Letting Go of the Person You Used To Be
Buddhist lessons on change, loss and spiritual transformation
By Lama Surya Das
The violence of war, and the tragedies of the Bali bombing and the September
11 attack, have left many overwhelmed with fear, anger and a profound
sense of loss. Why is the world filled with evil, suffering and death?
Why must we endure threats of terrorism and an epidemic of unemployment
- on top of violence, child abuse, cancer, AIDS and myriad other curses?
How should we deal with our rage and our grief? Is there any hope for
ending so much pain? Every day, hurting people of all faiths grapple with
questions like these.
Grounded in the teachings of Buddhist "wise guys" and revelations
from his own past lives - beginning in the 1950's with his boyhood in
the suburbs of Long Island - Surya Das opens a welcome and welcoming path
to confronting life's misfortunes and turning negative emotions into positive
energy for emotional recovery, spiritual renewal, personal growth and
social activism.
Surya Das is a lama in the Dzogchen lineage of Tibet. He is a sought-after
spiritual teacher, poet, and spokesperson for the emerging American Buddhism
and beyond. His former bestseller was Awakening the Buddha Within.
Reviewed by Hiromi Mitsuya
Released
in October 2003. Bantam Books.
Paperback. $22.95.
