Awakening to the Sacred: Creating a
Personal Spiritual Life by Lama Surya
Das
Awakening To The Sacred: Creating A Personal Spiritual Life
Surya Das is like a Buddhist Johnny Appleseed, galavanting across the
countryside, planting seeds of spirituality in bare patches of ground. He
believes that we are all fertile soil for cultivating the sacred in everyday
life. We all have spiritual DNA, he says. In Awakening to the Sacred,
Surya Das heightens his efforts to increase the planets spirituality quotient
by teaching people how to take advantage of their own spiritual resources.
Whether Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, or atheist, we can all enhance our
spiritual side. Certainly meditating is a good way, and theres no one better
to teach us than this limpid lama. But even more familiar activities can
help, like praying, creating a spiritual notebook, or reading spiritual
books--even gardening and walking count. Surya Das excels at
demystifying the mystical and urges the reader to capitalize on resources
closest at hand. No need to look too far when we can draw inspiration and

practices from our own traditions. So take that apple seed, thumb through
Awakening to the Sacred, and nourish those precious roots of spirituality.
--Brian Bruya
Personal Review: Awakening to the Sacred: Creating a Personal
Spiritual Life by Lama Surya Das
The American-born author of this fine book is a Lama in the Dzogchen
lineage of Tibet. He was raised in the Jewish faith, and his unique
background makes him an especially lucid exponent of the principles of
Tibetan Buddhism for Westerners steeped in Judeo-Christian beliefs and
principles.
Lama Surya Das has been engaged in spiritual studies for over thirty years
and sat at the feet of a number of teachers in Asia. He has written several
books, and this one is a particularly good introduction to the spiritual life.
Though the emphasis is on the philosophy and practices of Buddhism,
some of the descriptions of the spiritual path and the problems that many
of us encounter, can be applied for people working in other traditions. The
strongest points of the book and of Lama Surya Das' teachings in general,
are his suggestions for incorporating a sense of the sacred while living an
active Western lifestyle. So often we see writers and teachers extolling the
virtues of a spiritual path that is not compatible with a family life and
career. I once knew an excellent teacher who had some extraordinary
insights. He insisted that anyone who came to learn from him should give
up his or her home, family and career. He did not have that many takers.
This book is far more realistic. The chapters are short, pithy and deal with
many of the more common problems that we might run into as we walk the
spiritual path. They include the practicalities of the establishing a regular
practice as well as issues like the emergence of the dark side of our nature
as we meditate.
There are numerous suggestions for meditation, prayer and chanting.
Many can be found elsewhere, but what sets this book apart is that all the
practices are grounded in daily life.
The book is very engagingly written: clear, insightful, and even some
humor. This is one of my top ten favorite books on practical spirituality.
Highly recommended.
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