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In the Face of Fear: Buddhist Wisdom for Challenging Times
Most of us have never experienced such deep anxiety and uncertainty in the world as we are in these current times; this anthology of Buddhist teachings offers an antidote. While we can’t control the home foreclosures, job losses, dwindling savings, and the other myriad challenges facing our society, Buddhism teaches us that there is one thing we can always our own state of mind. How we react to the ups and downs of life makes all the difference, and Buddhism offers a wealth of wisdom and practices to help us maintain a stable, wise, and helpful state of mind no matter what happens.
In the Face of Fear shows us how to
• remain open, joyful, and caring, even when life is stressful
• avoid old behavior patterns that only make things worse
• access our innate confidence and fearlessness
• turn difficult times into opportunities for spiritual development
• learn why caring for others is the best way to relieve our own suffering
• discover that our true nature is always awake, wise, and good, no matter what is happening
This anthology features the greatest contemporary Buddhist teachers and writers—people renowned for addressing precisely the problems we’re facing today—including the Dalai Lama, Pema Chödrön, Thich Nhat Hanh, Chögyam Trungpa, Sylvia Boorstein, Jack Kornfield, Norman Fischer, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Sharon Salzberg, and many others.
In the Face of Fear shows us how to
• remain open, joyful, and caring, even when life is stressful
• avoid old behavior patterns that only make things worse
• access our innate confidence and fearlessness
• turn difficult times into opportunities for spiritual development
• learn why caring for others is the best way to relieve our own suffering
• discover that our true nature is always awake, wise, and good, no matter what is happening
This anthology features the greatest contemporary Buddhist teachers and writers—people renowned for addressing precisely the problems we’re facing today—including the Dalai Lama, Pema Chödrön, Thich Nhat Hanh, Chögyam Trungpa, Sylvia Boorstein, Jack Kornfield, Norman Fischer, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Sharon Salzberg, and many others.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
19 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 12, 2009
I received this engaging anthology of contemporary Buddhist writing as a Goodreads giveaway. I felt fortunate to be a winner (I’m one of those who rarely wins anything), and even more fortunate as I began reading and realized what I had won. This is an entertaining, enlightening, and useful book.
But before I begin digging into the book, let me offer a quick word of perspective. I am not a Buddhist, at least in the capital-B sense. I am a Christian, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, an active Mormon who has served as a bishop. However, I have long had an interest in Buddhism, in which I am reasonably well read, and have benefited greatly in my life from the application of mindfulness-oriented practices based upon Buddhist teachings. That is the perspective and background that I bring to this book.
In the Face of Fear comprises six parts. Part One, titled “Beyond Denial: Seeing Things as They Really Are,” offers insights into the human condition by authors such as Sylvia Boorstein, Norman Fischer, and the Dalai Lama. A brief article titled “Transiency,” by the late Shunryu Suzuki, was the highlight of this section for me, although I must say that I truly enjoyed all the articles.
Part Two, “Tools for a Mindful Life,” begins with a memorable first sentence from the always helpful Pema Chodron: “One of my favorite subjects of contemplation is this question: ‘Since death is certain, but the time of death is uncertain, what it the most important thing?’” She then goes on to offer some good advice for living life. Her article is followed by useful articles by Thich Nhat Hanh, Phillip Moffitt, Sayong Mipham Rinpoche (who offers this gem: “If we don’t orient our day toward spiritual growth, the speed of our life takes over, fueled by habitual patterns.”), and Joseph Goldstein. Part Three, titled “Transforming Difficulty into Awakening,” is something of an extension of Part Two, in that more tools for mindful living are brought forward by authors such as Polo Rinpoche (whose article has the wonderful title, attributed and expanded upon in his writing, “Erring and Erring, We Walk the Unerring Path”), and Pema Chodron once more. Part Four, “Facing Fear and Other Strong Emotions,” continues in the same vein as the previous two parts, but burrows deeper into our psyche to offer advice on how to deal with particularly strong emotional challenges in our lives. From this section, I particularly enjoyed Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche’s “Have Courage and Sense of Humor” ands Sharon Salzberg’s reflections on “Faith.” From Jack Kornfield, this nugget: “As desire abates, generosity is born.” In all, these three sections offer not only insight, but also practical advice for dealing with life’s persistent challenges.
Unfortunately, the following section, Part Five, titled “Skillful Means: Money, Work, and Family,” struck me as a significant letdown, for the most part offering what seem to be reasonable but not particularly insightful platitudes rather than wisdom, except for the final article, “Be What You Need to Be,” by Thich Nhat Hanh, who offers a succinct summary of the four skillful means of the bodhisattva and how they can be adapted to our everyday life. And fortunately, the final section of the book, Part Six, titled “True Happiness,” rises to the higher level of quality found in the earlier sections. Especially touching to me are the closing sentences of the article titled “The Natural State of Happiness,” by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche: “What is the foremost virtue? Atisha said it is to have a profound sense of caring for the benefit and well-being of others. What is the foremost sign of success or accomplishment? Not clairvoyance or miraculous powers, but rather, having fewer selfish emotions. These may sound like just a few simple sentences, but they are very profound and of great benefit when you take them to heart.”
Overall, then, In the Face of Fear is an insightful anthology of Buddhist writing that contains powerful insights into the human condition and offers sound advice for dealing with the challenges of daily life. I would recommend it highly not only to those with an interest in Buddhist thought, but to all who seek insight into life’s spiritual dimensions.
But before I begin digging into the book, let me offer a quick word of perspective. I am not a Buddhist, at least in the capital-B sense. I am a Christian, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, an active Mormon who has served as a bishop. However, I have long had an interest in Buddhism, in which I am reasonably well read, and have benefited greatly in my life from the application of mindfulness-oriented practices based upon Buddhist teachings. That is the perspective and background that I bring to this book.
In the Face of Fear comprises six parts. Part One, titled “Beyond Denial: Seeing Things as They Really Are,” offers insights into the human condition by authors such as Sylvia Boorstein, Norman Fischer, and the Dalai Lama. A brief article titled “Transiency,” by the late Shunryu Suzuki, was the highlight of this section for me, although I must say that I truly enjoyed all the articles.
Part Two, “Tools for a Mindful Life,” begins with a memorable first sentence from the always helpful Pema Chodron: “One of my favorite subjects of contemplation is this question: ‘Since death is certain, but the time of death is uncertain, what it the most important thing?’” She then goes on to offer some good advice for living life. Her article is followed by useful articles by Thich Nhat Hanh, Phillip Moffitt, Sayong Mipham Rinpoche (who offers this gem: “If we don’t orient our day toward spiritual growth, the speed of our life takes over, fueled by habitual patterns.”), and Joseph Goldstein. Part Three, titled “Transforming Difficulty into Awakening,” is something of an extension of Part Two, in that more tools for mindful living are brought forward by authors such as Polo Rinpoche (whose article has the wonderful title, attributed and expanded upon in his writing, “Erring and Erring, We Walk the Unerring Path”), and Pema Chodron once more. Part Four, “Facing Fear and Other Strong Emotions,” continues in the same vein as the previous two parts, but burrows deeper into our psyche to offer advice on how to deal with particularly strong emotional challenges in our lives. From this section, I particularly enjoyed Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche’s “Have Courage and Sense of Humor” ands Sharon Salzberg’s reflections on “Faith.” From Jack Kornfield, this nugget: “As desire abates, generosity is born.” In all, these three sections offer not only insight, but also practical advice for dealing with life’s persistent challenges.
Unfortunately, the following section, Part Five, titled “Skillful Means: Money, Work, and Family,” struck me as a significant letdown, for the most part offering what seem to be reasonable but not particularly insightful platitudes rather than wisdom, except for the final article, “Be What You Need to Be,” by Thich Nhat Hanh, who offers a succinct summary of the four skillful means of the bodhisattva and how they can be adapted to our everyday life. And fortunately, the final section of the book, Part Six, titled “True Happiness,” rises to the higher level of quality found in the earlier sections. Especially touching to me are the closing sentences of the article titled “The Natural State of Happiness,” by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche: “What is the foremost virtue? Atisha said it is to have a profound sense of caring for the benefit and well-being of others. What is the foremost sign of success or accomplishment? Not clairvoyance or miraculous powers, but rather, having fewer selfish emotions. These may sound like just a few simple sentences, but they are very profound and of great benefit when you take them to heart.”
Overall, then, In the Face of Fear is an insightful anthology of Buddhist writing that contains powerful insights into the human condition and offers sound advice for dealing with the challenges of daily life. I would recommend it highly not only to those with an interest in Buddhist thought, but to all who seek insight into life’s spiritual dimensions.
December 31, 2012
The essays contained in this collection of Buddhist writings bring peace and aliveness. I will keep it close for regular inspiration.
July 21, 2025
I found so much inspiration and guidance in this book, lots of great Buddhist wisdom from many different perspectives.
October 6, 2009
When people ask me what religion I am, I'm usually at a loss for words.I do not believe in God, at least not a sentient one, so most people think I am an atheist or an agnostic. But that doesn't fit either. Although I do not believe in God, I believe that mystery we call Being is meshed with everything around us. I believe there is a spirituality in nature and people that is measurable and observable. (I was pleasantly surprised to hear Sam Harris say something similar in his book End of Faith and that he had some nice things to say about Buddhism.)
While I do not subscribe to any religion, philosophically I am Buddhist. Its tenets are not interested in describing a pie in the sky afterlife nor is it worried about science disproving it. Its belief are focused on living life in the fullest way we can. In the Face of Fear Buddhist Wisdom for Challenging Times is a collection of essays from some of the most important Buddhist commentators on living a full life in our troubled times. These essays are recent articles that were written during the current recession so they are placing their ideas firmly in front of what troubles us today. The ideas and techniques in the book are simple but perhaps not that easy to master as we hold tenaciously on to our own ideas of what is tragic and what is suffering. Of course meditation, the Four Nobel Truths and other ideas are described yet I think this book was mainly written for the novice and more experienced practitoners, not for the total beginner. If you are not familiar with the main ideas you might want to get a basic primer on Buddhism first. However, this is a font of information and a inspiring book for both the novice and the advanced student of Buddhism.
While I do not subscribe to any religion, philosophically I am Buddhist. Its tenets are not interested in describing a pie in the sky afterlife nor is it worried about science disproving it. Its belief are focused on living life in the fullest way we can. In the Face of Fear Buddhist Wisdom for Challenging Times is a collection of essays from some of the most important Buddhist commentators on living a full life in our troubled times. These essays are recent articles that were written during the current recession so they are placing their ideas firmly in front of what troubles us today. The ideas and techniques in the book are simple but perhaps not that easy to master as we hold tenaciously on to our own ideas of what is tragic and what is suffering. Of course meditation, the Four Nobel Truths and other ideas are described yet I think this book was mainly written for the novice and more experienced practitoners, not for the total beginner. If you are not familiar with the main ideas you might want to get a basic primer on Buddhism first. However, this is a font of information and a inspiring book for both the novice and the advanced student of Buddhism.
October 6, 2009
A very timely book for these very difficult times, In the Face of Fear is a collection of writings by renown Buddhist teachers and leaders. What this anthology seeks to do is bring together teachings from Buddhist practices and philosophy so readers can take away and apply them to his or her own life during times of stress and fear. Whether it's job loss, money problems, or worries about things we can't control, the writers introduce simple meditation methods and the Buddhist way of seeing the world to help the reader learn more about themselves and learn to quiet the heart and mind.
Some of the selections are more successful than others. Perhaps some are translated into English, making the phrasing a bit odd and repetitious - I don't know. Other pieces made me jump up and grab my highlighter pen so I could savor the bits of advice again and again. I know that I will come back to this book for a re-read often.
If you are not familiar with Buddhism, this book would be a wonderful way to learn a little about a religion practiced by over 250 million people in the world.
Some of the selections are more successful than others. Perhaps some are translated into English, making the phrasing a bit odd and repetitious - I don't know. Other pieces made me jump up and grab my highlighter pen so I could savor the bits of advice again and again. I know that I will come back to this book for a re-read often.
If you are not familiar with Buddhism, this book would be a wonderful way to learn a little about a religion practiced by over 250 million people in the world.
October 31, 2009
In the Face of Fear is a collections of essays from leading Buddhist teachers and writers. As a non-Buddhist, I appreciated the insight into Buddhist thought and interpretaion of events that shape our lives. It offers a different perspective on everything from stress (money, family, health related and more), ego, confidence and turning a perceived bad situation into an opportunity. However, not being a practicing Buddhist, I think I also lacked some of deeper meaning of the teachings in the writings.
I think that that this book can be a valuable tool for people going through difficult times in their lives. Ultimately I think this is the type of book that will mean something different and have differnt value to each person who reads it. I appreciate the fact that this book is religous in its teachings, but not the type of book that demands you follow or accept the teachings as the only way. In this sense, the book allows the reader to apply the teachings in the manner that suits them best, which allows them to take the most from it.
I think that that this book can be a valuable tool for people going through difficult times in their lives. Ultimately I think this is the type of book that will mean something different and have differnt value to each person who reads it. I appreciate the fact that this book is religous in its teachings, but not the type of book that demands you follow or accept the teachings as the only way. In this sense, the book allows the reader to apply the teachings in the manner that suits them best, which allows them to take the most from it.
November 18, 2011
Absolutely LOVED this book.
I will defintely read this book again. There is so much wisdom in many of these essays. While there are some essays that are a bit philosophical and need a bit more concentration, most of them are very practical in their approach to handling difficult/stressful/heartbreaking times. There are recommendations for meditation, koans that really do bear more thought and ways to reframe one's thoughts so as to handle difficult things with a more internal sense of stability and peace.
All of the essays do affirm that it is difficult to handle challenging times and none of the authors look on hardship as something that anyone can sail through with a smile. Instead, the authors give great tools and suggestions for how to handle ones self so that life can be appreciated even in the middle of the storm.
Again--LOVED IT! If you are having a difficult time or want to be a bit more prepared for the next challenge you face, this book will help you think about things differently.
I will defintely read this book again. There is so much wisdom in many of these essays. While there are some essays that are a bit philosophical and need a bit more concentration, most of them are very practical in their approach to handling difficult/stressful/heartbreaking times. There are recommendations for meditation, koans that really do bear more thought and ways to reframe one's thoughts so as to handle difficult things with a more internal sense of stability and peace.
All of the essays do affirm that it is difficult to handle challenging times and none of the authors look on hardship as something that anyone can sail through with a smile. Instead, the authors give great tools and suggestions for how to handle ones self so that life can be appreciated even in the middle of the storm.
Again--LOVED IT! If you are having a difficult time or want to be a bit more prepared for the next challenge you face, this book will help you think about things differently.
November 16, 2009
I won this book in a goodreads give away and am glad that I read it. This book offers perspective in dealing with difficult or challenging times. I am not a Buddhist, nor have I had much introduction to buddhist philosophy and, at times, felt like I was lacking important background knowledge when reading this book. Some of the essays were very powerful and introduced me to ideals and values that I would like to implement in my own life. I recommend this book to those going through a difficult time but would not recommend it to friends looking for a fun book to read.
January 11, 2010
I won this book in the Goodreads give away. I read this book slowly--generally one or two chapters at a time. It took me awhile to read it. After each chapter the reader will need to reflect on the content. I found this to be good book to read. It's quit inspirational. Some of the sections gave me ideas on how to try to handle things in my life. Other sections I found a little difficult to understand or at least I did not find them applicable to my life. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for ideas and/or solutions to problems. This would not be a book to read for 'fun'.
March 21, 2012
This was good. I'm currently interested in Buddhism and the wisdom they have discovered through focusing your mind and your life on simplicity, being present, letting go, forgiveness, and the transiency of life. This was a collection of writings from various Buddhist writers. So obviously, some were great and some were not. I got a little bored towards the end and found myself skimming the last few essays but overall I took some good bits of wisdom away.
September 10, 2009
I was excited to learn that I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. While I'm not Buddhist, I enjoyed reading about Buddhist philosophies and practices. Some of the sections of this book resonated with me more than others, but all of the sections were applicable to life in these quickly changing and difficult times.
November 27, 2009
This isn't the kind of book you can just read in one sitting, you want to reflect on each chapter after you read it. It's very inspirational and informative and I highly recommend it to anyone searching for peace in tough times regardless of their beliefs.
July 9, 2014
The collection was uneven, but some of it, especially Norman Fischer, Ezra Bayda, and Sharon Salzberg, were especially helpful. It goes without saying that Pema Chodron's essays were also a highlight.
April 12, 2021
fantastic collection. Some real gems in here that blew my mind. these wisdoms were compiled in the wake of the 2008 financial crash, but are probably even more relevant in a moment of COVID, BLM, and climate crisis.
December 19, 2009
I borrowed this from the public library and ended up enjoying what I had read so far that I bought it.
January 31, 2010
just won it in a giveaway. it hasn't arrived yet but i CAN'T WAIT to read it. it seems like it will be a great book.
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September 30, 2009In the face of fear is a great read.
October 29, 2009
My full review is here on Elephant Journal: http://www.elephantjournal.com/2009/1...
March 7, 2021
lovely short essays to help with this whole life thing. i keep my copy in the john.
September 16, 2013
Nice way to sample the writing of some teachers I don't know, as well as enjoy more of those I already do!
June 23, 2013
Really a helpful anthology, although I thought some of the entries would suggest a skill or technique without adequately explaining it. But I'm sure I'll be returning to this book again.
March 24, 2016
Great collection of essays from various Buddhist writers tackling the challenges of life.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews