Wrestling with the Angel of Democracy: On Being an American Citizen by Susan Griffin

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What does it mean to be a citizen of the United States? Susan Griffin’s provocative investigation of that question takes us on a breathtaking ride from the Declaration of Independence to the war in Iraq—and to a stunning conclusion: democracy represents nothing less than a revolution in consciousness, and its thrilling vision of freedom and equality is still in the process of being born. Join one of today’s foremost public intellectuals in the top of her form as she blends history, cultural criticism, and memoir into a compulsively readable exploration of the heart of the American vision. The book has earned an extraordinary amount of advance praise. Paul Hawken, author of Blessed Unrest, says that “Griffin has removed the rhetorical clichés from democracy and revealed a breathing, sentient angel of wisdom, now held captive by tyranny, money, and our misplaced faith in authority. This is nothing less than cultural poetry steeped in history and heart.”

Sitting Practice: A Novel by Caroline Adderson

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It only takes a moment for your life to be changed forever—as the characters of this darkly comic tale discover early on. The fateful moment for the newlyweds Ross and Iliana comes with the freak accident that leaves Iliana paralyzed, Ross grief-stricken, and both of them struggling to come to terms with a married life nothing like they originally had in mind. As the usually affable Ross struggles with guilt and with finding ways to cope with his newly fractured life, Iliana gets used to her unwelcome existence as a wheelchair-bound wife, to her husband’s growing sense of alienation, and to their awkward new lack of intimacy. What ultimately happens with Ross and Iliana is as unexpected and surprising as the fateful mishap that sets the events in motion in the first place. Sitting Practice is a clever and insightful study of love’s collision with harsh reality, told by an author with a remarkable instinct for the workings of human nature, a nimble gift for language, and the ability to find humor in the oddest places. Read it and see why Margaret Atwood called Adderson, “A sharp-edged new writer in the take-off phase of her career.”

This Moment Is the Perfect Teacher: Ten Buddhist Teachings on Cultivating Inner Strength and Compassion by Pema Chödrön

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This new program from Shambhala Audio was recorded during a retreat Pema led on lojong, the spiritual practice of working with a series of Tibetan Buddhist sayings to awaken the mind, soften the heart, and reframe our attitude toward the reality we call life. She comments on ten of the fifty-nine slogans, revealing how they can be applied to any situation, making every moment of the day an opportunity for awakening. The program also includes guided instructions in tonglen, a meditation practice in which one takes in the suffering of others and sends out happiness in its place. It’s an exceptionally powerful way to reprogram yourself for loving-kindness and compassion.

Special Offer: Receive Teachings of the Buddha (retails for $6.99) free when you purchase This Moment Is the Perfect Teacher!

The Rules of Victory: How to Transform Chaos and Conflict—Strategies from the Art of War by James Gimian and Barry Boyce

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Sun Tzu’s Art of War is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest tools for understanding and resolving conflict ever. But how do you translate its military language into insights you can use in the corporate committee, the PTA meeting, or the family reunion? James Gimian and Barry Boyce take the principles born on ancient Chinese battlefields and show you how to relate them to the situations of your everyday life. It’s all about learning to identify the underlying dynamic of a situation. Understand that, and you can transform conflict into victory, honorably and with good will. James and Barry are members of the team that produced the critically acclaimed Denma translation of the text, and they also lead seminars, corporate retreats, and leadership programs based on it. They’re experts in teaching how the wisdom of the Art of War can help us navigate the conflicts of our ordinary, everyday lives.

We’re happy to be publishing The Rules of Victory simultaneously as a book and as an audio CD, so you can choose to read or listen (the audio is slightly abridged), according to your needs.

Ocean of Dharma: The Everyday Wisdom of Chögyam Trungpa—365 Teachings on Living Life with Courage and Compassion

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The Tibetan meditation master Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche used to say that wisdom can be taught only in the form of a hint. The teacher, knowing the student’s inherent basic wisdom and goodness, skillfully drops the hint and the teaching blooms within the student—because it was there all along. This is a book of 365 hints from among the innumerable ones Trungpa gave throughout his life of teaching. You can use it as a daybook, reading one of the single-page entries every morning or before you begin meditation, or you can simply dip into it at random. It’s also a great capsule introduction to his teaching if you’re not already familiar with him.

Sign up to receive Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week at oceanofdharma.com.

Embracing Mind: The Common Ground between Science and Spirituality by B. Alan Wallace and Brian Hodel

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The wisdom of the great spiritual traditions has generally been ignored by scientists who study the mind—yet the mind is exactly the area where science and spirituality have a great deal to offer each other. Here a renowned scientist who is also a teacher of Buddhist meditation and philosophy explores the nature of mind from both scientific and spiritual perspectives to present a thrilling new model that incorporates the truths of contemplative spirituality, including Hindu, Christian, Sufi, and Buddhist views. The Dalai Lama says that the book “shows clearly and compellingly how Buddhism and other spiritual traditions may help enrich our understanding of the mind and its role in nature, without reducing it merely to a material function property of the brain.”

Bringing the Sacred to Life: The Daily Practice of Zen Ritual by John Daido Loori

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Sometimes people think of Zen liturgy as an unnecessary accoutrement to practice—a handful of meaningless gestures you have to go through before you get down to the real business of zazen. That view is mistaken, says John Daido Loori. Such acts as chanting, bowing, or offering incense to the Buddha statue are practices in themselves, and should by no means be taken lightly. Each ritual act is a revelation of the sacredness of all things, not only in the liturgy, but in every other moment of our lives. Daido demystifies the elements of the Zen ritual and also provides a simple liturgy practice you can do at home.