e-Sangha discussion

I started reading this book a couple weeks ago. I'm about 55 pages in and for the life of me I'm not getting anything out of it. I'm thinking about putting it aside for a while and reading more Pema Chodron. Has anyone else read it? What did they think of it?

Thank you.

That's funny. Shambhala (and particularly this book) has been one of the guiding lights of my life.

Ok??

Gaynel - what interests you most in Pema's books? Though Pema is in Trungpa Rinpoche's lineage, they come from different perspectives. When he was teaching it was a particularly hopeful period when it was thought that transformational teachings were the key to transforming society. Hence Rinpoche's presentation of a kind of secular Dharma that anyone can use to break old habit patterns and find freedom in their regular lives. Rinpoche spoke often of getting down to the 'kitchen sink' level of reality. Pema seems to have found that the prime delusion among many of us in the West is this feeling we have that we are not deserving or just not good and her teachings on bringing compassion to yourself and Basic Goodness' are very useful. If you are looking for that from Trungpa Rinpoche try 'Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving Kindness,' though they are also in Shambhala. The Mahayana Lojong teachings in 'Training the Mind' are Trungpa Rinpoche's teachings that seem to have most strongly influenced Pema's view in my opinion, though Pema has also been strongly influenced by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, Suzuki Roshi and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche as well. I hope that was helpful...