January 2024 MBR The Buddhist Studies Shelf

The Buddhist Studies Shelf

Your Heart Was Made for This
Oren Jay Sofer
Shambhala Publications, Inc.
www.shambhala.com
9781645472001, $23.99, HC, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Your-Heart-Made-This-Contemplative/dp/1645472000

Synopsis: With the publication of "Your Heart Was Made for This: Contemplat=
ive Practices for Meeting a World in Crisis with Courage, Integrity, and Lo=
ve " Buddhist and meditation teacher Oren Jay Sofer shares a pragmatic guid=
e to living a life of meaning and purpose in a time of great social, enviro=
nmental, and spiritual upheaval.

Through touching stories, insightful reflections, and concrete instructions=
, Sofer offers powerful tools to strengthen our hearts and nourish the qual=
ities that can transform our world. Each individual chapter guides you to c=
ultivate a quality essential to personal and social transformation like min=
dfulness, resolve, wonder, and empathy.

"Your Heart Was Made for This" reveals how to: Find more choice and freedom=
 in life; Strengthen focus, sustain energy, and accomplish goals; Identify =
burnout and take steps to renew yourself; Imbue your daily activities with =
clarity and vitality; Respond more effectively to collective challenges.

Critique: Of particular and very special value to readers with an interest =
in Buddhism Philosophy & Meditation, and its relevance in achieving a state=
 of personal happiness, as well as with dealing with the inevitable stresse=
s of life in the troubled world of today, "Your Heart Was Made for This: Co=
ntemplative Practices for Meeting a World in Crisis with Courage, Integrity=
, and Love" is an extraordinary and straightforwardly recommended addition =
to community and college/university library Buddhism and Self-Help/Self-Imp=
rovement collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Y=
our Heart Was Made for This" is also readily available in a digital book fo=
rmat (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Oren Jay Sofer (https://www.orenjaysofer.com) teaches Buddh=
ist meditation, mindfulness, and communication internationally. He holds a =
degree in comparative religion from Columbia University and is a Certified =
Trainer of Nonviolent Communication and a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner=
 for the healing of trauma. Born and raised in New Jersey, he is the author=
 of several books, including the bestselling title Say What You Mean: A Min=
dful Approach to Nonviolent Communication. His teachings have reached peopl=
e around the world through his online communication courses and guided medi=
tations.

Embodying Tara
Chandra Easton
Shambhala Publications, Inc.
www.shambhala.com
9781645471141, $22.95, PB, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/Embodying-Tara-Twenty-One-Manifestations-Awaken/dp/1=
645471144

Synopsis: Tara is the Buddhist goddess of compassion. She can manifest with=
in all of us. "Embodying Tara: Twenty-One Manifestations to Awaken Your Inn=
ate Wisdom" is an illustrated introduction to Tara's twenty-one forms by re=
spected female Buddhist teacher and practitioner Dorje Lopon Chandra Easton=
.

"Embodying Tara" shows how to invite Tara's awakened energy to come alive i=
n yourself through: Insights into core Buddhist concepts and teachings; Med=
itations; Mantra recitations; and journal exercises.

The relatable stories are taken from Buddhist history combined with the aut=
hor's personal reflections in order to provide you with the tools to live a=
 more compassionate life, befriend your fears, and overcome everyday challe=
nges.

"Embodying Tara" reveals how important women and movements in modern histor=
y have achieved this through their own embodiment of Tara's enlightened act=
ivities and include the stories of Jane Goodall, Nawal El Saadawi, Oprah Wi=
nfrey, Vandana Shiva, Black Lives Matter, Me Too, and others -- which will =
collectively inspire you to bring these aspects of Tara into the world in c=
reative and socially conscious ways for the benefit of all.

Critique: Eloquent, exceptional, impressively well written, and thoroughly =
'reader friendly' in style, organization and presentation, "Embodying Tara:=
 Twenty-One Manifestations to Awaken Your Innate Wisdom" is a singularly gi=
fted and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, =
and college/university library Buddhism collections and supplemental curric=
ulum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and all memb=
ers of the Buddhist community that "Embodying Tara: Twenty-One Manifestatio=
ns to Awaken Your Innate Wisdom" is also readily available in a digital boo=
k format (Kindle, $17.99) from Shambhala Publications.

Editorial Note: Chandra Easton is a Dharma teacher, author, and translator =
of Tibetan Buddhist texts. In 2015 she was given the title of senior lead t=
eacher, Dorje Lopon (Vajracharya), for Tara Mandala Retreat Center by Lama =
Tsultrim Allione and H.E. Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche. Her training is =
rooted in Tibetan Buddhism (Mahayana and Vajrayana), and the Great Perfecti=
on (Dzogchen) in particular, and her primary interest is in finding ways to=
 make these traditional teachings relevant and accessible for our modern ex=
perience. She offers meditation courses in the San Francisco Bay Area at th=
e Berkeley Alembic and San Francisco Dharma Collective. She also offers ret=
reats in the US and Europe at venues such as Tibet House US, Esalen, Kripal=
u, Kamalashila, Center for Mindful Living, Maitreya Institute, and Tara Lin=
g Retreat Center. Her talks, writings, guided meditations, and teaching sch=
edule can be found at www.chandraeaston.com

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