buddhism

Lustrous, totally lustrous... glowing with honesty and compassion.

"Faith" is a word so abused in our times. If you regard faith as mere wishful thinking, rigid ideology, a divisive divine favor bestowed upon an elite few, or (to paraphrase Mark Twain) deciding to believe what you know ain't true, then prepare to shed those lack luster preconceptions.

This is Sharon's personal story. Her losses, her pain, her awakenings, her love and richly earned peace. When I took a workshop on faith with Sharon two years ago, I found her to be warm, candid, and down to earth. These splendid qualities radiate from every page of "Faith." She is a natural teacher, and this book teaches so much.

So, what is "faith?" Open to the present moment, clinging neither to pain nor pleasure, entrust yourself to the boundless compassion that lies at the heart of your spiritual center. Trust what you know about unconditional love, what your own experience teaches you when you do not flinch from it, but compassionately embrace it. And discover through clarity and compassion your interdependent connections with all beings.

Am I close, Sharon? :-)

Namu Amida Butsu... may you be well and happy, and may all of you read this lustrous book.

Faith in a theological context for many people is an act of belief in what one cannot prove. It has been used as a line drawn between those who "believe" and those who do not in a Christian context. But Salzberg's intent in this wonderful text drives at providing us all with a fresh perspective of what faith really is; a definition unassociated with doctrine and theology. A kind of faith in oneself, emphasizing a love and respect for ourselves. This kind of faith unearths our connection to all people, not a faith used as a tool of making you or I a separate entity. Faith doesn't necessarily require belief, it is a trust. A trust in ourselves through a waking up to who we really are. It does not necessarily denote a God, or even no God.

In the book Salzberg discusses her painful youth; she lost her mother very early on and her father was mentally ill. In 1968, Sharon came across Buddhism in a course on Asian philosophy, where she learned of the teachings of the Lord Buddha. She remembers feeling instantly drawn to his messages, in particular the Four Noble Truths. A few years later she was in India at Bodh Gaya doing her first meditative retreat. From that point on for a number of years, Sharon studied with teachers in Burma, Tibet, and India; experiences that ultimately affected her view on just what faith truly means in her life.

This book is the absolute best out there on the subject of faith, and I say that for people of any religion. Salzberg relies on both her years of experience and impressive array of teachers that always challenged her in bringing us this magnificent book.

Salzberg: "Faith is the ability to offer our heart to the truth of what is happening, to see our experience as the embodiment of life's mystery, the present expression of possibility, the conduit connecting us to a bigger reality."

I purchased this book wanting to see someone else's spiritual journey and while there is an element of that journey the book is more about looking for your own personal truth. I think that is a hard thing for most American's to grasp, the idea that a spiritual journey is not just about finding a "God" but really about finding yourself.

Very enjoyable read with nice insights. Well worth the read.