Falling is Flying: The Dharma of Facing Adversity

by Ajahn Brahm, Guojun Master, Kenneth Wapner (Editor)

What do you do when everything falls apart?

“Instead of trying to discipline your mind with ill will, fault-finding, guilt, punishment, and fear, use something far more the beautiful kindness, gentleness, and forgiveness of making peace with life.”—Ajahn Brahm

“In free fall, nothing is solid and there is nothing to hold on to. There is no way to control the experience. You have to surrender, and with that surrender comes the taste of liberation.”—Master Guojun

Most of us tend to live each day as if it will be just another day—like nothing will change. It always comes as a shock when we lose a job, a loved one, a relationship, our health—even though we’ve seen it happen again and again to those around us. Once we finally realize we’re not immune, then we what now? How do we continue when the terrain suddenly gets rough?

Meet your companions for this rocky part of the Ajahn Brahm and Chan Master Guojun—one a teacher in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, the other in the Chinese Zen tradition. These two beloved meditation masters share personal stories and anecdotes from their own experiences of dealing with life’s pitfalls. You’ll learn from their honest, generous teachings how you can live fully—even flourish—even when the road ahead looks steep and lonely.

Personal, poetic, instructive, and often laugh-out-loud funny, this is inspiring advice for people from all walks of life.

“Falling is Flying is truly unique because it offers a rare glimpse into the personal lives of two living Buddhist masters. With unflinching honesty, Ajahn Brahm and Chan Master Guojun share the struggles they’ve faced, even after becoming monks and respected teachers. Throughout the book, we see how, instead of turning away in aversion from adversity, they’ve used it as a stepping stone for finding the peace and happiness we all seek. I love this book and recommend it most highly!” —Toni Bernhard, author of How To Be Sick

Genres: Buddhism, Nonfiction

152 pages, Paperback

Published March 19, 2019

About the author

Ajahn Brahmavamso Mahathera (lovingly known to most as Ajahn Brahm) was born Peter Betts in London, United Kingdom in August 7, 1951. He came from a working-class background, and won a scholarship to study Theoretical Physics at Cambridge University in the late 1960s. After graduating from Cambridge he taught in high school for one year before travelling to Thailand to become a monk and train with the Venerable Ajahn Chah Bodhinyana Mahathera.

Whilst still in his years as a junior monk, he was asked to undertake the compilation of an English-language guide to the Buddhist monastic code - the Vinaya - which later became the basis for monastic discipline in many Theravadan monasteries in Western countries.

Reviews

[Q · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ajahn Brahm is a Theravadan Buddhist monk living in Australia. He has a delightful sense of humor. He teaches through sharing his own experiences; he is a gifted and wise storyteller. And his teachings are often profound.

UOne of the chapters is about when he got typhus living in Thailand as a young monk. I just went in for surgery the beginning of the month and this story was very helpful. And the laughter that came was a great healer.

Part of this book was a chronicle of the role Ajahn Brahm played in reinstating the Bhikkhuni sangha. Bhikkhuni’s are fully ordained female Buddhist monastics and their lineage had died out. And he stepped up and helped make it alive again. He was ostracized in his order/kicked out. So I would say he is courageous and deeply knowledgeable of Buddhas teaching and practical.

[Pam Varga · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always adore the writings of Ajahn Brahm. This was a wonderful reminder when facing life’s challenges.
It was My first reading of Chan Master Guo Jun. He added an interesting perspective as well.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the first half of this book, based on talks by Ajahn Brahm. His stories, mostly from his own life as a monk or on the road to becoming a Buddhist and a monk, are captivating, and his insights are marvelous and fresh. His humor and attitude toward life are positive and catching. Chan Master Guojin has some interesting stories but his speaking/adapted-to-writing style is not so fascinating and his insights not quite so original or so colorfully expressed. So 5 stars for Brahm, 3 for Guojin.

[Saikat Baksi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully narrated book that conveys tremendously powerful message about the essence of Buddhism in simple words that makes the reader feel the touch of truth. The fact that the author described his own experience, without flaunting any greatness for himself, it reads honest and sincere. It appeals to the mind as a finger pointing at the way...

[Yuni Amir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple teachings. The world needs more of this.

[Mo B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t expect this book to be as informal and personal as it was: two stories from two different Buddhist teachers of personal adversity and how their experiences affected them. The stories were simple, but deceptively profound. I love it when a book surprises me, and I look forward to reading more from both of these wise teachers.

[Elizabeth Kosmetatou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ajahn Brahm’s section is far better.

[Carlos Vallejo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historias muy hermosas

[Sheelie Kittee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great short read with many insightful points. I hope only that I could be better about remembering them~!

- In free fall, nothing is solid and there is nothing to hold on to.
There is no way to control the experience. You have to surrender, and with that, surrender, comes the taste of liberation.

Discipline your mind with the beautiful kindness, gentleness, and forgiveness of making peace with life.

Love is: the coming together of happiness and wisdom.

You don't have to do things the way you think is best: do things the way you think, is KINDEST.

The past is always in IF able. Do not IF the past. It is a self inflicted agony and a total waste of time.
Trust your heart when you make decisions. Then spend energy making those decisions right.

Let go of expectations: when we are filled iwth them, positive or negative, it is impossible to be in the here and now and respond appropriately.

Instead of focusing on my own needs and desires: respond to what is needed.

Difficulties arise, they will end when they end. Not knowing makes us fearful but life is filled with uncertainty.

It's far better to embrace this fluidity than to resist it.

Do not grasp at the way you want things to be - accept the pace of the experience.

When we are completely shaken, totally shattered, it can provoke new growth. A blossoming tht is fragrant and beautiful.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Even though there is Nothing extraordinary in this book — Just good gems and wisdom that we know but it’s good to be reminded of. Perhaps the great thing about this book is that it is nice and simple; also the candid manner in which the stories are written

[N · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very short read but interestingly framed short stories that conclude in an easy to understand moral. Very interesting to hear stories from people whose lives are the complete 180 of us in the modern world.

[Pimpin Kusumamurni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every-time I feel down, all his books always brought light. Calms me down, clear my mind, and feel that life is not so bad anymore. The way he explains Dhamma is just so simple, so straightforward, everyone can always relate

[Kavish · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not learn much.

[Ros · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first part was very easy to read and very easy to pick up. The second part was okay, less funny than the first part and felt more repetitive.

[BooKat]

Čuvajte svoju energiju za ono što se dogodi nakon što ste donijeli odluku da biste tu odluku učinili ispravnom.

[Arminion · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains stories about two renowned Buddhist monks and teachers, their adversities and experiences in life, full of humor, wisdom and compassion. Short, simple, deep.