True Refuge excels thanks to Tara Brach's mixture of touching autobiographical sketches and accounts of her clinical psychology experiences. Her pragmatic approach to insight meditation and Buddhism should be thought-provoking and spirit-calming no matter where one rests on the spiritual journey.
Individuals acquainted with the Buddhist dharma teachings may recognize the term "taking refuge." Brach's reverent yet flexible view of the ancient wisdom, approached through psychological insight, makes for an innovative work of sustenance and lasting use. She is not afraid to throw in teachings and aphorisms from other traditions, and this gives True Refuge a welcome air of the ecumenical. While Brach's obvious knowledge of Buddhist teachings and her capacity to present this knowledge in a pithy and psychologically penetrating way is unusual, her main new contribution is the R.A.I.N. system: Recognize what is happening; Allow life to be just as it is; Investigate inner experience with kindness; and practice Not-identification. She illustrates these four main points with plenty of examples, arriving at an approach to life that is both wonderfully free of extraneous baggage and brave in its insistence at looking at life without preconceived notions.
In a world dominated by compulsive appetites and dogmatic adherence to particular modes of thought, Brach's refreshing Buddhist-inspired approach is a wise and compassionate revelation that should appeal to those in need of soul replenishment. --Donald Powell, freelance writer