"At the center of this collection is the notion of bodhicitta -- tender heart -- as well as maitri -- loving kindness towards oneself. And yet these simple tenets struggle for a place in the world, a world increasingly insensitive to a philosophical notion of compassion, hostile even to the word compassion, which has been euphemistically abused. We find ourselves both literally and psychologically in a warring, suffering world-zone inured to acts of kindness, yet desperately in need of them, whose denizens grow cynical by the day. A current 'version' of reality based on aggression is upon us as we increasingly progress into a tragic Dark Age.

"Sakyong Mipham, a major lineage holder in both the Buddhist and Shambhala traditions, insists in these heart songs again and again that this does not have to be the case, that we can radically shift our view, that we have choices, that we might open up and be inspired to help and serve the world, as he does, that we can be playful and imaginitive and open."
-- From the Introduction by Anne Waldman

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche is one of the most highly respected young incarnate lamas of Tibet. Educated in buddhist meditation, philosophy, and ritual, he was raised in both Eastern and Western traditions. He is a holder of the Kagyu, Nyingma, and Shambhala lineages and is director of Shambhala International, a worldwide organization of meditation and retreat centers, and teaches thousands around the globe, dividing his time among North and South America, Europe, and India.

163 pages. Paperback.