Bringing Home the Dharma: Awakening Right Where You Are by Jack Kornfield

Bringing Home the Dharma: Awakening Right Where You Are Reviews

• 
  Tanya McGinnity

  
  http://fullcontactenlightenment.com/2...
  
  Jack Kornfield’s book “Bringing Home the Dharma” truly does bring it right home. It is one of those easy to read, yet infinitely wise books that delivers exactly what you expect from it and unveils some gem of wisdom precisely at the moment when you need it. I just love books like this one, that when weeks, months and years from reading it, the writing transcends time and it remains relevant. The book is somewhat light in tone, but by no means lightweight in content. The best way I can describe this book is “practical, enjoyable and essential” and it does top my list as one of the best Buddhist books from 2011 for it’s ability to be a good read regardless of the number of years one has spent studying and practicing, whatever age one is, as well as without requiring adherence to a specific flavour of Buddhism, be it Tibetan, Zen, Theravada and so on. There is truly something for everyone within this book.
  
  The main premise of “Bringing Home the Dharma? is that in every area of our lives there is an opportunity to discover and practice sacredness and by engaging in meditation, we learn how to calm our minds and be more mindful, aware, compassionate and open to what is around us.
  
  Much of “Bringing Home the Dharma” speaks to the necessity to practice meditation and awareness as a mans to help alleviate us from suffering as well as to stop manifesting this suffering in our world and spreading it outwards to others. I appreciated Kornfield’s honest discussion of the fact that meditation isn’t always easy or isn’t necessarily the immediate panacea that will cure what ails us, however if we stick with it, the benefits can be seen with time. An entire chapter is dedicated to “Perils, Promises and Spiritual Emergency on the Path” which is essential reading for anyone engaged with Buddhist practice.
  
  “Bringing Home the Dharma” begins with an investigation into the human experience and the possibility for enlightenment while engaged in the world as it’s not just the providence of those cloistered away in mountain caves. Kornfield makes no bones about the need to meditate in order to set the stage for the ability to see be wise and compassionate in our world and to help prepare the mind for the many distractions, challenges and opportunities presented to us in our daily lives.
  
  With both a reverence for tradition and a deep bow towards modern Buddhism, Kornfield’s personality really shines in this work, but like a true Bodhisattva, he places the spotlight on some of Buddhism’s heavy hitters such as Ajahn Chah, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Dipa Ma Barua, Suzuki Roshi and others who have personally influenced him on his personal path. Much of Kornfield’s personal experience is shared in this book as his practice has spanned over 40 years and has propelled him to found both the Insight Meditation Society as well as Spirit Rock Meditation Centre.
  
  Kornfield devotes many pages of the book to the joys and pitfalls of modern-day life in taking on subjects such as dharmic life and politics, conscious parenting, psychotherapy, relationships, sex, celibacy and drugs. With each chapter, I was left feeling like I had learned something new, had a name, organization or topic to investigate deeper and was given something to think about further. This is the mark of a great teacher indeed.
  
  There is just so much covered within “Bringing Home the Dharma” that to write a truly exhaustive review would take days, even months. I would encourage you to read it for yourself, devour the wisdom that Jack Kornfield has provided and then thank me later for encouraging you to pick up this book.
  
• 
  Julia Glassman

  I was excited to read this book because, with an infant and a fulltime job, I have barely any time to meditate, let alone attend retreats. I was especially happy to see a chapter on parenting. I thought this book was going to be what the title makes it sound like--a guide to practicing Buddhism as a layperson.
  
  I was disappointed, though, to see that the book is actually a collection of reprinted essays devoted to everything from biographies of Buddhist masters to descriptions of jhana states. I can tell you right now, there's no way I'm reaching any jhana state with my schedule! So what are essays like this one doing in a book that purportedly tells you how to "awaken right where you are?"
  
  Furthermore, Kornfield has a habit of repeating his anecdotes. I recognized many of the stories in this book from A Path With Heart (which, by the way, has an entire chapter reprinted in here). Some of them are illuminating, yes, but their repetition makes otherwise good essays seem sloppy.
  
  Overall, Bringing Home the Dharma gave me the impression that Kornfield's publisher wanted another book and had him throw something together.
• 
  yenni m

  This was an audio read that took ages, multiple states and abandons, but it went well this year with evening summer walks.
  
  I liked getting to know Jack Kornfield some more since doing an insight course of his. I prefer his writing to his meditations actually. He seems very chill, very consistent with ensuring he's human like the rest of us, woes and all.
  
  I respect his transparency regarding different branches of Buddhism, their presence in the US, and the centre he helped create that holds no such order as better or worse.
• 
  Estela

  “Acceptance is not passivity. It is a courageous step in the process of transformation.” --Page 7
  
  What an amazing and eye opening book. I absolutely love Buddhist teaching and Jack Kornfield has a great way of using anecdotes and explaining the practices of the Buddha in this book. Very beautifully written and well organized, this book is broken up into sections anyone can easily refer back to. I definitely recommend reading about Kornfield’s journey through the Buddhist practice and finding his awakening over the years of his life. The practice is completely manageable and if you’re open to it, you can find awakening through this book, but as Kornfield has expressed, it is something you must keep up with and continue to practice throughout your life.
  
  "Over the centuries, the seed has grown and produced an enormous and wonderful tree, which has a trunk and branches, flower and fruit. Some people claim that the roots are the true Buddhism; others claim, "No, it's the great trunk of the tree," or "the fruit of Vajrayana," or "the roots of Theravada Buddhism." In fact, all parts of the tree support one another. The leaves give nourishment back to the roots; the roots draw moisture and minerals, bringing nourishment up to the leaves, and they in turn provide support for the flowers and the fruit. It is all part of the whole, and to understand that is to see the creative and dynamic forces that were set loose from the seed of the Buddha's awakening."--Page 206
• 
  Satia

  This is a collection of previously published although expanded articles. As a result, there is a lot of redundancy in what Kornfield says. I was not aware that this book is a compilation, rather than a single thematically tied discussion of Buddhism. If Kornfield were less of a writer, I would have disliked the book. I highly recommend reading this book slowly--one chapter at a time. Ideally, the stories won't sound repetitive with enough distance between readings. For more:
  
  
  http://satiasreviews.blogspot.com/201...
• 
  BJ

  I have read most of Jack Kornfield's books and listened to several of his lectures. I've heard all the stories multiple times, and in different variations. Unfortunately you'll have to read all those things again if you've already done that. But you should, because they're presented in a different context in many ways.
  
  I enjoyed revisiting all the old stories and advice, but this had a lot I had not yet heard. Most especially about some of his more personal accounts of what monk life was like day to day, stuff about sex and drugs relative to American culture, as well as experiences with some of the great masters that have influenced American Buddhism and some of it's great teachers.
  
  Usually I try to explain who might like this and who might not like it. But I feel like everyone should read this book.
  
  
• 
  Kasey

  Contains a lot of good messages about mindfulness and unity one should strive for with the environment surrounding oneself. Although written more like a bunch of essays roughly tied together, I think there is a lot people can take away from this work. I especially appreciate the chapter on sexuality in spirituality and the mediations on love, relationships and self-forgiveness in the end of the book
• 
  Brian Griffith

  Kornfield's explanations of the Buddhist path are models of straight-forward clarity that I think should speak to almost any Western person. His tales of personal struggle and healing are moving no matter how many times he may have told them before. In looking at the North American sangha as a whole, he has a trans-sectarian overview that respects differences and goes for the whole picture. However, in speaking of the issues of Buddhism in North America, he has to start talking like a community leader and a manager of teaching centers, etc. Much as we may avoid the term, it's a sort of organized religion, where leaders have to manage facilities and do public relations. Kornfield plays the leadership role capably, probably with sensitivity to everyone concerned. But in this part of the book, it's like he's bringing mindfulness to a job. I personally like it better when he's speaking directly of his own discoveries, rather than speaking on behalf of a community.
• 
  Mack Hayden

  One of my reading goals for the year was to get acquainted with Eastern religions and Buddhism specifically. This is only my second book in that vein, but I really learned a lot from it and look forward to reading more of Jack Kornfield specifically. His prose and presentation both seem to grow out of his desire to make the philosophy and teachings of Buddhism accessible to the common Westerner. There's a lot of psychological depth here, both in the material itself and in the stories Kornfield tells to illustrate it further. My main critique is that it felt a little too random and jumbled together at points. There were a few ideas I wished were developed further and I hope I can maybe find that sort of thing in his other books.
• 
  Roben

  Thanks to Jack Kornfield, I took a slow and mindful read. The desire to bring meditation into my life is now fully blown, having never been so convincingly presented to me. Kornfield's essay collection rolled out topics in which I have always longed to delve: forgiveness, becoming more conscious as parents, realizing our full potential. His open hearted approach IS enlightened. Practices at the end of the book give me some practical beginnings.
• 
  Sunil

  I thought it was a reasonable synthesis of other Kornfield's works. Naturally, some anecdotes were retold and there was a long chapter on spirit rock that read far too long and a felt a bit like an advert. That was unnecessary. I'd say it's not for a beginner to buddhism - either in a practical or conceptual sense. If you are new to buddhism, and would like to understand its philosophy or practice meditation etc, you'd be better with referring to other Jack Kornfield works.
• 
  Melody

  Although I am not a Buddhist, this was a good read. A good broad stroke read into the basic topics. Several chapters were insightful such as parenting, forgiveness, etc.
• 
  Michael Jones

  I really appreciate this book from Jack Kornfield. The insights of his personal experiences, blended with the many different perspectives of his teachers and the teachers he has met and worked with during his many years of practice give the reader a broad basis on which to build an understanding, and maybe even a practice.
  One of the most interesting teachings in the book is the discussion on antidotes to the five hindrances. Kornfield describes the differences and advantages to the concept of "let it be" rather than the more often heard "let it go." This was a particularly useful section for me..
  The stories of the various masters, the styles of teaching, the retreats and monasteries, and the Sangha involved in each situation are both interesting and informative.
  I don't necessarily agree with everything he writes. For instance, my opinion differs from his statement that "the most authentic Buddhist practice" only resides in secluded monasteries (p194), and then he concludes with the statement that "Western buddhism" is being taught and practiced in non-monastic, more lay-oriented settings. Is less "authentic" also less good? I'm not clear on the full intent of this.
  However, I have thoroughly enjoyed the book and it will serve as a great reference (lots of post-its are attached to the pages of my copy now).
• 
  Victoria

  I love Jack Kornfield... reading one of his books or listening to one of his meditations just puts me at ease with myself and the world in general. This book was a comprehensive overview of many of his teachings as well as a summary of his life’s learnings and professional contributions...He also shares his commentary on other well known Buddhist writers... The book was so full of things I want to go back and reread, that even though I had the audible version, I wanted the actual book so I can go back through it with my highlighter and pen for marginal notations. I keep telling myself to buy the book if it’s non fiction and use audible for fiction - though the good fiction I read is so well written I often have to highlight passages in those as well. Bravo for Jack on another wonderful book... I have a little section in my personal library that is for Jack specifically.
• 
  Jerry Rocteur

  Probably one of the better books I have read recently .
  It taught me a lot of things about Buddhism from the writings of someone who has studied under many teachers and understands the difference between the believes about Buddhism and especially enlightenment.
  Unfortunately Mr Kornfield does have a tendency to be verbose and sometimes this is off putting, I did skip a couple of sections but all in all very enjoyable and recommended.
  You will learn things you didn't know you needed to be aware of.
• 
  Shelly

  I wanted to like this more than I did. I've read a lot of dharma books, and generally enjoy them, but had to force myself to finish this one. I felt like it had some good topics, information and points made, but it was written in a way that was all over the place as far as topic continuity (or lack of it). Some interesting stories about his early teachers and experiences, but also some sections that dragged on too long.
• 
  Sara

  This was a lovely collection of essays, some of which I'd read in other forms in some of Kornfield's other collections. I especially enjoyed his open-hearted attitude towards integrating psychedelic states, the issue of using prescription medication while also being a meditator, and some of his explications of deep meditative states. Other than that, there was nothing new here: just good old dharma that always makes me feel a little more even-handed than I was before.
• 
  Tim Rose

  Love this book. For anyone interested in mindfulness or Buddhism, this is a great book of chiseled wisdom. It is a book to savor and ponder. I greatly benefited from Jack’s classic A Path with Heart years ago. This is a wonderful addition. The narrator Eduardo Ballerini has an amazing voice, perfect for this material. He could read the ingredients on a box of twinkies and make it all sound good. 😜
• 
  steve

  I'm not sure Kornfield had a specific purpose for this book--part memoir, part history, part evangelical, part magical. Mentions of the possibility of actual time travel and bodily demilitarization like the Star Trek Energizer. But then also really practical advice on letting go.
• 
  Oleksiy Kovyrin

  The first mindfulness-related book that I’ve read that talks openly about the struggles of a real spiritual journey. He goes deep into the struggles of the path and touches on many aspects not covered in the literature focused on beginner meditation practitioners.
• 
  Rex Jenkins Jr.

  Jack is an amazing teacher and meditator. I used to listen to all his podcasts, but have not in a while. I don't really focus on Buddhism a whole lot anymore since there is so much more that is grabbing my attention. I still recommend this book to anyone interested in this wonderful teacher.
• 
  Heather

  3.5 stars Some chapters felt relevant to me and others
  had information that wasn’t meaningful to me - at least right now.
• 
  Ocl

  This is the perfect inspiration for those interested in practicing Mindfulness.
• 
  Maerin Renee

  Inspiring read for the lay practitioner.
• 
  Tricia Florence

  Excellent. Shows much wisdom and insight.
• 
  Stephanie

  Really good at laying out the differences between Asian and Western Buddhism.
• 
  Jaime Louise

  Book about being present in the moment and how to do this with compassion and care.
• 
  Mountain Girl

  3.5 stars