Bringing Home the Dharma: Awakening Right Where You Are

by Jack Kornfield

(Shambhala, 2011)

Dharma is the nature of things, including the nature of our mental lives and the world we live in. Dharma is the “great norm” underlying our world. The teachings of the Buddha are recognized as Dharma. Dharma is the manifestation of reality through the norms of behavior and ethical rules. Dharma includes mental content, objects of thoughts and reflections of a thing in the human mind.

For me I sum up Dharma as simply trying to live with truth in reality, and this concept drew me to Jack’s new book.

I enjoy reading mind books. It seems I always have at least two different approaches going. I guess being a child of the 50s, born in 1950, and coming of age during the counterculture movement, I’m hounded by the neurosis of my era.

Born in 1945, Jack Kornfield  has been on the forefront of the study of self-reflection for us baby boomers. His books have been instrumental in expanding the modern cultural blending of Buddhism and Western Psychology.

After graduating from Dartmouth College in 1967, he trained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, Burma and India. In 1975, he co-founded the insight meditation society in Barre, Massachusetts. He holds a Ph.D in Clinical Psychology. He is one of America’s most respected Buddhist teachers with over 40 years of committed study and practice.

Jack insight is shared with his new book Bringing Home the Dharma: Awakening Right Where You Are. The first section is a reflection for learning who you are. The following sections deal with accepting your place in time now, developing insight about how you got here, and understanding your present through mindful reflection. These lead to developing a spiritual path that fits your perspective amid the ups and downs of daily life.

Jack reviews lessons from three modern masters who influenced him. He addresses some of the problems early Buddhist leaders confronted when opening the doors for the West. This section was very interesting as it dealt with issues like:

1. The sex lives of our modern gurus

2. Drugs and spiritual practice

3. Shadow work or healing personal pains

4. The different interpretations of enlightenment

Jack’s final section offers suggestions about useful daily practices.

Jack also selected and edited The Buddha Is Still Teaching: Contemporary Buddhist Wisdom. Last year I read this and have enjoyed sharing this easy-to-read little book with others. Jack picked out short sections of the lion’s roar from the most highly regarded contemporary Buddhist teachers. These selections revolve around a common theme, for example, compassion and courage. The index of teachers is a Who’s Who and the bibliograpy is an excellent reading list.

Over the years I’ve enjoyed Jack’s writing. Four favorites are:

1. Seeking the Heart of Wisdom: The Path of Insight Meditation with Joseph Goldstein (Shambhala, 1987)

2. A Path with Heart: A Guide through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life (Bantam, 1993)

3. After the Ecstasy the Laundry: How the Heart Grows Wise on the Spiritual Path (Bantam, 2000)

4. The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology (Bantam, 2008)

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