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At Hell's Gate: A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace Paperback – January 10, 2006

by Claude Anshin Thomas (Author)

43 customer reviews

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In this raw and moving memoir, Claude Thomas describes his service in Vietnam, his subsequent emotional collapse, and his remarkable journey toward healing. At Hell's Gate is not only a gripping coming-of-age story but a spiritual travelogue from the horrors of combat to the discovery of inner peace—a journey that inspired Thomas to become a Zen monk and peace activist who travels to war-scarred regions around the world. "Everyone has their Vietnam," Thomas writes. "Everyone has their own experience of violence, calamity, or trauma." With simplicity and power, this book offers timeless teachings on how we can all find healing, and it presents practical guidance on how mindfulness and compassion can transform our lives.

This expanded paperback edition features:

• Discussion questions for reading groups
• A new afterword by the author reflecting on how the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are affecting soldiers—and offering advice on how to help returning soldiers to cope with their combat experiences

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Editorial Reviews

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"Thomas's presentation of this difficult experience is searingly honest."—Shambhala Sun

"This gripping spiritual memoir bears witness to the transforming meditation and mindfulness in the life of a Vietnam Veteran."—Spirituality and Health

"Let me start by simply recommending that you buy, read, and think about Claude Anshin Thomas's book, At Hell's Gate. It was a long time coming but worth the wait, especially in this time of war and rampant violence."—Turning Wheel

"What gives Thomas's perspective so much weight is that it carries the rare and undeniable authority of one who has seen firsthand the extremes of both good and evil that lie in the human soul."—What Is Enlightenment?

"This is a book of great power. Thomas's story has the power to heal, to inspire, to teach."—John Laurence, former CBS News correspondent and author of The Cat from Hué: A Vietnam War Story

"A powerful, wise, and genuinely profound spiritual odyssey from the insanity of violence (in the world, within ourselves, and in the assumptions of American culture) to the peace and compassion of mindfulness practice. Thomas beautifully models Zen teachings in his daily life, and by doing so he enlightens and liberates us all."—Charles Johnson, winner of the National Book Award for Middle Passage

"Claude Anshin Thomas has been an inspiration to me. Our world urgently needs to listen to him tell of his life in war and then in peace."—Maxine Hong Kingston, author of The Woman Warrior

"In these strange times, when fear and aggression often seem to be the only responses we can imagine to a perceived threat, this powerful book provides an honest, open-hearted, and very moving testimony to the power of Buddhist practice to break this cycle. Thomas is a hero in the truest sense of the word: having undergone an epic trial, he has generously come back to help others in need."—George Saunders, author of Pastoralia and CivilWarLand in Bad Decline

"Thomas's journey from the killing fields of Vietnam to the path of peace and pilgrimage testifies to his—and our—powerful urge to awaken. At the same time, this is not a pretty story. Anshin Thomas has lived in hell, knows its smell and taste, and continues to confront it every day of his life. Yet he remains undeterred in his work to make peace in himself and the world at large."—Bernie Glassman, author of Instructions to the Cook and Bearing Witness

About the Author

Claude Anshin Thomas went to Vietnam at the age of eighteen, where he received numerous awards and decorations, including twenty-seven Air Medals, a Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Purple Heart. Today he is a monk in the Soto Zen tradition and an active speaker and Zen teacher in the United States and Europe. He is also the founder of the Zaltho Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes peace and nonviolence (www.zaltho.org). This is his first book.

Series: later printing
Paperback: 184 pages
Publisher: Shambhala; Reprint edition (January 10, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1590302710
ISBN-13: 978-1590302712
Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.5 x 8.4 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 43 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #558,170 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #288 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Military > Afghan & Iraq Wars > Afghan War
- #520 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Military > Vietnam War
- #641 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Eastern > Buddhism > Zen > Spirituality

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MettaHead

No Compromise.

December 28, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

A lot's been written about the emergence of a new 'western buddhism' in recent years. (See, "How the Swans Came to the Lake," "The New Buddhism," "One Dharma," the last part of "Buddhism, A Concise Introduction," "Buddhism Without Beliefs," "The Accidental Buddhist," among other books). What often gets overlooked are the struggles of those who reconcile the Buddha's ethical mandates (the five precepts, the eightfold path) and the moral compromises of life in the developed, secular West.

Many of the more popular writers, argue for putting aside rituals that have become part of practice in Asian countries, putting aside a literal belief in the idea of reincarnation, and an empahsis on compassion and meditative practices. They argue these accomodations are both promising, and are inevitable, anyway. Then there are those who brook no compromise whatsover. Claude Thomas Anshin's, autobiographical, "At Hell's Gate," is a daunting, challenging, and ultimately inspiring look at a man who, through a sincere, if severe, dedication to the dharma, overcame drug addiction, PTSD, and a deep personal history of violence, to live as 'pure' a buddhist life as is possible in our life and times. Fascinating reading for those wrestling with the issues of adapting the practice to life in the West. Check out one of his dharma talks' on youtube: Claude AnShin Thomas, FAU Talk Boca Raton March 2013, to get an idea of what I'm talking about ...

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Jordan O.

Presenting and Accepting Life as It is

February 1, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Very real, harrowing, painstaking in the way we need it to be. This honest account of a man's relentless search for meaning in a deeply troubled life paints a picture of a man in the midst of healing. Though he is not out of the woods yet, so to speak, he has found the ox in the woods and can see him clearly. This is an account of how one is to deal with a life that seems there is no escape from. Medicine for the soul of the suffering, and a veil lifter for those of us who have never seen this flavor of turmoil in our own lives. Sometimes, all we can do is to fix on something and go.

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Barbara S. Reeves

Suffering is to be embrased, without suffering there can be no joy!

September 16, 2011

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

"At Hell's Gate: A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace", by Claude Anshin Thomas, is a tale of one Vietnam Veteran's transformation from violence and rage to peace and compassion. It's about addressing the roots of war and violence, which are contained within our individual selves, in our society, and in our culture.

When Thomas and his fellow vets returned home from the war, our society and culture attempted to wash its hands of its responsibility in that war by marginalizing those who had served, which reminds me of this quote by David Foster Wallace: "It's in the democratic citizen's nature to be like a leaf that doesn't believe in the tree it's part of." The excessive violence and trauma he experienced in Vietnam was exacerbated by the public's distrust of the veterans, so he isolated from other people and sought relief in drugs.

Thomas recovered from his addictions in 1983 and went on to be ordained as a Zen Buddhist monk and took the vows of a mendicant: to not own property, to not live in a monastery or reside with any permanence indoors, to not be gainfully employed and to commit to wander as a spiritual practice. To accept the inevitable suffering of life, he says we must practice mindfulness, which he defines as: "a state of existence that arises as we become more aware of our habitual impulses, our conditioned nature, our patterns of thought and behavior, and begin to stop allowing the habits to dictate how we respond to the world."

The gist of "Hell's Gate" is that suffering is not something to run from. It's to be embraced, because without suffering, there can be no joy.

David Allan Reeves
Author of "Running Away From Me"

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Mihailo

An extraordinary opportunity to transcend your own suffering

April 29, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

In very few words, this book is an extremely valuable opportunity to recognize, embrace and trascend our own suffering. Claude AnShin, through his own life experiences and suffering, teach us how can we recognize our own wars, in order to heal your own internal wounds. As he points out: “Healing doesn’t mean that our pain and suffering go away. Healing is learning to live in a different relationship with our pain and suffering so it does not control us”. He give us very practical tools, that help us live a more mindful life. Very recommended 🙏🏼

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Rev. Bill McDonald Jr.

Transformation of a Vietnam Veteran

November 25, 2007

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

The Vietnam War has produced its share of memoirs but few have the impact that author and veteran Claude Anshin Thomas has in his inspiring book "At Hell's Gate". It is odd in a spiritual way, that he published his book a year after my own autobiography "A Spiritual Warrior's Journey". We both seem to be following different paths to the same destination. He and I were stationed at the same time in Phu Loi South Vietnam in 1966 & 1967. We were both crew-chief/door-gunners on Hueys. He was with the 116th AHC (Assault Helicopter Company) and I was next door to his unit in the 128th AHC. We each saw the same kind of war and combat and shared some of the same actual battles - so this added to my reading experience.

His book - much like my own - is a journey of self-discovery and spiritual evolution. He fights the demons of PTSD upon his return home and tries to medicate and drug his pain. The author shares a life that was filled with great emotional suffering. The key to his book however, and that separates it from so many others, is that this provides some direction for not just veterans but all who are suffering from their own personal wars of life. He gives the reader a look at how he grew and how he found something (Zen ) to help him cope and grow spiritually.

The book can be read in one sitting but it is best if savored over a longer period of time. There is much wisdom within these pages that will help heal and change others. I highly recommend this as a gift to give to any veteran of any war. The book is full of compassion and hope. There are methods for meditation in the back of the book which could give those in need a "road map" to some healing.

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Most recent customer reviews

B.Leary

A powerful book by a powerful teacher.

Published 25 days ago

Carole Freeman

I have military experience of 7 years... ...

I have military experience of 7 years...with none in Nam. I listened to the Monk in a presentation in Bethlehem and was deeply moved by his
experiences.Read more

Published 4 months ago

Jevoi

Anshi Zenshi :)

I had the pleasure of hosting him. He's the real deal. A buddhist sure, but Buddhism is about humanity.
I've had the pleasure of eating with him and hosting him.Read more

Published 6 months ago

Amazon Customer

The book opened my eyes to a PTSD cause I ...

The book opened my eyes to a PTSD cause I was not aware of. It did not come right out and define it, but it helped me understand myself.

Published 1 year ago

Jerry L. White

Disappointed

I am afraid that I am one Vietnam "grunt" who had a difficult time with this book. I am not questioning whether or not the author was in Vietnam; however, his comment...Read more

An amazing story of personal redemption from the trauma and torture ...

An amazing story of personal redemption from the trauma and torture of a violent, horrible war experience to a sane life of peaceful giving.

Published 1 year ago

Amazon Customer

"At Hell's Gate: A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace" Highly recommended.

One of my favorite books is from Soto Zen Buddhist Monk Claude Anshin Thomas, "At Hell's Gate: A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace".Read more

Published 1 year ago

M. V. Brill

Passionate Truth through Sobriety and Spirituality.

Great information and guidance through a true story...Claude is a miracle and is a source of energy and enlightenment revealing everything is possible through sobriety and...Read more

Published 1 year ago

Kristian

Outstanding! I cannot say enough about this book! The first thing I need to say is that you do not have to be a buddhist to relate to this book.Read more

Published on May 19, 2016

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