In Love with the World: A Monk's Journey Through the Bardos of Living and Dying

Tibetan Buddhist monk Rinpoche (The Joy of Living) decided to leave his monastery in order to do an extended wandering retreat in the tradition of Hindu ascetics. Without telling anyone and with little planning beforehand, Rinpoche set off to renounce his idea of self and to "add wood to the fire"—to confront his fears and worries in order to overcome them. This book focuses on the first part of his journey, when he is overwhelmed by new sensations and experiences, such as riding a train by himself for the first time. His retreat takes a life-threatening turn when he experiences severe food poisoning, and his intensive meditations on death and the fear of dying are candidly shared. In the hands of Rinpoche, these topics are handled deeply and gracefully, and his relatable tone helps to brighten intense topics. While a basic understanding of Buddhism is helpful, complex concepts are explained very well.