Wisdom of Imperfection: the challenge of individuation in Buddhist life
$49.95 |
Net price: |
If you have been practicing Buddhism for a while, why do you still have problems? And how do you balance the (apparently) different needs of spiritual experience and psychological development? Like bestseller When Things Fall Apart, this wonderful book fills a hitherto unmet need amongst Buddhists.
Psychotherapist and meditation teacher Rob Preece draws on his 18 years as a psychotherapist and many years as a meditation teacher to explore and map the psychological influences on our struggle to awaken. Acceptance of imperfection, for both psychological and spiritual health, is key.
Love and compassion grow out of an understanding of our fallibility, not from ideals of perfection, and wisdom does not always come as a flash of inspiration, but from the slow—often painful—working of experience. The Wisdom of Imperfection explores the journey of individuation in Buddhist life, looking at the psychological process beneath the traditional path of the Bodhisattva.
REVIEWS
"The Wisdom of Imperfection strikes an illuminating balance between commitment to a Buddhist practice and recognition of deep-seated psychological realities. This is the book for all those who wonder why they can't stop undermining and contradicting what they cherish most deeply."— Stephen Batchelor, author of Living with the Devil
"Preece generously offers Jungian insight to the common pitfalls encountered by westerners on the Buddhist path. His depth of understanding yields gems for anyone struggling to hold the tension of opposites the spiritual life demands. The Wisdom of Imperfection is a perfect read!"—Deborah Bowman, Ph.D., Associate Professor and founder of the Transpersonal Counseling Psychology program at Naropa University
"The Wisdom of Imperfection is a wonderfully thorough and engaging look at the unfolding of the spiritual/psychological journey. Drawing on a depth of personal experience, Rob Preece offers an insightful and important perspective."—Sharon Salzberg, author of Faith;Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rob Preece has been a practicing Buddhist since 1973, principally within the Tibetan tradition. He has spent many years in intensive retreat in the Himalayas under the guidance of eminent Tibetan lamas. He has been working as a psychotherapist since 1987 and gives workshops on comparative Jungian and Buddhist psychology. He is an experienced meditation teacher and Thangka painter. He lives in London.