Open Heart, Open Mind: Awakening the Power of Essence Love

In this intermediate guide to Buddhist principles, popular Tibetan teacher Tsoknyi Rinpoche III writes, “Learning to live with... courage requires us to see the nature of the challenges we face, the nature of ourselves, and the nature of reality, in a radically different light.” To this end, the author addresses such obstacles as habitual patterns and the process of identification, then outlines ways to access the individual’s “tremendous inner potential for openness, warmth, and wisdom.” He provides detailed insights on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness—body, feeling, thoughts, and dharma, which he interprets as space, along with discussions of the subtle body, bodhicitta (seeking enlightenment for all), tonglen (cultivating compassion), dzogchen (“great perfection”), and the six paramitas (perfections). Raised in Nepal and now married with two children, Tsoknyi Rinpoche uses many examples from his challenging teenage experiences at a monastery in India and includes anecdotes from his students. His notable skill is using clear language and homespun analogies to illuminate Buddhist concepts. Tibetan terms are explained as well as their Sanskrit equivalents. Simple practices are scattered throughout; a glossary is included. Warm and largely accessible, this book is a master class for practitioners looking for clear explanations of Buddhism’s ideas from a Tibetan perspective. Agent: Emma Sweeney. (Apr. 3)