Voices of Insight [Hardcover]

Sharon Salzberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 30, 1999

The founding of the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in 1975 heralded a fresh expression of Theravada Buddhism among lay practitioners in the West. Today this flourishing tradition offers a path to liberation suited to people of our own time and place, amidst our own families and communities. Here is the first collection of writings by leading teachers of insight meditation who have taught at IMS: Joseph Goldstein on "The Science and Art of Meditation," Jack Kornfield on "Path of Parenting, Path of Awakening," Larry Rosenberg on "Moving into Deep Silence," Sylvia Boorstein on "Perfecting the Heart," Carol Wilson on "The First Buddhist Women," and many others. In all, seventeen men and women—hailing from North America, Hawaii, England, Australia, and South Africa—share their intimate experiences of the practice of mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation; their understanding of the basic teachings of the Buddha; the lessons they learned from their own teachers; and advice on following the Buddha Dharma in relationships, work, and spiritual practice. Contributors include: Steve Armstrong, Sylvia Boorstein, Christina Feldman, Joseph Goldstein, Narayan Liebenson Grady, Bhante Gunaratana, Gavin Harrison, Jack Kornfield, Kamala Masters, Michele McDonald-Smith, Larry Rosenberg, Sharon Salzberg, Rodney Smith, Steven Smith, Ajahn Sumedho, Christopher Titmuss and Carol Wilson. All royalties from this book will be donated to Ram Dass—author of Be Here Now and other modern spiritual classics, who recently suffered a major stroke—in gratitude for his teachings and in support of his ongoing medical needs.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

You don't have to be a practicing Buddhist to thoroughly appreciate these informative and engaging essays written by members of The Insight Meditation Society. Like a carefully prepared cup of green tea, each of these pieces is quieting to the psyche while energizing to the soul.

The teachings of IMS revolve around Theraveda Buddhism, which in the West translates into a commitment to insight, moral integrity, and compassion. As a result, these themes resonate throughout. For example, Steven Smith speaks about the insight he gained from the death of a friend--it helped him grasp the sacredness of friendship. In another essay, Michele McDonald-Smith talks about accidentally locking her car keys and her other sandal in her car. From this anecdote she begins to ponder what it would be like "to live like a guesthouse"--always ready to receive the unexpected guests and situations that come to us in everyday life. It is the use of personal stories that make these Buddhist gleanings so satisfying and accessible. As editor Sharon Salzberg explains in her introduction, "We are unfolding a tradition that speaks of current challenges, our own triumphs, and our unique lessons.... It is a significant step in the transmission of a living truth." --Gail Hudson

From Publishers Weekly

In 1976, Salzberg, Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfield, young Americans returned from studying Buddhism in Asia, founded Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Mass. Today, IMS, which conveys ancient Buddhist teachings to modern Westerners, serves on the front lines of American Buddhism. Seventeen IMS retreat leaders have now contributed essays, most original, to a collection that's extraordinary not only for the depth of wisdom made accessible through a range of approaches, from memoir to history to abstract analysis, but for the high quality of much of the prose. Goldstein's "The Science and Art of Meditation" is as clear and fresh an introduction to meditation practice as exists anywhere. "Natural Freedom of the Heart," Kornfield's recollection of hard studying in the Thai forest with the "meditation master" Ajahn Chan, conveys powerfully how determination and integrity are indispensable companions along the path. Sylvia Boorstein's two bright essays offer sound advice cloaked in welcome good humor. Other exceptional writings are offered by Gavin Harrison, Christopher Titmuss and Carol Wilson. Not every piece is exemplary: Larry Rosenberg kvetches too much about modern society before delivering a brilliant rumination on silence, and a few other contributors fail to anchor their thoughts in concrete examples. Woven throughout, via introductions and her concluding essay, "Becoming the Ally of All Beings," are Salzberg's own elegant words, which emphasize the practice of loving-kindness. This book is not only a major work of American Buddhism, but anyone who buys it does a good deed: all royalties will be donated to a fund for the care of the American spiritual pioneer Ram Dass, who is recovering from a stroke. (Nov.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 281 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala; 1ST edition (November 30, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570623988
• ISBN-13: 978-1570623981
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #398,614 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sharon Salzberg has been a student of Buddhism since 1971, and leading meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. She teaches both intensive awareness practice (vipassana or insight meditation) and the profound cultivation of lovingkindness and compassion (the Brahma Viharas). She is a co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts and The Barre Center for Buddhist Studies.

Sharon's latest The Kindness Handbook, published by Sounds True, and she has recently begun to blog for the Huffington Post, www.huffingtonpost.com. She is also the author of The Force of Kindness, published by Sounds True; Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience, published by Riverhead Books; Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness and A Heart as Wide as the World, both published by Shambhala Publications; and co-author with Joseph Goldstein of Insight Meditation, a Step-by-Step Course on How to Meditate (audio), from Sounds True. She has edited Voices of Insight, an anthology of writings by vipassana teachers in the West, also published by Shambhala.

Sharon Salzberg is cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts. She has played a crucial role in bringing Asian meditation practices to the West. The ancient Buddhist practices of vipassana (mindfulness) and metta (lovingkindness) are the foundations of her work. "Each of us has a genuine capacity for love, forgiveness, wisdom and compassion. Meditation awakens these qualities so that we can discover for ourselves the unique happiness that is our birthright." For more information about Sharon, please visit: www.SharonSalzberg.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful and Tasty Teachings, December 30, 1999

By 

Ruth Nelson (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Voices of Insight (Hardcover)

"Voices of Insight" is a collection of essays by a variety of western Buddhist teachers, all of whom teach at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Mass. I have practiced with many of them, and so for me this book contains the familiar voices of friends. And so I was especially delighted by the fresh taste and the heartfulness of this book, and by how much I learned from reading it. There is a breadth and depth in this collection that can provide inspiration and spiritual nourishment for a wide variety of circumstances and with a wide variety of personal styles. Many of the essays emphasized daily life practice, cultivating awareness and compassion in the midst of washing dishes, working, shopping, etc. It is inspiring to read these personal anecdotes about the teaching available in everyday moments. A few of them describe the depth of the spiritual journey, the cultivation of deep states of silence and concentration, and the effort and joy of following this spiritual path to complete liberation of the heart.

Some of the teachers writing in this book are monastics; most lead their lives as laypeople; some talk about their families, some describe their teachers in Asia or the West; and some discuss experiences of deep silence and awareness. The diversity of the teachings feels very inclusive, and it is delightfully balanced by the clarity and thoughtfulness with which this book is organized. There are sections focussing on the Buddha, representing both the historical Buddha and the various Teachers; the Dharma, or the reality of the teachings as they can be experienced; and the Sangha, the support and teaching we receive from being in relationship with others on a spiritual path. In each of these, the writers express their individual styles in a way that makes their stories accessible and alive. I continually found connections between the experiences described in this book and my own life, whether the teachers were describing formal meditation practice or the practice of being a mother.

This book is not a meditation handbook or a guide for one's practice; it is more of an inspirational book and a demonstration of the teachings that are available. Fortunately, several of the authors, including Sharon Salzberg, have also written books of their own. After tasting their style in "Voices of Insight", it's great to be able to go on and learn more from them.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buddhism as it is practiced in the United States., July 6, 2002

By 

Adam Khan (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Voices of Insight (Paperback)

Each chapter of Voices of Insight is written by a different author, and almost all of them were born and raised in the United States. Then they trained and became ordained and legitimate lamas, abbots, Zen masters, and Buddhist teachers in India, Thailand, Japan, etc., and came back to the U.S. to teach. Buddhism is different in every country and in every historical period, and in this book we can see what modern American Buddhism is like. I think you're going to like it.

Voices of Insight is also a good Buddhist primer. One author tells the history of Siddhartha Gotama Buddha and explains important basic ideas like nirvana and samsara. Another author covers the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Joseph Goldstein's chapter on the science and art of meditation explains what meditation is for and what you should be doing when you're meditating more clearly than anything I've ever come across, and all by itself makes the book worth getting.

This book is helpful. It will help you develop your practice. It is not merely interesting and educational; it is practical. I'm the author of the book, Self-Help Stuff That Works, so I'm sort of an expert on applicable information. Voices of Insight is not only illuminating and enjoyable to read, it is thoroughly applicable.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An inspiring introduction to Buddhist principles and teachings, December 10, 2009

By 

Steve Pavilanis "Author of the book "A Li... (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Voices of Insight (Paperback)

When I happened upon "Voices of Insight" at a local bookstore, I was overworked, depressed, and suffering from severe anxiety disorders. I had always been intrigued by Buddhism and the Eastern approach to life, and was hopeful to find something that could help me. This book opened my eyes and changed my life.

This collection of insightful short stories demonstrates real world applications of the Buddhist approach to life. The fact that it is written from the perspective of Americans in the Far East learning from true Buddhist masters makes it a truly wonderful introduction to new ways of thinking for those of us in the Western world.

The teachings of this book have been so influential in my life that I have included several passages in my own book about overcoming anxiety problems. I often find myself referring back to its pages for inspiring passages. It is also this book that got me interested in reading more about Ajahn Chah, one of the greatest Buddhist teachers in recent history.

I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to gain a healthier perspective on life.

Steve Pavilanis
A Life Less Anxious: Freedom from panic attacks and social anxiety without drugs or therapy (Volume 1)