True Refuge
Finding Peace and Freedom in Your Own Awakened Heart
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4.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
From the award–winning author of Radical Acceptance comes “a healing and helpful meditation [and] a gracefully written spiritual gem on awareness, refuge, and presence” (Spirituality & Practice).
“This is a precious gift, filled with insight, shared from heart to heart.”—Thich Nhat Hanh
How do you cope when facing life-threatening illness, family conflict, a faltering relationship, old trauma, obsessive thinking, overwhelming emotion, or inevitable loss? If you’re like most people, chances are you react with fear and confusion, falling back on timeworn strategies: anger, self-judgment, and addictive behaviors.
But there is another way. Beneath the turbulence of our thoughts and emotions exists a profound stillness, a silent awareness capable of limitless love. Tara Brach calls this awareness our true refuge, because it is available to every one of us, at any moment. Based on a fresh interpretation of the three classic Buddhist gateways to freedom—truth, love, and awareness—True Refuge shows us the way not just to heal our suffering, but also to cultivate our capacity for genuine happiness. Through spiritual teachings, guided meditations, and inspirational stories of people who discovered loving presence during times of great struggle, Brach invites us to connect more deeply with our own inner life, one another, and the world around us.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this richly detailed, hopeful book, Brach (Radical Acceptance) draws from the Buddhist concept of taking refuge to address unhappiness caused by the "trance of small self." The author, a clinical psychologist and founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, D.C., argues that cultivating "presence" an embodied awareness can lead to healing. "Our ultimate refuge is none other than our own being," she writes. A key mindfulness practice, RAIN an acronym for recognize, allow, investigate inner experience, and nonidentification guides exploration of difficult emotions to enhance openness, acceptance, and joy. Brach's discussions of such topics as anger, forgiveness, trauma, obsessive thoughts, self-compassion, and loss are marked by acute observations and careful distinctions. Throughout she illustrates the path to wholeness with the experiences of her meditation students and therapy clients, as well as her own journey toward "loving life no matter what," particularly with ongoing physical limitations. Guided meditations are included in each chapter. Rather than presenting a case for classic Buddhism, Brach grounds therapeutic goals for emotional health in Buddhist principles. This accomplished example of spiritual self-help offers a gentle path for change in the face of suffering.
Customer Reviews
Must read
This book is a must read. Superbly well written and lucid backed by Tara’s many years of personal and teaching experience.