Product Description

The beloved American Lama, a spiritual leader whose inimitable light and
lively universal teaching style has awakened the spirituality of thousands, now shares an enlightened approach to change and loss, dealing with difficult emotions such as fear, grief, and anger, and the role of crisis in uncovering our authentic selves.

For many people, recent years have been characterized by profound change, whether it relates to financial upheaval, political shifts, or even massive losses of life to disease and violence. Even on the personal level each person must confront the curves life throws his or her way. Buddhism has a great deal to say about change and impermanence and how to meaningfully deal with it. Change--whether on a large or small scale--provides our most important opportunity for learning about ourselves and the nature of reality. From this essential insight Lama Surya Das has crafted a fulfilling and important path to understanding and healing ourselves and finding peace.

Full of personal stories, anecdotes, practical exercises, guided meditations and reflections, and pithy original aphorisms, Letting Go of the Person You Used to Be addresses life's most universal difficulties in a way that is accessible to all. By using memorable concepts such as The Virtues of Adversity, The Pearl Principle ("No inner irritation, no pearl"), and Gaining through Loss, Surya reminds readers that hiding from change and loss is futile. Learning to consciously accept and embrace change leads to a better understanding of ourselves and our own innate divine light.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23267 in Books
• Published on: 2004-08-24
• Released on: 2004-08-24
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Das, an American-born lama in the Dzogchen lineage of Tibet and author of the bestseller Awakening the Buddha Within, here explores the losses and changes that inevitably mark our lives. He argues that what is important is not that difficult things happen (Buddhism's first truth, after all, is that life is suffering), but how we deal with them. Pure detachment from loss and sorrow is not sufficient, he says; the goal is non-attachment to circumstances that are by nature impermanent. Despite losses and pain, we still need to be fully engaged with the world: "Spiritual detachment or equanimity should never be equated with indifference or complacent resignation." One of the strongest sections of the book is Das's simple chronicle of various losses he has suffered, both enormous (the death of his father) and mundane (a stolen bike). Thus acknowledged, his echoing pain prevents the book from being self-help pabulum about how bad things make good people stronger. The writing style, composed mostly of short, choppy sentences, seems well suited for effective public speaking, but unpolished for a book. Many of Das's recommendations-meditating, journal writing, "naming" your feelings, visualizing attachments, chanting a healing mantra-are fairly standard self-help ideas, as are the classic and familiar Buddhist anecdotes sprinkled throughout the book. But there are also great and original nuggets of wisdom here, as when Das advocates the ancient Tibetan practice of chod, a hero's quest-like ritual to confront personal fears.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
“During these challenging times when fear and self-doubt become our constant companions this beautiful book provides the guidance we all need to use change and loss as a catalyst for our spiritual evolution.”
–Cheryl Richardson, New York Times bestselling author of Take Time for Your Life

“It is inevitably painful to deal with transition, change, suffering, death, and other losses.  They are realities we would prefer to avoid, or minimize, but they are essentially part of life.  We must face them with courage, grace, clarity and wisdom.  Lama Surya Das teaches us how to do so in the spirit of enlightenment, great practical wisdom, humility and effective compassion.  Letting Go of the Person You Used to Be is a further tribute to his masterful talents as a spiritual teacher.”
–Wayne Teasdale, author of The Mystic Heart

Praise for the landmark Awakening Trilogy by Lama Surya Das

Awakening the Buddha Within

“Lama Surya Das communicates the wisdom of Buddhism to the people of his times and environments. To me this is a great achievement and I feel deeply grateful for it.” –Thich Nhat Hanh, author of Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames

“This open-hearted offering of the Buddha’s teachings ranges from the fundamentals to magic. It is a wonderful gift.” --Sharon Salzberg, author of Faith: Trusting Our Own Deepest Experience

“Wise and wonderful, gentle and profound.…This is surely one of the finest spiritual manuals meant for a larger public and it succeeds brilliantly.” --Ken Wilbur, author of A Brief History of Everything

Awakening to the Sacred

“Awakening to the Sacred will bring great gifts into the lives of its readers. It is user-friendly—filled with beautiful teachings, gracious stories, dozens of practices, humorous takes and wise practical ways to invite our hearts to awaken to the highest wisdom in every part of our lives.” --Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart

“Lama Surya Das offers a fresh and invigorating approach to the perennial quest which gives natural spirituality its rightful place at the center of things.” --Mitchell Kapor, founder of the Lotus Foundation

“Awakening to the Sacred is a feast for the soul.” --Mark Epstein, author of Going to Pieces without Falling Apart

Awakening the Buddhist Heart

“In Awakening the Buddhist Heart, Lama Surya Das brings the depth of wisdom and understanding to the realities of our everyday life. This is a helpful guide for all those walking the path to awakening while living in the world.” --Joseph Goldstein, author of Insight Meditation

“When we come to the end of our lives, what will matter most are the relationships we’ve shared with loved ones. Awakening the Buddhist Heart takes you on a spiritual journey that will return you to this important priority.” --Cheryl Richardson, author of Take Time for Your Life

"Lama Surya Das makes the Buddha nature seem very real and accessible. I feel lighter, I feel calmer, I feel more peaceful. This book is a blessing on my bookshelf and a blessing on my heart." --Marianne Williamson, author of A Return to Love


From the Hardcover edition.

Review
?During these challenging times when fear and self-doubt become our constant companions this beautiful book provides the guidance we all need to use change and loss as a catalyst for our spiritual evolution.?
?Cheryl Richardson, New York Times bestselling author of Take Time for Your Life

?It is inevitably painful to deal with transition, change, suffering, death, and other losses.  They are realities we would prefer to avoid, or minimize, but they are essentially part of life.  We must face them with courage, grace, clarity and wisdom.  Lama Surya Das teaches us how to do so in the spirit of enlightenment, great practical wisdom, humility and effective compassion.  Letting Go of the Person You Used to Be is a further tribute to his masterful talents as a spiritual teacher.?
?Wayne Teasdale, author of The Mystic Heart

Praise for the landmark Awakening Trilogy by Lama Surya Das

Awakening the Buddha Within

?Lama Surya Das communicates the wisdom of Buddhism to the people of his times and environments. To me this is a great achievement and I feel deeply grateful for it.? ?Thich Nhat Hanh, author of Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames

?This open-hearted offering of the Buddha?s teachings ranges from the fundamentals to magic. It is a wonderful gift.? --Sharon Salzberg, author of Faith: Trusting Our Own Deepest Experience

?Wise and wonderful, gentle and profound.?This is surely one of the finest spiritual manuals meant for a larger public and it succeeds brilliantly.? --Ken Wilbur, author of A Brief History of Everything

Awakening to the Sacred

?Awakening to the Sacred will bring great gifts into the lives of its readers. It is user-friendly?filled with beautiful teachings, gracious stories, dozens of practices, humorous takes and wise practical ways to invite our hearts to awaken to the highest wisdom in every part of our lives.? --Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart

?Lama Surya Das offers a fresh and invigorating approach to the perennial quest which gives natural spirituality its rightful place at the center of things.? --Mitchell Kapor, founder of the Lotus Foundation

?Awakening to the Sacred is a feast for the soul.? --Mark Epstein, author of Going to Pieces without Falling Apart

Awakening the Buddhist Heart

?In Awakening the Buddhist Heart, Lama Surya Das brings the depth of wisdom and understanding to the realities of our everyday life. This is a helpful guide for all those walking the path to awakening while living in the world.? --Joseph Goldstein, author of Insight Meditation

?When we come to the end of our lives, what will matter most are the relationships we?ve shared with loved ones. Awakening the Buddhist Heart takes you on a spiritual journey that will return you to this important priority.? --Cheryl Richardson, author of Take Time for Your Life

"Lama Surya Das makes the Buddha nature seem very real and accessible. I feel lighter, I feel calmer, I feel more peaceful. This book is a blessing on my bookshelf and a blessing on my heart." --Marianne Williamson, author of A Return to Love

Customer Reviews

Had to buy it!
I borrowed the book from the library, and after reading 1/2 of it, I decided I needed to own the book. Lama Surya Das writes very clearly and in a way that brings Buddhist principles into 21st century United States in very meaningful ways. Not just for times of change and loss, but really for any one reflecting on life, where they have come from and where they are going. Highly recommended.

thought provoking but lacking
This book provides some insights and suggestions for dealing with change. Although there are some good tips for dealing with change, the author does not present it in a elegant manner. This book is filled with stories of people that the reader does not know and I suppose should be able to relate to. In addition, the author uses a number of quotes from other people. What would have made this book more successful would be an honest, personal, first-person teaching of the knowledge that I think the author has to offer. I found this book difficult to finish reading as it did not draw me in.

I loved this book
Just enjoyed a differnt perspective ... You dont need to be a buddhist to benifit from this book. Worth every cent paid. The simple ideas presented here are so basic we tend to overlook them as we go about our lives.