Living beautifully with uncertainty and change

With her characteristic clarity, Buddhist nun Chodron (When Things Fall Apart) once again explores how Buddhist ideas can help individuals live joyful lives. Her framework is three traditional vows: refrain from harm, take care of others, and accept the world as it is. Commitment to these principles, she argues, can address the "fundamental ambiguity of being human" which includes fear of change and an unknown future. Drawing in particular from the wisdom of her teacher, the late Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the American-born nun and popular writer shows how the "real cause of suffering is not being able to tolerate uncertainty," with the resulting struggle to cling to a "fixed identity." Strategies to address impermanence and the fear it causes include refraining from acting on negative emotions; practicing compassion; and fully acknowledging the experience of the present moment, however painful. The text, adapted from talks, includes brief practices. Chodron's strength is her ability to communicate to a general audience that people are essentially good, that they can be free from fear, and that they can always try again when they fail. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

"The Three Commitments are three levels of working with groundlessness. Underlying them all is the basic instruction to make friends with yourself--to be honest with yourself and kind. This begins with the willingness to stay present whenever you experience uneasiness. As these feelings arise, rather than running away, you lean into them. Instead of trying to get rid of thoughts and feelings, you become curious about them. As you become accustomed to experiencing sensation free of interpretation, you will come to understand that contacting the fundamental ambiguity of being human provides a precious opportunity--the opportunity to be with life just as it is, the opportunity to experience the freedom of life without a story line." --from Living Beautifully Excerpted from Living Beautifully: With Uncertainty and Change by Pema Chödron All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.