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A review by glabeson
Welcoming the Unwelcome: Wholehearted Living in a Brokenhearted World by Pema Chödrön
5.0
Every time I finish one of Ani Pema's books, I want to start it over again and keep re-reading until her voice is embedded in my head. I wouldn't say this book is wildly different from her other writings: she continues to masterfully convey profound ideas in digestible ways. The idea I keep returning to is to work with interrupting the storyline--when feeling a strong emotion, trying to experience it without rejecting it or repressing it while also interrupting the mind's tendency to narrate the situation, which tends to magnify and solidify the emotion. She quotes Trungpa Rinpoche, “it's as if you’re the sky, allowing all the clouds to pass through you, not rejecting anything that arises in that space.”
What might be unique to this work is her addressing a couple of timely though universal topics such as political polarization and dealing with a spiritual teacher showing their "shadow side" and violating a student's trust. I imagine this is in reference to the turmoil recently experienced in Shambhala leadership. Her response is wise but brief, which for some might feel insufficient.
My thanks to Shambhala Publications for an ARC of this beautiful book.
What might be unique to this work is her addressing a couple of timely though universal topics such as political polarization and dealing with a spiritual teacher showing their "shadow side" and violating a student's trust. I imagine this is in reference to the turmoil recently experienced in Shambhala leadership. Her response is wise but brief, which for some might feel insufficient.
My thanks to Shambhala Publications for an ARC of this beautiful book.