In this book, Pema Chödrön offers life-changing tools for transforming suffering and negative patterns into habitual ease and boundless joy. Drawing from traditional Buddhist wisdom, she advises moving toward painful situations with friendliness and curiosity, rather than trying to escape them. The book emphasizes the importance of embracing uncertainty, impermanence, and groundlessness, and provides practical advice for dealing with difficult emotions like fear, anger, and sadness. Chödrön encourages readers to stay present with their feelings and to cultivate nonaggression and compassion, leading to deeper healing and understanding[1][3][5].
In *The Book of Delights*, Ross Gay offers a genre-defying volume of short, lyrical essays written over one tumultuous year. These 'essayettes,' in the manner of Montaigne, capture Gay’s daily observations and experiences, ranging from the beauty of the natural world to the complexities of race and masculinity. The book emphasizes the importance of delight as a bulwark against casual cruelties and as a way to connect with others, highlighting the shared humanity and mortality that bind us. Gay’s essays are both intimate and political, never shying away from the terrors of living in America while celebrating the small joys that make life worth observing closely[1][3][5].
This book is a sustained meditation on the themes of death, life, and the natural world. It finds solace in the processes of gardens and orchards, where death, sorrow, and loss are converted into nourishing elements. The poems are intimate, conversational, and rooted in personal experiences, highlighting the importance of gratitude and the interconnectedness of human experiences. The collection addresses various emotions, from sorrow and loss to joy and gratitude, and celebrates the beauty and abundance of life[1][3][4].
The book follows the matsutake mushroom, a delicacy in Japan, to explore the unexpected corners of capitalism. It delves into the worlds of Japanese gourmets, capitalist traders, Hmong jungle fighters, industrial forests, and more, highlighting the resilience of the matsutake and the entanglements between various species in surviving and creating new environments. Tsing critiques capitalism and argues for diverse and contingent responses to understand its complexities, emphasizing the importance of multispecies assemblages and the precarious nature of life in the ruins of capitalist systems[3][4][5].
In this book, Pema Chödrön presents teachings from a month-long dathun (retreat) she led in 1989. She argues that true liberation does not come from avoiding suffering but from fully experiencing it. The book encourages readers to say 'yes' to all life's manifestations, including pain and joy, and to find balance by befriending their authentic selves. Chödrön discusses various Buddhist concepts such as the Four Noble Truths, the value of ritual, and the importance of taking refuge in the Three Jewels. She also emphasizes the need to approach life with curiosity, bravery, and compassion, rather than trying to escape discomfort or cling to comfort[2][3][4].
Ross Gay's "Inciting Joy" delves into the transformative power of joy, challenging its dismissal as frivolous. Gay explores how joy can be a radical act of resistance and belonging, particularly amidst grief and sorrow. The essays examine rituals and habits that foster joy, emphasizing its role in building solidarity and care. The book encourages readers to embrace joy as a practice, not just an emotion, and to find connection through shared experiences of sorrow. Gay's personal reflections and insightful observations make "Inciting Joy" a compelling read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of joy's significance.
Ross Gay teaches us how to notice delight and joy in our everyday lives. We discuss: concrete ways to rediscover and capture joy every day; how to rebuild your “delight muscle”; how to dissolve the myth of disconnection between us; and how to “unknow” our people so we can delight in them.
About Ross:
Ross Gay is an American poet, essayist, and professor committed to healing the world through observing and articulating joy, delight and gratitude. He won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry and the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award for his 2014 book, Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, which was also a finalist for the National Book Award for Poetry. A devoted community gardener, Ross is a founding board member of the Bloomington Community Orchard, a non-profit, free-fruit-for-all food justice and joy project. A college football player, he is a founding editor of the online sports magazine Some Call it Ballin'.
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