Book Giveaway and Review: A Lamp in the Darkness

Update: The winners for this giveaway have already been chosen. Subscribe to Tiny Buddha for daily or weekly emails and to learn about future giveaways!

The 5 winners:

• AngelKiss64
• Allen
• Laurilie
• RLDonnelly1217
• Samantha

“Sometimes we have to go right into the fire in order to find our true healing.” ~Jack Kornfield

No matter who you are, no matter what you’ve accomplished, no matter how well you’ve planned, you will deal with challenges in life. We all will. And many times, they will hit us unexpectedly.

We will all lose things and people we love. We will all make mistakes and have to deal with their consequences. We will all experience the pain of declining health, either in our own blood and bones, or as a bystander to people we love.

When we feel hurt, or angry, or terrified, or weak, we often try to numb it in one way or another—sometimes because we’re afraid the pain will break us, and other times because we’re ashamed of just how fragile we are.

We may not always remember it, but we are simultaneously strong; and no matter how many times we break down, we can grow, heal, and prosper.

In his book, A Lamp in the Darkness: Illuminating the Path Through Difficult Times, Jack Kornfield helps us access our inner calm and wisdom to do just that.

I received this resource at a time when I couldn’t have needed it more. Doctors had just identified numerous large tumors and cysts in my body, and I was awaiting test results.

After initially responding with resistance and terror, I waded deep into hours of uncertainty, where I realized my deepest pain was coming from my fears, obsessive thoughts, and ensuing emotions. Luckily, I soon learned that I’m in no immediate danger, but I know there will be other times when threats will be real—not just for me, but for all of us.

In those moments, we will need to depend on our own capacity for equanimity, even if we feel powerless and scared. A Lamp in the Darkness guides us there.

A bestselling author and renowned spiritual teacher, Kornfield weaves poignant stories of surviving and thriving with simple guidance to help us understand and work through our suffering.

This isn’t a book that urges you to smile, let go, and move on. Instead it takes you deep into the darkness of your pain to help you access your internal light—what Kornfield calls “The one who knows.”

Described as a program that provides “profound tools for doing the work of the soul,” the book comes with a companion audio CD, which features guided meditations for compassion, forgiveness, healing, and peace.

Though Kornfield has trained as a Buddhist monk, his writing is accessible and timeless, not bound by dogma or religious ideology. Simple and clear, A Lamp in the Darkness is brief at less than 125 pages, but that doesn’t detract from its wisdom or power.

I read this book in just two days, and highlighted numerous passages that comforted me, providing gentle reassurance that even the most difficult feelings eventually fade. This is a book of hope, encouragement, and empowerment, rooted in the belief that we can handle any sorrows and even transform them into joys.

“Something holy happens when we’re strong enough to turn and face the tears we’ve held inside. It creates a space inside us that we can honorably fill with joy, once our tears have all been wept out completely.” ~Jack Kornfield

If you’re ready to face your tears, I highly recommend Jack Kornfield’s A Lamp in the Darkness: Illuminating the Path Through Difficult Times.

 About the Author

Jack Kornfield, Ph.D., is a writer, clinical psychologist, and one of the world’s foremost meditation and spiritual teachers. A practitioner for over 40 years, he is one of the key teachers to introduce mindfulness and Vipassana meditation to the West. Kornfield is a founding member of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts and Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California. His books include After the Ecstasy, the Laundry, Buddha’s Little Instruction Manual, Teachings of the Buddha, and the national bestseller, A Path with Heart, among others.

About the Book

• Soft cover: 125 pages
• CD: 1 hour, 19 minutes
• Publisher: Sounds True, Incorporated
• Language: English
• Amazon price: $14.48

*Please note that the Amazon price now reads $19.95, for the hard cover version, and the pages number is listed at 248–quite a bit longer than the review copy I received!

How to Win one of 5 free copies of A Light in the Darkness

1. Subscribe to Tiny Buddha, for either daily or weekly emails.

2. Comment on this post.

3. Share this link on your Facebook page or tweet the following: RT @tinybuddha Book Giveaway and Review: A Lamp in the Darkness http://bit.ly/oOULjP

You can enter until Sunday, September 4^th at midnight PST. I will email the winners directly on Monday, September 5^th.

Sending you love and light, friends!

FTC Disclosure: I receive complimentary books for reviews and interviews on tinybuddha.com, but I am not compensated for writing or obligated to write anything specific. I am an Amazon affiliate, meaning I earn a percentage of all books purchased through the links I provide on this site.

About Lori Deschene

Lori Deschene is the founder of Tiny Buddha. She started the site after struggling with depression, bulimia, c-PTSD, and toxic shame so she could recycle her former pain into something useful and inspire others to do the same. You can find her books, including Tiny Buddha’s Gratitude Journal and Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal, here and learn more about her eCourse, Recreate Your Life Story, if you’re ready to transform your life and become the person you want to be.

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