Reading Preparation For Your Men’s Soul Tavern Retreat
- In preparation for our Men’s Soul Tavern Retreat at Lifebridge Sanctuary, in Rosendale, NY – you can get ready by doing some preparation reading before your arrival.
- Below you’ll find a few books that can help get you ready for your Soul Tavern retreat – begin reading the one that most speaks to you, that feels relevant to what you are presently living through. Your reading preparation is a useful way of supporting your internal world, and deepening into your interior, during our retreat.
- Please allow yourself some time and space to give yourself some inner-focused attention over the holidays, as you prepare for the upcoming retreat.
WHEN THINGS FALL APART: HEART ADVICE FOR DIFFICULT TIMES
by Pema Chodron
How do we live our lives in these days when things that we cherish and value seems to be falling apart—when we are continually overcome by fear, anxiety, and pain?
Pema Chödrön suggests that the orientation we need might be just the opposite of what we might expect. Pema shows that moving toward painful situations and becoming intimate with them can open up our hearts in ways we never before imagined. Drawing from traditional Buddhist wisdom, she offers life-changing tools for transforming suffering and negative patterns into habitual ease and surprising joy.
THE WILD EDGE OF SORROW: RITUALS OF RENEWAL AND THE SACRED WORK OF GRIEF
by Frances Weller
Profoundly moving and beautifully written, The Wild Edge of Sorrow is a balm for the soul and a necessary salve for moving together through difficult times.
Grounded in ritual and connection, this book helps us to welcome each grief we experience with care and attention. Reading this book can open us to the feelings, experiences, and sacred knowledge that connect us to each other and ultimately, can make us whole again.
THE ONE LIFE WE ARE GIVEN: FINDING THE WISDOM THAT WAITS IN YOUR HEART
by Mark Nepo
From the author of The Book of Awakening— Nepo crafts a road map for the soul’s journey. It is a helpful guide to being in the world without being overwhelmed by the ways of the world.
The ability to know and tell our stories help us survive what life brings us, and to thrive in the midst of struggle. The One Life We’re Given shows how we can shape the life of the soul, and make sense of our pain, our fear, and the inevitability of loss. When we do, we cans stay open to surprise, to beauty, and to wonder.
Furthering the exploration of the craft of awakening, The One Life We’re Given affirms our purpose: we are here not just to stay alive but to stay in our aliveness.
Additional Resources
PODCAST
THE EZRA KLEIN SHOW – WHY DOES MY MIND KEEP THINKING THAT?
with guest Mark Epstein
Mark Epstein is a psychiatrist and also a Buddhist. He’s spent decades observing the mind through those two distinct traditions, and has written many books that helped build a bridge between them.
He is also a prolific author – from his 1995 landmark book, “Thoughts Without a Thinker,” to his latest work, “The Zen of Therapy.” Ezra Klein thought it would be interesting to talk to Epstein about what he’s learned about the mind after all these decades of observing it.