman. She tried to throw something at the couple, but the thing she picked up was a priceless piece of pottery that belonged to their millionaire host. "The absurdity of the situation totally cut through my rage," she explains, noting that many times "wisdom is inherent in emotions." Moments such as these mitigate the intensity of this highly cerebral book, which will offer meaty reflections for the serious practitioner, but less guidance for the mere bookstore Buddhist. (Sept.) Forecast: This title will receive some terrific exposure this fall. Shambhala Sun will excerpt twochapters and feature Chodron on the cover of its August/September issue, and New Age Journal will run an excerpt in September. In the piece de resistance, O magazine will run a substantial profile on Chodron in the October issue. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Chodron, a student of Chogyam Trungpa, is well known for her clear and inspiring books on spiritual practice (e.g., The Wisdom of No Escape). Here she once again presents Tibetan Buddhist wisdom in a clear, engaging, and undiluted way, making it useful and relevant for newcomers and longtime practitioners alike. This time her focus is on bodhichitta, a concept that roughly translates as "open heart" or "awakened mind." As the text points out, this is a term more easily understood than translated, finding its ground in activities that embody compassion, tenderness, and awareness. In a series of short chapters, the reader is introduced to a number of ideas found in Tibetan Buddhist bodhichitta practice and is given practical exercises for daily life. Her clear and simple descriptions guide the reader through these powerful and sometimes difficult practices. Chodron has once again proven herself to be one of the very best working in this crowded field. Recommended for all collections. Mark Woodhouse, Elmira Coll. Lib., NY Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal