2015 Shang Rinpoche's books

“If we were simply willing to crack open our hearts like a nut, we would find within each of us an inexhaustible love enough to satisfy everyone in the world.” - Shang Rinpoche

Rinpoche currently has three English-language book titles available (and many more in Chinese). The first one is a complete meditation guide and the second two are a compilation of Rinpoche’s articles that were originally posts on his (bi-lingual) Facebook page.

Free and at Ease

"Free and at Ease" is an instruction guide of methods and oral tips for practicing meditation as taught by Shang Rinpoche over the years. It is based on Rinpoche's rich experience with contemplative practices:

• The introduction addresses the purpose, benefits and goals of meditation, including such important questions as who meditation is intended for and "what for?"

• The main body of the book is practical in nature, and is laid out in a progressive manner, starting with advice on an optimal environment and the posture and exercises to enter and exit a session.

• A series of actual meditative practices are then presented, ranging progressively from entry level to more advanced practices.

Fundamentally, all these practices revolve around bringing more mindfulness into your daily life.

In the first two English editions of his written Chinese works on Facebook, Rinpoche offers practical and plainspoken advice on how to courageously face and overcome the challenges every day brings.

Soaring the Winds of Adversity

The first title, "Soaring the Winds of Adversity", offers advice on transforming the way one views life and the obstacles that comes one’s way. It shares a wealth of insight on how to live fully in our rapidly changing world, inviting us to make best use of every moment of our precious life. This advice is often practical, rooted in the realities of our world, while nonetheless not losing sight of the traditional heritage it represents, taking its source as it is in the wellspring of spiritual and philosophical traditions of the East.

Drawing from traditional wisdom as well as secular knowledge, it invites us to:

• open our minds and broaden our horizons
• march forth unabashed by the blows life delivers us
• and develop a vast mind capable of achieving all success.

Braving the Storm of Sorrows

The second volume, "Braving the Storm of Sorrows", much in the same spirit as the first, touches on diverse subjects such as relationships, happiness, and the ever-present human quest for true freedom. Through exploring themes so close to our everyday experience and inviting us to be mindful of every moment that each day offers us,

• it proposes that we become intimately acquainted with our fears and our sorrows, thereby empowering ourselves to transform them into joy and confidence.

• It offers tips on training our minds, so that we may achieve such transformation in the midst of the hustle and bustle of our most-often hectic daily routines.

Braving the Storm of Sorrows thus invites us to take a fresh look at our lives, opening our eyes to witness the abounding opportunities for awakening that our lives are teeming with.