Ajahn Brahm is the abbot and spiritual director of the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. He has been a monk for more than 30 years. He is the author of five books including Don't Worry, Be Grumpy, The Art of Disappearing, and Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung?
"Don't just be mindful, be kindful" is the advice given by this former forest monk in the first chapter of this spunky paperback. Brahm states: "Every time we're able to apply wisdom to reduce or overcome our problems, that's kindfulness at work."
Both the past and the future refuse to sit still for portraits and so we tend to see them as burdens. Happy are those who choose "silent present moment"; they will discover that they can incarnate "the golden radiance of kindfulness." This character quality is manifested through letting go, resting the mind in the middle of meditation, making peace with sloth and torpor, coping with restlessness, dealing with doubt, and managing anger. Brahm concludes: "Every obstacle is ultimately something that you can recognize, overcome, and move beyond."
There is a practical dimension to Brahm's presentation of the spiritual practice of kindness that makes it very appealing.
