Awakening to the Sacred: Creating a Personal Spiritual Life
by Lama Surya Das
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Book Summary Information
Author: Lama Surya DasEdition: Paperback
Published: 2000-05
ISBN: 0767902750
Number of pages: 400
Publisher: Doubleday
Book Reviews of Awakening to the Sacred: Creating a Personal Spiritual Life
Book Review: Practical Spirituality At Its Best
Summary: 5 Stars
The American-born author of this fine book is a Lama in the Dzogchen lineage of Tibet. He was raised in the Jewish faith, and his unique background makes him an especially lucid exponent of the principles of Tibetan Buddhism for Westerners steeped in Judeo-Christian beliefs and principles.
Lama Surya Das has been engaged in spiritual studies for over thirty years and sat at the feet of a number of teachers in Asia. He has written several books, and this one is a particularly good introduction to the spiritual life. Though the emphasis is on the philosophy and practices of Buddhism, some of the descriptions of the spiritual path and the problems that many of us encounter, can be applied for people working in other traditions. The strongest points of the book and of Lama Surya Das' teachings in general, are his suggestions for incorporating a sense of the sacred while living an active Western lifestyle. So often we see writers and teachers extolling the virtues of a spiritual path that is not compatible with a family life and career. I once knew an excellent teacher who had some extraordinary insights. He insisted that anyone who came to learn from him should give up his or her home, family and career. He did not have that many takers.
This book is far more realistic. The chapters are short, pithy and deal with many of the more common problems that we might run into as we walk the spiritual path. They include the practicalities of the establishing a regular practice as well as issues like the emergence of the dark side of our nature as we meditate.
There are numerous suggestions for meditation, prayer and chanting. Many can be found elsewhere, but what sets this book apart is that all the practices are grounded in daily life.
The book is very engagingly written: clear, insightful, and even some humor. This is one of my top ten favorite books on practical spirituality. Highly recommended.
Summary of Awakening to the Sacred: Creating a Personal Spiritual Life
Surya Das is like a Buddhist Johnny Appleseed, galavanting across the countryside, planting seeds of spirituality in bare patches of ground. He believes that we are all fertile soil for cultivating the sacred in everyday life. "We all have spiritual DNA," he says. In Awakening to the Sacred, Surya Das heightens his efforts to increase the planet's spirituality quotient by teaching people how to take advantage of their own spiritual resources. Whether Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, or atheist, we can all enhance our spiritual side. Certainly meditating is a good way, and there's no one better to teach us than this limpid lama. But even more familiar activities can help, like praying, creating a spiritual notebook, or reading spiritual books--even gardening and walking count. Surya Das excels at demystifying the mystical and urges the reader to capitalize on resources closest at hand. No need to look too far when we can draw inspiration and practices from our own traditions. So take that apple seed, thumb through Awakening to the Sacred, and nourish those precious roots of spirituality. --Brian BruyaLama Surya Das, author of the bestselling Awakening the Buddha Within, is the most highly trained American lama in the Tibetan tradition. In this elegant, inspiring book, he integrates essential Buddhist practices with a variety of other spiritual philosophies and wisdom traditions, to show you how to create a personalized spiritual practice based on your own individual beliefs, aspirations, and needs. Through reflections on his own life quest, thoughtful essays, and entertaining stories, Surya Das examines the common themes at the heart of any spiritual path, including faith, doubt, love, compassion, creativity, self-inquiry, and transformation. He then explores prayer, yoga, chanting, guided meditations, breathing exercises, and myriad other rituals, providing practical examples of each that we can use day-to-day to nurture our inner spirit.
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