Worth a Read Meh
Length 288
Quick Review Rinpoche decided to leave the comfort of his home to travel for three years killing off who he used to be to become someone new.
Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche was already revered within his religion when he decided to leave his community in the middle of the night to experience life and the world in a new way. In Love with the World is his experience as a wanderer for three years.
Rinpoche grew up within the faith of Tibetan Buddhism and had trained his entire life. He had never experienced life in any other capacity than through the lense of Tibetan Buddhist. One night, he gave no notice to his community. He left. He saved a little money, which is harder than you’d think. He wrote a letter explaining why he left and that he would return in three years. He was 36 years old. In Love with the World is as much a book about his emotional and mental transformation as it is about his physical journey in the world.
There is a sense of who people are by their titles or their clothing. Rinpoche wears clothing screaming buddhist and has the titles and achievements of Master of the Karma Kagyu and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism and is the overseer of the Tergar Meditation Community. He’s a big deal. He is also a person with anxieties and fears and joys and a sense of humor. For as incredibly wise as he is, he is also funny. I highly enjoyed this tidbit, “I had felt rescued by my training more than once, even though that same training ensured the practical life skills of a lapdog.” It’s funny but deeply insightful. He has a knowledge base that is incredibly helpful and meaningful but doesn’t go very far when you’re stuck on a train with just about nothing.
I really enjoyed reading In Love with the World because it is full of wonderful insights into a life completely different than my own. It would be a great read for vacation or on a plane. Something to dive into.
tMemorable Quotes
“I had set off on my own to intentionally seek this disruption through what I had been thinking of as an ego-suicide mission.”
“Until we accept the truth of impermanence, ignorance and confusion will darken our days.”
“While the luminous mind never dies, the experience – as with any experience, no matter how transformative – was just another cloud passing by.”
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Title: In Love with the World; A Monk’s Journey Through the Bardos of Living and Dying
Author: Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche with Helen Tworkov
Publisher: Spiegel & Grau
Copyright: 2019
ISBN: 9780525512530
