The Dharma in Difficult Times

Stephen Cope

Jan 2022 · Penguin Random House Audio · Narrated by Stephen Cope

About this audiobook

How do we make sense of our lives when our world seems to be falling apart?In this beautifully written guide, scholar and teacher Stephen Cope shows that crises don't have to derail us from our purpose-they can actually help us to find our purpose and step forward as our best selves.The Dharma in Difficult Times extends the message of Cope's best-loved book, The Great Work of Your Life, which gave readers a roadmap for the journey to their true calling. As in Great Work, Cope here takes the ancient yogic text the Bhagavad Gita-the epic narrative of the warrior Arjuna's odyssey of self-discovery-as a model for the reader's journey. Then he builds on that foundation using the stories and teachings of famous figures, as well as stories of ordinary people and his own rich personal experience. Along the way, we find striking examples for finding meaning and purpose in our lives: Gandhi shows how to tap our spiritual resources and listen for our inner voice Sojourner Truth and Henry David Thoreau inspire us to seek out the unmistakable signs of dharma in the midst of chaos Marian Anderson and Ruby Sales shed light on dharma's mystic power and how we learn to trust in it And moreIn the spirit of Pema Chodron's When Things Fall Apart, this book is required reading when you find yourself forging a path through crisis-or seeking a way through your darkest times to your truest self.

About the author

Stephen Cope is a Senior Scholar-in-Residence and a Kripalu Ambassador. He is a Western-trained psychotherapist who writes and teaches about the relationship between Western psychological paradigms and the Eastern contemplative traditions. Stephen holds degrees from Amherst College and Boston College. He completed graduate and postgraduate training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy in the Boston area, where he practiced for many years before joining the staff at Kripalu. In its 25th anniversary edition, Yoga Journal named him one of the most important innovators in the developing field of American yoga.