The Practice of Self-Reflection on the Buddhist Path

Dzigar Kongtrul

Read by Pema Chodron

We speak of enlightenment on the spiritual path. But how do we reconcile the idea of enlightenment with what we see in the mirror—when insecurities, doubts, and self-centered tendencies arise in our minds? Dzigar Kongtrul suggests that these experiences are not a problem if we simply let them arise without judging them. And this approach is what he calls self-reflection. Self-reflection is a practice, a path, and an attitude. It is the spirit of taking an interest in that which we usually try to push away. Self-reflection is the common thread that runs through all traditions of Buddhist practice; it breathes life into our practice, protecting it from becoming just another ordinary activity.

 As a student of Dzigar Kongtrul, Pema Chodron's connection to these teachings shines through as she delivers a heartfelt and powerful reading of a book that has inspired her own life.

3 CDs; 3.5 hours