The Places That Scare You

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

by Pema Chodron

Shambala Publications, Boulder, Colorado, 2002. 140 pp.

In this wisdom teaching book, practices are offered for facing difficult life circumstances to which our ego habitually responds by hardening the heart in self-protection.  As we become familiar with strategies and beliefs used to build walls to hide behind, we can learn to observe our responses to life events objectively with humor and curiosity.

Training is modeled in six traditional qualities (generosity, discipline, patience, enthusiasm, meditation, and unconditional wisdom) in order to generate compassion and an open heart/mind (bodhicitta) in response to anxiety and negative emotion.

This American author, who is a Tibetan Buddhist nun, offers humor and personal vignettes to demonstrate commonly shared experiences in which these practices have made a difference in her own life.  She encourages readers to awaken to their basic goodness, and to accept oneself and others -- warts and all -- through practicing these qualities.

-- reviewed by Mona Bronson

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