The Places That Scare You

One of the most inspiring spiritual teachers of our time offers simple, practical advice for living with less fear, less anxiety and a more open heart.

We always have a choice, Pema Chodron teaches: We can let the circumstances of our lives harden us and make us increasingly resentful and afraid, or we can let them soften us and make us kind.

This book shows us how to awaken our basic goodness and connect to others. In her lively, contemporary voice, Chodron translates the wisdom of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition for the layperson. Her fans come from all religions and none. Her wisdom cuts across all traditions and religions – appealing to everyone from the Dalai Lama’s followers to ordinary people trying to make sense of their lives.

This title went straight onto the bestseller lists in the USA when it was originally published. Pema Chodron is a spiritual teacher for anyone – whether they have a spiritual path or not. Her heartfelt advice and wisdom (developed in her 20 years of practice as a Tibetan Buddhist nun as well as her years previously as a normal ‘housewife and mother’) give her a wide appeal. Particularly in these difficult times, this advice strikes just the right note, offering us comfort and challenging us to live deeply and contribute to creating a more loving world.

Reviews

‘It's short, and so beautifully written that the reading is a pleasure – speaks to people of all religious persuasions. The clearsighted practicality of Chodron's approach to the practice of meditation is a persuasive introduction to its benefits in our daily lives. Her voice is , understanding, gently humorous, always kind and seemingly infinitely wise.’ The LA Times

‘As one of Pema Chodron’s grateful students, I have been learning the most pressing and necessary lesson of all: how to keep opening wider my own heart.’ Alice Walker

‘It is a lively and accessible take on ancient techniques for transforming terror and pain into joy and compassion.’ O, the Oprah Winfrey magazine

About the author

Pema Chodron is an American Buddhist nun and one of the foremost students of Chogyam Trungpa, the renowned Tibetan meditation master. She is the author of ‘The Wisdom of No Escape,’ ‘Start Where You Are,’ and the best-selling ‘When Things Fall Apart.’ She is the resident teacher at Gampo Abbey, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan monastry in North America established for Westerners.