Welcoming the Unwelcome

July 22, 2019
Chodron (Practicing Peace), a Buddhist teacher and bestselling poet, asks readers in this exquisite meditation to consider distinctions between the self and the other that can lead to polarization and suffering. To do so, she writes, one must sublimate personal motivations in favor of bodhicitta; roughly translated as the “awakened heart-mind,” bodhicitta is an aspiration to help others and a commitment to know oneself. Chodron targets what she sees as growing animosity within modern society, and teaches that, because reality is impermanent, the ego must struggle and harden against the “brokenheartedness of suffering” by being “open to our own discomfort.” Rather than losing one’s awareness by being “hooked” by constant attention to one’s suffering, Chodron advises readers to “stay upright with... vulnerability” and to “connect with the unbiased open space” of basic goodness. She offers instructions for sitting meditation, tonglen meditation, and LESR (locate, embrace, stop, and remain) as concrete practices. While her only practical advice relates to meditation practices, Chodron asks readers throughout to remain with the fear and anxiety of groundlessness that is the very source of polarization. For her, such practice transforms the present moment from harmful habits to fresh opportunities. Though Chodron treads familiar territory, her trademark tenacity and wisdom provide meditative practices and convincing rationale for more empathetic living.

July 1, 2019

Core tenets of Buddhist philosophy, such as impermanence or emptiness, can often be difficult for individuals to understand, and are often falsely interpreted as nothingness or that life is devoid of meaning or substance. Chödrön, Buddhist nun and prolific author (When Things Fall Apart; The Places That Scare You; Living Beautifully), unpacks this erroneous interpretation to explain that these core tenets can help an individual to recognize and fully experience the complex, fluid, and dynamic nature of reality. Chödrön begins with a discussion of polarization, a topic that is particularly salient in the contemporary social and political context. Many of us are tempted to shy away from difficult conversations or uncomfortable situations. Chödrön argues that allowing ourselves to feel vulnerable and rejecting an us-vs.-them dichotomy will ultimately spark compassion and help us to realize the goodness and humanity in ourselves and others. Chödrön communicates using relatable examples from her own life through chapters that clearly build on one another. She also weaves practical strategies throughout the text and provides meditation guidance in an appendix. VERDICT Anyone seeking strategies for navigating and finding peace within an increasingly polarized world will likely find this text useful, as well as individuals seeking an accessible introduction to key principles of Buddhist thought.--Amanda Folk, Ohio State Univ. Libs., Columbus

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