Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow

Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow

â‚¬Å“If we can stay awake when our lives are changing, secrets will be revealed to usâ‚¬"secrets about ourselves, about the nature of life, and about the eternal source of happiness and peace that is always available, always renewable, already within us.â‚¬Â
â‚¬"ELIZABETH LESSER

During times of transition, amid everyday stress, and even when we face seemingly insurmountable adversity, life offers us a choice: to turn away from change or to embrace it; to shut down or to be broken open and transformed. In the more than twenty-five years since she cofounded the Omega Instituteâ‚¬"now the worldâ‚¬s largest personal-growth and spiritual retreat centerâ‚¬"Elizabeth Lesser has been an intimate witness to the ways in which human beings deal with change, loss, and difficulty. She herself has struggled to submit to what she calls the â‚¬Å“Phoenix Processâ‚¬Ââ‚¬" allowing herself to be broken open in order to rise like the mythical bird from the ashes of past mistakes and suffering.

In this beautifully written, often funny, and always inspiring book, Lesser has gathered together true stories about ordinary people who by design or disaster decided to step boldly into a fuller life. Here are profoundly moving narratives of fears overcome and risks taken; of hard times and difficult passages; of betrayal, divorce, sickness, and death; and of the day-to-day challenges of raising children, earning a living, and growing older. By sharing her own most human traits, Lesser helps us feel less lonely in our own struggles, and more optimistic about the possibility of transformation. Broken Open also introduces us to some of the worldâ‚¬s greatest spiritual teachersâ‚¬"both ancient and livingâ‚¬"and imparts the wisdom of various traditions, from Buddhist meditation to Sufi dance, and from Christian prayer to contemporary psychotherapy. Eminently practical, Lesser provides tools to support us in our quest for a clearer sense of purpose and a new passion for life.

Broken Open is not only a testament to the inner richness and potential of every life but also a deeply trustworthy guide to the dynamics of healing and growthâ‚¬"how we resist and how we surrender, how we stay stuck and how we grow, and how we can turn misfortune into insight, and grief into joy. It helps us to discover within ourselves a fearless heart, a clear mind, and a shining soul.
Country USA
Brand Villard
Manufacturer Villard
Binding Hardcover
ReleaseDate 2004-05-04
UnitCount 1
EANs 9780375508066

Country	USA
Brand	Villard
Manufacturer	Villard
Binding	Hardcover
ReleaseDate	2004-05-04
UnitCount	1
EANs	9780375508066

Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow

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