After The Ecstasy, The Laundry by Jack Kornfield
Paperback 336 Pages Publisher Bantam Books; Reprint Edition Published 2001
$18.00 USD
ISBN-10: 0553378295 Rating:
ISBN-13: 9780553378290
“Enlightenment does exist,” internationally renowned author and meditation master Jack Kornfield assures us. ” Unbounded freedom and joy, oneness with the divine … these experiences are more common than you know, and not far away.”
But even after achieving such realization, after the ecstasy, we are faced with the day-to-day task of translating that freedom into our imperfect lives. We are faced with the laundry.
Drawing on the experiences and insights of leaders and practitioners within the Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and Sufi traditions, this book offers a uniquely intimate and honest understanding of how the modern spiritual journey unfolds — and how we can prepare our hearts for awakening.
Through moving personal stories and traditional tales, we learn how the enlightened heart navigates the real world of family relationships, emotional pain, earning a living, sickness, loss, and death.
Filled with ” the laughter of the wise, ” alive with compassion, After the Ecstasy, the Laundry is a gift to anyone who is seeking peace, wholeness, and inner happiness. It is sure to take its place next to A Path with Heart as a spiritual classic for our time.
Customer Reviews:
Another Big Book of Delicious Wisdom from Master Jack by A. David (UK)
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“If you have read Jack Kornfield’s “A Path With Heart” you might think he had said all there was to say on the subject of Enlightenment and Spiritual Wisdom.
Well, here he is again with yet another big book of inspirational prose – this time showing what to do when we topple off our perch and the halo slips to one side. Jack is an ordained Buddhist monk who trained as a clinical psychologist in order to teach Eastern mysticism through Western terms.
His work is at once humorous and profoundly wise, filled with snatches of poetry and quotes from people like Thich Nhat Hanh, Rumi, Proust, Emily Dickinson – oh yes, and Buddha, Jesus, the Dalai Lama and a few other spiritual heavyweights of whom you may have heard! Like “A Path With Heart”, this is a book you will want to have by your bedside for the rest of your reading, thinking, breathing life.
Because even saints have to come down from the cloud of ecstasy to do the laundry sometime – and if you don’t happen to be a saint, your “agony” will be made a lot easier by the no-nonsense messages of hope and inspiration contained in these pages.”
A must for those on the spiritual path! by Ms Noone (Switzerland)
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“It was with mixed feelings that I ordered this book, anticipating that it may just be like one of the millions of self-help books out there. What a surprise and absolute delight when I started reading! The book is practical and offers down to earth insights on concepts like ‘enlightenment’, ‘detachment,’ which show up as buzzwords in other books but have very little meaning for the beginner who is exploring his/her insights and growth.
It was encouraging and humbling to read how the greats like Buddha, Jesus, Dalai Lama–all suffered or suffer from being human, giving in to bouts of anger, despair and discontent. How wonderful to read that ‘seeing the light’ does not guarantee immunity from illness, divorce, drug addictions–all the experiences of being human. An especially poignant moment for me was when Jack explained that personal evolution did not mean getting rid of bad habits, feelings, memories but rather to understand and embrace them as part of this whole thing called life. There is a great analogy of the ‘poison tree’ where the natural tendency is to cut it down or uproot it. Rather, we should put a fence around it and acknowledge it as being there.
I highly recommend this book for those that have started meditating and introspection as often we have no idea what ‘enlightenment’ looks like, where to find it and how long it lasts. This book will put your mind at ease and is like a soothing balm during those turbulent and trying times on the journey. I feel so much ligher (maybe ‘enlightened’ even!) since reading this book and periodically pick it up on the ‘laundry days.’ It just uplifts me and reminds me that everything is ok as it is. “
Jack at his best by S. Lionheart (Whaley Bridge, High Peak, Uk)
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“Kornfield’s book ‘A Path with Heart’ was hard act to follow but this book is also a gem. It is the nitty gritty reality of daily life – coming home from retreat feeling almost enlightened(!)and facing all that laundry – life goes on.
He really does put things clearly and re inspire one to persevere on the path. I am hugely grateful for this book. He includes compelling stories of people’s efforts from all traditions to translate the freedom and experience of union with the divine in to the daily life of difficult relationships, struggles with earning a living, sickness, betrayal and death. Full of practical suggestions and alive with compassion and humour.“
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