Book Review: The Wisdom of No Escape

The Wisdom of No Escape and the Path of Loving-Kindness

Pema Chödrön

Tags: Meditation, Tools for Transitioning

Book Cover Summary: It's true, as they say, that we can only love others when we first love ourselves—and we can only experience real joy when we stop running from pain. The key to understanding these truisms is simple but not easy: we must learn to open ourselves up to life in all its manifestations. Here, spiritual teacher and When Things Fall Apart author Pema Chödrön presents a uniquely practical approach to doing just that, showing us the true value in having “no escape” from the ups and downs of life.

Drawing from her own experiences with marriage, divorce, motherhood, and more, Pema reveals that when we embrace the happiness and heartache, the inspiration and confusion—all the twists and turns that are part of natural life—we can begin to discover a true wellspring of courageous love that’s been within our hearts all along. As she writes in chapter four: “Our neurosis and our wisdom are made out of the same material. If you throw out your neurosis, you also throw out your wisdom.”

Reinventurer's Review: I use this little book as a devotional and will most likely read it over and over again. Pema Chödrön's sense of humor and matter of fact attitude are just what I need to hear on a daily basis. I am always saying that my problems are all those created by myself as a human living in a first world country, but that does not keep me from regularly reverting to bathing in my own self-pity.

The book is comprised of eighteen chapters, each on a different topic. As the preface explains, each of these "talks" were given during a month-long meditation practice period in 1989. Her message then and now is for meditation practitioners to go easy on themselves as they learn to meditate as a gentle way to ease suffering for ourselves and the world.

Questions to Ponder and Discuss:

In what ways has this book helped you wake up, be more alert, inquisitive and curious about yourself and others?

What is your true nature and have you learned to make friends with it and celebrate all that you are?

What are you doing to connect with your basic joy?

How are you practicing renunciation, developing loving-kindness for yourself, and learning to play like a raven in the wind?