Steady, Calm, and Brave 25 Buddhist Practices of Resilience and Wisdom in a Crisis

173 Pages·2022·2.905 MB·English

by  Brown, Kimberly

Praise for Steady, Calm, and Brave
“Interweaving engaging personal stories, practical Buddhist wisdom,
and modern psychological insight, Kimberly Brown offers a wealth
of accessible contemplative resources to address the challenges and
experiences so many of us are facing in these times. The warmth and
wisdom I have come to know from her presence are reflected in her
words. May this collection of skillful methods for cultivating kindness
and sanity be of great benefit to beings.”—Dzogchen Ponlop Rin-
poche, author of Rebel Buddha and Emotional Rescue
“Here is grounded, kind advice from a good spiritual friend, and my
friend, Kimberly Brown. We need wise ways to think, especially now
in these fraught times—because by helping ourselves, we can then
help others.”—Venerable Robina Courtin, Buddhist teacher
“With relatable and illuminating stories and clear, practical meditations,
the offerings in Steady, Calm, and Brave are both timely and time-
less.”—Chris Grosso, author of Indie Spiritualist and Dead Set on Living
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Steady, Calm, and Brave
25 Buddhist Practices of Resilience
and Wisdom in a Crisis
Kimberly Brown
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An imprint of Globe Pequot, the trade division of
The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.
4501 Forbes Blvd., Ste. 200
Lanham, MD 20706
www.rowman.com
Distributed by NATIONAL BOOK NETWORK
Copyright © 2023 by Kimberly Brown
Some names and identifying details have been changed and combined to protect the privacy of
individuals.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or
mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission
from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information available
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Available
ISBN 978-1-63388-821-0 (pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN 978-1-63388-822-7 (ebook)
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National
Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/
NISO Z39.48-1992.
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To all my teachers, past, present, and future
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I have arrived, I am home
In the here, in the now
I am solid, I am free
In the ultimate I dwell
—Thich Nhat Hahn1
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Contents
Preface xi
Acknowledgments xv
Notes on the Practices xvii
Chapter 1: How Will I Get through This? 1
Practice 1: Making Room 4
Chapter 2: Don’t Make It Worse 7
Practice 2: Coming to Your Senses 10
Chapter 3: Living with Uncertainty 13
Practice 3: Steady Mind 17
Chapter 4: Suffering Is Not a Dirty Word 19
Practice 4: Saying Yes 22
Chapter 5: Hope and Trust 23
Practice 5: Gladden Your Mind 27
Chapter 6: Love Yourself 29
Practice 6: Learning to Love 32
Chapter 7: Living with Grief and Loss 33
Practice 7: Finding Peace 36
Chapter 8: When Your Family Is Making You Crazy 39
Practice 8: I See You, Anger 43
vii
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Contents
Chapter 9: Watching a Crisis Unfold 45
Practice 9: Opening Your Heart to the World 48
Chapter 10: Just Relax 51
Practice 10: Giving It Up to the Universe 54
Chapter 11: When You Need Help 57
Practice 11: Giving and Receiving 61
Chapter 12: When You’re Mad at the World 63
Practice 12: Letting Your Heart Break 67
Chapter 13: What to Do When You’re Afraid 69
Practice 13: Facing Fear 72
Chapter 14: When Others Behave Badly 75
Practice 14: Letting Go 79
Chapter 15: When You’re Restless and Bored 81
Practice 15: Looking Closer 85
Chapter 16: A Crisis of Faith 87
Practice 16: Restoring Trust 91
Chapter 17: Living Alone in a Crisis 93
Practice 17: Being Here for You 96
Chapter 18: Don’t Lose Yourself 97
Practice 18: Coming Home 100
Chapter 19: Do No Harm 101
Practice 19: Creating Safety 104
Chapter 20: Navigating a Health Crisis 105
Practice 20: May All Be Healed 109
Chapter 21: A Note on Thoughts and Prayers 111
Practice 21: Effective Praying 113
viii
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Contents
Chapter 22: Maybe You Need a Break 115
Practice 22a: Time for Yourself 119
Practice 22b: Mindful Walking 120
Chapter 23: Be Joyful When You Can 123
Practice 23: Sharing Delight 126
Chapter 24: Don’t Be Afraid to Give 129
Practice 24: Gratitude 133
Chapter 25: What’s Next? 135
Practice 25: Awakening to Change 139
Appendix A: Mindfulness Meditation Instructions 141
Appendix B: Metta Meditation Instructions 143
Appendix C: Healing the World Meditation 145
Appendix D: Brahmavihara Paritta: Protection Chant
of the Four Immeasurable Qualities 147
Notes 149
About the Author 153
ix
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