In Open Heart, Open Mind, Tsoknyi Rinpoche—one of the most beloved of
the contemporary generation of Tibetan Buddhist meditation
masters—explains that a life free of fear, pain, insecurity, and doubt
is not only possible, it’s our birthright. We long for peace, for the
ability to love and be loved openly and freely, and for the confidence
and clarity to meet the various challenges we face in our daily lives.
Within
each of us resides a spark of unparalleled brilliance, an unlimited
capacity for warmth, openness, and courage, which Rinpoche identifies as
“essence love.” Timeless and imperishable, essence love is often
layered over by patterns of behavior and belief that urge us to seek
happiness in conditions or situations that never quite live up to their
promise.
Drawing on rarely discussed teachings of Tibetan
Buddhism, Rinpoche describes how such patterns evolve and offers a
series of meditation exercises to help us unravel them and, in the
process, reawaken an energy and exuberance that can not only bring
lasting fulfillment to our lives but ultimately serve to enliven and
inspire the entire world, as well.
With great humor,
intelligence, and candor, Tsoknyi Rinpoche also details his own
struggles to reconnect with essence love. Identified at an early age as
the incarnation of a renowned Tibetan master and subjected to a rigorous
monastic training, he ultimately renounced his vows, married, and is
now the father of two daughters. As he recounts his own efforts to
strike a balance between the promptings of his heart and an obligation
to preserve and protect the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, Rinpoche
provides a bridge between ancient wisdom and modern life, and encourages
each of us to rediscover the openness, fearlessness, and love that is
the essence of our own life.
256 pages. Hardcover.