Review for Working Directly with the Mind
For me, Ani Pema Chodron is the most relatable and clear Buddhist teacher among all of the teachers I have had retreats with and/or read. I have many of her teachings and they are all so succinct yet taught with such heart.
I have had retreats with or read his Holiness Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, Jack Kornfield, Adyashanti, Sylvia Boorstein, Howard Cohn, Mark Coleman, Jon Kabat Zinn, amongst others. Pema Chodron encourages us all to embrace: fear, sorrow, loneliness, groundlessness with love and compassion in a way that is very approachable. She invites us to be fascinated, as she is, by paradox.
She tells us the realities of being on the path are incredibly difficult and takes tremendous courage but she also gives us the tools to work with if we really want to change.
As a woman, I have also found that her expression/interpretations of Buddhist teachings and her personal journey resonate more with me.
Really there are no words to express how wonderful her teachings are, and no words that reflect completely how thankful I am to her for her work and many years of teachings.