Into the Heart of Life

June 20, 2011
Palmo (Reflections on a Mountain Lake) offers essays based on her talks, focused on the application of the dharmaâBuddhist teachingsâto daily life. One of the first Western women to be ordained in Tibetan Buddhism, Palmo is noted for her 12 years of solitary retreat in the Himalayas; she subsequently established a monastery for women in India and advocates for the full inclusion of nuns in the quest for enlightenment. Core Buddhist topics such as impermanence, the paramitas (perfections), and the four foundations of mindfulness are explored in clear, cogent ways. Palmo also introduces the Mahayana ideal of bodhicittaâseeking enlightenment for allâand distinctly Tibetan practices such as lojong and tonglen that develop mind and compassion. More details about how her own unique journey shaped her understanding of this wisdom tradition would have strengthened this book in relation to the many others available on basic Buddhism. That said, Palmo adds a strong voice to the ongoing discussion of Tibetan Buddhism as practiced by individualsâparticularly womenâfrom Western cultures.