Our aim is to carry books by Pema Chödrön, her teachers, and other books that Pema Chödrön has recommended. We also intend to include basic, entry-level books on the path of meditation, but especially those that one might come back to again and again over the course of a lifetime.
By Pema Chödrön
BP1: Awakening Loving-Kindness. This is an abridged, pocket edition of The Wisdom of No Escape. 3 inches by 4.5 inches. (pocket) $4.86.
BP2: Start Where You Are. This is Pema Chödrön’s main commentary on the mind training slogans. Most of this text is an edited version of talks given at the Karme Choling lojong dathun (A64). This book is also part of “The Compassion Box” (which is currently unavailable). Start Where You Are is an indispensable handbook for cultivating fearlessness and awakening a compassionate heart. With insight and humor, Pema Chödrön presents down-to-earth guidance on how we can "start where we are"—embracing rather than denying the painful aspects of our lives. Pema Chödrön frames her teachings on compassion around fifty-nine traditional Tibetan Buddhist maxims, or slogans, such as: "Always apply only a joyful state of mind," "Don't seek others' pain as the limbs of your own happiness," and "Always meditate on whatever provokes resentment." Working with these slogans and through the practice of meditation, Start Where You Are shows how we can all develop the courage to work with our inner pain and discover joy, well-being, and confidence. $9.06.
BP3: When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times. A collection of talks Pema Chödrön gave between 1987 and 1994, the book is a treasury of wisdom for going on living when we are overcome by pain and difficulties. She discusses: Using painful emotions to cultivate wisdom, compassion, and courage; Communicating so as to encourage others to open up rather than shut down; Practices for reversing habitual patterns; Methods for working with chaotic situations; Ways for creating effective social action. $9.06.
BP4: The Wisdom of No Escape and the Path of Loving-Kindness. This book is based on teachings given during a one-month meditation intensive at Gampo Abbey Monastery in Nova Scotia in 1989. These are excellent talks on the basic Buddhist path and mindfulness and compassion practices. This book is about saying yes to life in all its manifestations—embracing the potent mixture of joy, suffering, brilliance, and confusion that characterizes the human experience. Pema Chödrön shows us the profound value of our situation of "no escape" from the ups and downs of life. $9.06.
BP5: Tonglen - The Path of Transformation. This small, but packed book by Pema Chödrön goes into extensive detail about the pragmatics of practicing tonglen. Actual practice of tonglen and tonglen in action are stressed. $17.00.
BP6: The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times. Pema Chödrön continues the teachings of “When Things Fall Apart”, showing how at the core of the most painful experiences lie the seeds of spiritual awakening. Here she presents key teachings on recognizing and cultivating the “soft spot” that is the gateway to compassion and open-heartedness. $9.06..
BP7: Comfortable with Uncertainty - 108 Teachings. Pema Chödrön's collection of short, inspirational readings, perfect for daily contemplation or sustained study. Covers all the essential concepts, themes, and practices on the Buddhist path to becoming a “warrior-bodhisattva”. $9.06.
BP9: No Time To Lose, a Timely Guide to the Way of the Bodhisattva. 2005. In No Time to Lose Pema Chödrön reveals the traditional Buddhist teachings that guide her own life: those of The Way of the Bodhisattva (See BR10 below), a text written by the eighth-century Indian meditation master Shantideva. This treasured Buddhist work is remarkably relevant for our times, describing the steps we can take to cultivate courage, caring, and joy—the key to healing ourselves and our troubled world. Pema offers us a highly practical and engaging commentary on the first 8 chapters of this essential text, explaining how its profound teachings can be applied to our daily lives. (The “Wisdom” chapter is not addressed in this particular book, but is the subject of the 2005 “City Retreat” (A115), available in audio and video) Acharya Pema Chödrön has been teaching on this text by Shantideva since 2001 at Gampo Abbey, Northern California Shambhala Centers, the Omega Institute in New York, Boulder Colorado, and Shambhala Mountain Center. This text is a well-organized and skillfully edited presentation of the best of these teachings. Softcover: $17.46.
BP10: Practicing Peace in Times of War. Small softcover, 2006. In this book, Pema Chödrön draws on Buddhist teachings to explore the origins of aggression, hatred, and war, explaining that they lie nowhere but within our own hearts and minds. How we respond to challenges in our everyday lives can either perpetuate a culture of violence or create a new culture of compassion. $6.36.
BP11: Always Maintain a Joyful Mind. And Other Lojong Teachings on Awakening Compassion and Fearlessness. 2007. This is similar to "The Compassion Box", but with the slogan cards re-made into book form. Included is an audio CD - our A78-4: View & Guided Tonglen Instruction.
The lojong teachings include: "Always maintain only a joyful mind," "Don't be swayed by external circumstances," "Don't be so predictable," and "Be grateful to everyone." Each slogan is followed by Pema Chödrön's accessible and succinct commentary on how to understand and apply it. Book and CD: $11.20.
Books
By Other Teachers: BR12: Ruling Your World by Sakyong Mipham. This is Sakyong Mipham Rinopche's commentary on the four dignities of Shambhala warriorship -- Meek, Perky, Outrageous, Inscrutable -- living our lives with power, dignity, wisdom, enthusiasm, and practicality. $10.36 BR11: Turning The Mind Into An Ally by Sakyong Mipham. Pema Chödrön strongly recommends this book, for which she wrote the foreword, and we feel that it is an extremely valuable
resource for anyone who appreciates Pema Chödrön's teachings. Developing a stable, strong, and clear mind through the practice of "peaceful abiding" is the best possible ground for tonglen and the bodhicitta practices, and this book presents that very simply and directly. It's terrific on the view and practice of mindfulness meditation, and how that relates to developing a compassionate heart. $11.20.. BR1:
Shambhala, The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chögyam Trungpa. Creating enlightened society, truly serving others, starts at home. This book about fearless, open-hearted, compassionate action in the world shows the
relationship of mindfulness-awareness meditation to the complete
spiritual-secular Shambhala path. This is a presentation of path that goes from
the nuts and bolts of everyday living and the simplicity of sitting meditation
to the most profound expression of spiritual warriorship. No, you don’t have
to be a Buddhist to love the Shambhala Training program or this book. $9.76. BR2:
Great Eastern Sun by Chögyam Trungpa. A companion volume to Shambhala: Sacred
Path of the Warrior. Here Chögyam Trungpa evokes the image of a spark or dot of goodness that is always available to us - the fuse for igniting warrioship in our lives. He challenges us to embrace life and to find the Great Eastern Sun, the spark of sacredness and health in every moment. $11.16. BR3:
The Path is the Goal by Chögyam Trungpa. In depth
teachings on the view and practice of mindfulness-awareness meditation. 5 inches
by 7 inches. $9.06. BR4:
The Heart of the Buddha by Chögyam Trungpa. A
collection of essays that includes an extremely profound treatment of
mindfulness-awareness meditation entitled The Four Foundations of Mindfulness.
Also includes essays on the refuge and bodhisattva vows, devotion, acknowledging
death, alcohol as medicine or poison, and vajrayana Buddhism. $13.96. BR5:
Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving Kindness by Chögyam Trungpa. This commentary on the mind training (lojong) slogans was highly
recommended reading for those students taking Pema Chödrön’s “City Retreat
2” program (Training the Mind set A78 or DVD set V78). $9.06. BR6:
The Great Path of Awakening by 19th century meditation master Jamgon Kongtrul
the Great, tr. Ken McLeod. Many other commentaries on mind training (including those by Chögyam Trungpa and Pema Chödrön) are based on this pithy work. Very clear, very traditional, humorous and challenging. The translation is excellent. $10.46. BR7: Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Chögyam Trungpa. Students at Pema’s City Retreat I program (A67, on basic Buddhist
path) were advised by Pema Chödrön to study this book as part of that program. $10.46. BR8:
The Myth of Freedom and the Way of Meditation by Chögyam Trungpa. Foreword by Pema Chödrön. Students at Pema’s City Retreat I program (A67, on basic Buddhist
path) were advised by Pema to study this book while taking this program. $9.76. BR10: The Way of the Bodhisattva, Shantideva. The classic text on the paramitas. The companion book to Pema's verse by verse commentaries. (See "The Way of the Bodhisattva" section). $10.46. BR13: It's Up To You by Dzigar Kongtrul. The practice of self-reflection on the Buddhist path. Foreword by Pema Chödrön. $9.06. Also available on CD read by Pema Chödrön: $17.46.
Recommended Books from Other Sources: The
Little Handbook of Trauma Survivorship: Lojong Slogans as a Path of Recovery, by
Linda Jones, licensed social worker. Spiral Bound, 60 pages. $20.00. A
fund-raiser for Gampo Abbey, the book can be ordered directly from Linda Jones
at 216 Berkshire Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95060. (831)
419-4780 or lindabjones@yahoo.com. The Shambhala Shop (which includes Vajradhatu Publications and Kalapa Recordings) (www.shambhalashop.com) is an excellent place to find transcripts and recordings by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche and Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, two of Pema Chödrön's teachers, which are not available elsewhere. Books and recordings by students of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche are also available at this site, including his principle student The Vajra Regent Osel Tendzin, and The Dorje Loppon Lodro Dorje. Banners, flags, art, music, and gifts can also be accessed through this site. Shambhala Publications (www.shambhala.com) is the place to go for a more complete listing of public domain books by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, as well as books by current Shambhala teachers such as Acharyas Judith Simmer-Brown (Dakini's Warm Breath) and Jeremy Hayward (Sacred World: The Shambhala Way to Gentleness, Bravery, and Power). Shambhala Publications is also a good source for a wide range of general Buddhist and Taoist books, as well as books on yoga, the arts, psychology, and other religious and contemplative traditions. Snow Lion Publications (www.snowlionpub.com) is a source for a large range of books, especially by great Tibetan Buddhist teachers. This is a huge site (over 2000 items) with many sorts of treasures in it, most relating to Tibetan culture and Tibetan Buddhism. Great teachers from all four lineages of Tibetan Buddhism are well-represented, including those of the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages, whom Pema Chödrön has studied most closely with. Books by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, Gyatrul Rinpoche, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche are available at the Snow Lion site, as well as classic texts by Gampopa, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche and many others. Also, books recommended by Pema Chödrön when she teaches on the four limitless qualities, Wake Up to your Life, by Ken McLeod, is available at the Snow Lion site.
This is a brave, well-written, well-studied, and well-contemplated commentary on the
mind-training (lojong) slogans with an emphasis on their applicability to
“survivorship.” This is not just psychologized Buddhism. Linda Jones is a
serious practitioner, with a gift for genuine speech, who has taken the lojong
teachings to heart and has applied these teachings to her own life. She presents
her own views and experience while, at the same time, referencing traditional
sources. The comparative translations of slogans from various sources is the
most complete that I have encountered. Also: If you wish to relate your
understanding of 12-step approaches to lojong: this is the book.
