Smile at Fear: Awakening the True Heart of Bravery [Paperback]

A strong resource for all those seeking greater courage and peace. It provides both a inspirational framework and practical information about the experiential journey of aiming for less fear while embracing life.

Chogyam Trungpa has such an interesting style. It all seems so simple, yet it's really very profound. The book is fairly short and can easily be breezed through in a sitting, but it left me feeling very inspired and even transformed within.

At the heart of the book, as always, is the practice of sitting meditation. This is always the backbone of advancing along the spiritual path - the path of the warrior - so he touches on some basic technique and then brings it up throughout the book. All the inspiration and guidance won't have a lasting effect unless it is put into practice. It's all relayed with a lightness of touch, an airiness that kind of up-lifts you as you read. Gentleness and loving kindness towards yourself and towards all of your experience are also paramount. Opening up to everything, bit by bit, and allowing the sweetness and sadness and the pain in are part of the path. We must feel and understand our fear, and then walk into it, standing tall, regal, with grace and a smile, and continue on through. This must be practiced as well - a kind of meditation in action. This makes us more fulfilled and more adept in the ways of the gentle warrior.

This is some of the heart of this lovely little book. While reading it, you can feel like an autumn leaf being carried down a softly babbling brook as it winds its way along, carrying you closer to the open water that is alight with the glowing reflection of the Great Eastern Sun. Personally, I just love reading Chogyam Trungpa. Reading his books add joy to the path in themselves, but also, when contemplated and absorbed, and when put into practice, can make each of our paths more enlightening and authentic and full of beauty.

So, if you've read Chogyam Trungpa before and you enjoy his style and his teachings, you can't go wrong. If you've never read him before but have an interest in Buddhist ideas (in a secular framework), meditation, living a full-hearted spiritual life filled with love, honesty, dignity and gentle fearlessness - you'll enjoy this. You'll most likely want to read many more of his books as well.