Books › The Places That Scare You
The Places That Scare You
A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times
First published 2002 · 240 pages
A gentle, grounding hand on your shoulder when the world feels too overwhelming to face.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting down for tea with a remarkably wise, infinitely patient friend who refuses to let you hide from your own life. The pace is steady and deliberate, inviting you to pause, breathe, and digest its teachings rather than rush through them. It wraps you in a grounding, contemplative mood, offering a quiet refuge from the noise of anxiety and avoidance. The prose is stripped of academic jargon, relying instead on clear, conversational wisdom and relatable anecdotes that make profound Buddhist concepts feel immediately applicable. It is a deeply comforting experience, designed for anyone who feels overwhelmed by the world and wants to learn how to lean into discomfort with an open, courageous heart.
- Mood
- grounding
- contemplative
- comforting
- quiet
- Tone
- compassionate
- pragmatic
- gentle
- direct
- wise
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- embracing uncertainty · leaning into discomfort · cultivating compassion · spiritual resilience · overcoming fear
- The writing
- Clear, conversational, and deeply accessible, translating profound Buddhist philosophy into everyday language.
- The arc
- Moves from a state of anxious avoidance to a grounded, open-hearted acceptance of life's inevitable difficulties.
- Who it's for
- Readers feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, grief, or global chaos who are seeking a gentle but firm guide to facing their inner lives.
Content notes
- discussions of grief
- anxiety
- existential dread
About the book
When I was about six years old I recieved the essential bodhichitta teaching from an old woman sitting in the sun.
Description from Open Library.
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