In this life-changing book, acclaimed Buddhist teacher Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche shows how to free yourself from being a slave to your emotions by harnessing - rather than falling victim to - their power.

Emotions bring color and meaning to our lives, but they can also put us on an exhausting roller-coaster ride that takes us to blissful peak states, the depths of delusion and despair, and everything in between. People are driven by their emotions to marry and to murder (sometimes the very person they chose to marry!). It is only by learning to relate to our emotions skillfully that we benefit from their richness and glean wisdom, rather than letting them control us. Emotions get their power from a simple but deep-seated source: our lack of self-knowledge. When we bring awareness to our experience of emotions, something truly amazing happens - they lose their power to make us miserable.

In this book, renowned Buddhist teacher Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche leads us through the three steps of his Emotional Rescue Plan. First, Mindful Gap is the practice of creating a safe distance between you and your emotions, which gives you the psychological space to work with their energy. Clear Seeing involves recognizing the bigger picture. Finally, Letting Go is the practice of releasing stressful physical and emotional energy through physical exercise, relaxation, and awareness. With each step, you become increasingly familiar with the inner workings of your emotions, seeing straight to the heart of your anger, passion, jealousy, and pride; even ignorance and fear become transparent. With time and practice, anxiety and doubt give way to trust and confidence.

Emotional Rescue: How to Work with Your Emotions to Transform Hurt and Confusion into Energy that Empowers You, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Tarcher Perigee,

Paperback,
272 pages, $15.00

The 7th Dzogchen Ponlop (Karma Sungrap Nged�n Tenpa Gyaltsen, born 1965) is an abbot of Dzogchen Monastery, founder and spiritual director of Nalandabodhi, founder of Nitartha Institute for Higher Buddhist Studies, a leading Tibetan Buddhist scholar, and a meditation master. He is one of the highest t�lkus in the Nyingma lineage and an accomplished Karma Kagyu lineage holder.

	Acknowledgments	xi
	Introduction	xiii
	Part One Working with Emotions	1
1	Getting to Know Your Emotions	3
2	Mindfulness is the Key	21
3	Help is on the Way	45
4	Getting the Big Picture	61
5	A Sign of Relief	75
7	Thoughts and Emotions	91
	Exercises and Pointers: Notes on Further Training	123
8	Mindful Gap: Look	127
	Mindfulness at the Kitchen Sink	127
.	A Shift in Perception	128
	The Flow of Activity	130
	Daily Reminders	132
	Catch and Release	133
9	Clear Seeing: Explore	139
	Your Personal Limits	139
	Your Emotional Habits in Relationships	142
	Compasion in Your Community	144
	How You Speak and Listen to Others	145
	Listening with Your Heart	150
10	Letting Go: Relax	155
	Relax Where You Are	155
	Connect with Your Senses	157
	Fresh Sight	158
	Natural Sound	160
	Bright Smell	161
	Pure Taste	162
	Clear Touch	163
11	It's Not About Being Perfect	167
	Who Are Your Role Models	167
	Review Your Goals and Intentions	168
	If You're Making ann Effort, You're Making Progress	170
	Part Two Exploring Emotions Further: A Classic Buddhist Approach	173
12	Way of the Buddha	175
13	The Warrior on the Battlefield	181
14	What is a Buddhist	191
15	Pandora's Box	201
16	Restoring Balance	209
17	Dealing With Difficult People	221
18	A Vision of Peace	239
	Index	245