Hope Leans Forward: Braving Your Way toward Simplicity, Awakening, and Peace

by Valerie Brown

Find spiritual insight for developing courage and meeting life's broken-open, pulled-apart times for anyone seeking hope. Daily we are asked to move toward bravery, to stretch in the direction of goodness, kindness, forgiveness, patience, and vulnerability. Yet life's tender fragility, fear, anxiety, and our own practiced self-sabotage can derail us from growing and thriving, leaving us fractured and afraid. Ordained Buddhist teacher and Quaker Valerie Brown invites us into the heart of compassion, insight, and courage. Filled with Quaker wisdom, mindfulness meditation practices, and portraits of real people living out simple yet life-affirming bravery, Hope Leans Forwar d is a guidebook for all of us who are on journeys of self-transformation, self-discovery, and spiritual discernment. Centering small, everyday acts of bravery with diverse stories from marginalized communities, Brown's unique perspective as a Black Buddhist Dharma teacher in the Plum Village tradition and her extensive leadership experience shepherd us in navigating life's essential questions to discover true aliveness and meaning. When we focus on cultivating clarity and discernment in our purpose, we begin to understand that we are truly connected to--and that we contribute to --a larger whole. Written through a period of profound personal loss and in the urgency of the Black Lives Matter movement, Brown's spiritual insight and life- and spirit-tested wisdom offers a new source for anyone seeking hope, and seeking to alleviate suffering within ourselves and our communities.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Buddhism, Self Help, Religion, African American, Personal Growth

275 pages, Hardcover

Published November 8, 2022

Reviews

[Daniel Harding · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slow. Confusing. Contradictory. Self-reflective which I usually don’t critique but the circle here was very small.

[Daniel Harding · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hard to rate a personal discovery book. At points challenging and yet excusing. Vague in application but ongoing promises of directions. As a reader it didn’t feel as if much was applicable.

[Maileen Hamto · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "Hope Leans Forward," leadership coach and retreat teacher Valerie Brown merges wisdom and practices from Buddhism and Quakerism to unveil a path of self-reflection, mindfulness, and courage to weather life’s challenges. Brown is among a handful of Black Americans ordained as a Buddhist teacher in the Plum Village tradition. The author’s journey through a highly rewarding but soul-crushing career in political lobbying inspired the pursuit of spiritual practices to sustain peace and connectedness. Brown’s personal testimony about cultivating a sense of purpose is supported by profiles of people who are manifesting their brave vision for the world through their life’s work.

Brown’s vulnerability is the best part of the book. To illustrate the evolution of her spiritual insights, Brown shares her real-life struggles: surviving the 9/11 terrorist attack, experiencing the racial justice protests during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the untimely death of her brother. It was interesting to learn how the practice of Buddhism opened the door for Brown to explore the Quaker tenet of contemplative discernment, which calls upon tending to the inner self and awakening. Reflecting Brown’s extensive leadership experience, the lessons shared in the book are organized in a logical fashion. Self-reflective readers will appreciate the thoughtful “Queries” that are included in each chapter.

[Judy Nakatomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pilgrimage is a wonderful metaphor, to imagine being on a journey back to our truer selves, living a life of purpose and values. Hope Leans Forward, Braving Your Way Toward Simplicity, Awakening, and Peace takes us on a kind of journey.

It gently guides us on a journey back to our true home.

An invitation to tend to and refill our deep well-of-being, to encourage us to keep going, allowing for openness, lightheartedness and time for hope to move front and center for a full life. “A soul-centered life is one that feels real.”

With concrete and straightforward mindfulness practices in the tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and open queries inspired by the Quaker faith, it reminds me of the inner light of discernment, integrity, and courage I know reside deep within my well-of-being when I remember to take the time to be brave enough to pause.

[Gloria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the title. Interesting mix of Quaker beliefs and practice alongside Buddhist principles. This is one woman's search for a different way of living and breathing after growing up in poverty and fighting the proverbial glass ceiling as a lawyer. She takes quite a few different paths to get to where she is today.

The author seems very smart, tense, hyper-focused, sad and angry. She's had a lot to overcome for sure, but the tone seems a bit off-putting perhaps for the general seeker. There are nice inclusions from other people who have influenced her. Good sections on mindfulness, deep breathing, and other practical healthy steps.

[Drick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through telling her own story of healing and transformation, Valeries Brown offers us very practical ways to integrate practices of mindfulness and action into our lives in whatever form they takes. She also includes the stories of others who have influenced her to further illustrate her points. This book is a resource for spiritual growth in the Quaker and Buddhist traditions and one that a person can go back to time and time againn

[Super Awesome · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome! It offers simple embodied practices with a depth of wisdom and story telling that brings the message of the book to life. The chapters are laid out in a way where you could read the book in order or choose a chapter and spend time on the practice that supports your current need. I am definitely buying this book for my friends!

[Lisa November · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book! I like the practices, mostly based on Thich Nhat Hanh’s practices, like Walking Meditation, Beginning Anew, etc. Interesting to read about Valerie Brown’s life and enlightening for me on several occasions considering Brown’s open sharing about being a Black Buddhist/Quaker.

[Melina Bondy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insightful, inspiring book. Valerie is one of the wisest and most inspiring teachers I know. Read this book!

[Kate Landis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. Deeply wise, spiritual philosophy that applies to real life.

[Kseniya Kosmina · Rating 3 out of 5]

if you need some encouragement and faith that life will work out the way it should--this quick read is for you

[John Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valerie Brown is an exquisite writer. Her new book is achingly self-disclosing, showing the mud of her life without flinching, but as fertile ground of her transformation from a driven busy warrior woman to peaceful calming spiritual teacher. Part memoir, part spiritual guidebook, Brown weaves an accessible and encouraging tapestry of transformational teachings through stories, hers and others, and practical spiritual exercises for calming the mind and opening the heart. A beautiful journey. - John Bell, Buddhist Dharma Teacher, Co-Coordinator of the Beloved Community Circles Network.