Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears

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Overview

In this pithy, inspiring book, Pema Chödrön presents the Buddhist concept of shenpa, which can be translated as "getting stuck" or "getting hooked." Shenpa arises in that moment when life suddenly becomes disappointing, difficult, or painful. Perhaps someone criticizes your work, your appearance, or your child. Something within you tightens, shuts down. That's shenpa. After we tighten, we instinctively start to blame ourselves or others. We might get angry and lash out at others in words or actions. Or we might reach for a cigarette, a drink, or some other addictive substance to numb our pain. Chödrön shows us that our habitual reactions to life's difficulties keep us locked in cycles of suffering.

In Taking the Leap she shows us a new way of responding to life's upsets: learning to stay present. Rather than habitually running from life's hurts, you can actually stop and open your heart, thereby discovering true courage and compassion. This book presents "the four R's" of working with shenpa: recognizing, refraining, relaxing, and resolving. With her characteristic warmth and encouragement, Pema Chödrön offers transformational teachings and practices that readers can immediately put to use in their daily lives.

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble

Getting enmeshed in destructive patterns or problems is universal, but the Buddhists have an almost uniquely apt word for it: shenpa, which translates colloquially as "getting stuck" or "getting hooked." Pema Chödrön's Taking the Leap shows by example after example that Buddhist teachings also offer ways to free ourselves from these moments of disappointment or malaise. Transformational teachings and practices.

Publishers Weekly

This gently encouraging book by popular teacher Chödrön (When Things Fall Apart; The Places That Scare You) applies Buddhist wisdom to the problems of deeply ingrained reactions. An American Buddhist nun in the lineage of Tibetan master Chogyam Trungpa, she writes that “we already have what we need” to change and heal. Chödrön focuses on the preverbal moment—called shenpa in Tibetan—in which individuals are “hooked” into harmful stories, emotions and actions within the flux of their experiences. Clear descriptions of how this process works are accompanied by simple techniques to begin to break the cycle. Her suggestions can be easily practiced by anyone at any time without meditation training, although she presents the benefits of sitting meditation. With anecdotes from her teachers and examples from her own and others' lives, Chödrön demonstrates that people can stop their suffering and access their natural intelligence, warmth and openness. Throughout, she emphasizes the global implications of personal change. Among her strengths are compassion for the difficulty of human existence and her willingness to acknowledge her own failings. This short guide provides valuable tools for change in uncertain times. (Sept. 8)

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781590306345
Publisher: Shambhala Publications, Inc.
Publication date: 9/8/2009
Pages: 128
Sales rank: 158,221
Product dimensions: 8.02 (w) x 5.28 (h) x 0.60 (d)

Meet the Author

Pema Chödrön is an American Buddhist nun in the lineage of Chögyam Trungpa. She is resident teacher at Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan monastery in North America established for Westerners. She is the author of many books and audiobooks, including the best-selling When Things Fall Apart and Don't Bite the Hook.

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Slato

Posted April 24, 2010

With gentle persuasion Pema Chodran encourages us to galvanize our gumption and move beyond sentimental wishes for a better world. She leads us through the training regimens that will enable us to be the change we want to see.

She uses plain talk in a provocative manner of sharing profound wisdom. She invites the reader to mindfully look within and around to consider one's impact on the world as it is and whether that is what one intends. She lays the most basic ground work for making new decisions in easily understood guidelines. Small groups of persons would benefit from a chapter by chapter study, grounding, and sharing of experiences and insights over a period of several weeks using this book as a touch stone for transformative and holistic decision making. Yet the content is for each solitary individual to ponder in plotting an intentional living of his/her here-and-now life. Above all her gentle and encouraging manner beckons us to take responsibility for our own life and its ripple effect in the great ocean of humanity. It is a short read that can have long lasting effect.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Cleo-Jean

Posted November 8, 2009

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HOW MANY WILL HAVE THE COURAGE TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES?

Not everyone will find this book appealing and even helpful, because it tells you to find the courage to face your own fears and own up to your own mistakes, flaws and weaknesses. Not many will even dare surrender all their pains, suffering and their 'bad, lesser' side - because we have worked so hard all our lives to hide them and escape from them. In fact, we even developed a cretain skill in blaming others for all the things that have gone wrong in our lives. We have become so good at assigning the responsibility to others but have NEVER TAKEN CONTROL of our lives. I don't know who invented the idea that it is good adn convenient to give up control and blame others so that we do not have to feel so bad. But in the end, we are just running from the truth and ourselves. If we are lucky, we will come to realise that we have not even begun living our lives because we have been so pre-occupied with justifying why we haven't done the things we should have done, said the things we should have said and could have. If you seriously want to continue existing like a hologram with no real life and freedom, if you want to continue hiding and escaping from the truth, then please do not take the leap. Stay far away from this book and live in the prison of your lies. But if you do have the courage to free yourself for good and live the life you deserve, then yes, read this book and please do not stop there. Please do not read it like a philosophy book or as another sleeping aid. We will not be CURED by just buying the book and reading. We need to go all the way and change ourselves, our lives, behaviour and mind set. We need to work at it, diligently, day in and out. Then and only then, lasting results will arise. Then you will thank me for sure and Pema Chodron, of course. If you are feeling really brave, after taking the leap and want to take it to the next level, please read "Gurus for Hire, Enlightenment for Sale" by Tsem Tulku Rinpoche. He might just be the Guru you need.

2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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