Places That Scare You: a guide to fearlessness in difficult times

In The Places That Scare You, Pema Chodron continues the teachings of When Things Fall Apart, showing how at the core of the most painful experiences lie the seeds of spiritual awakening. Here she presents key teachings on recognizing and cultivating the "soft spot" that is the gateway to compassion and open-heartedness. In this book she discusses:

The four great catalysts of awakening, and how to integrate them into our lives.
Why the "soft spot" is necessary for spiritual awakening.
The basic goodness that is inherently ours
How the three noble principles can enrich everything we do.
The maitri meditation that multiplies love
Why an attitude of "don't know" can be wiser than the world's greatest spiritual teachings.
How to keep the heart open with equal fearlessness to both heartache and delight.

Prologue
1. The Excellence of Bodhicitta
2. Tapping into the Spring
3. The Facts of Life
4. Learning to Stay
5. Warrior Slogans
6. Four Limitless Qualities
7. Loving-Kindness
8. Compassion
9. Tonglen
10. Finding the Ability to Rejoice
11. Enhancing the Training in Joy
12. Thinking Bigger
13. Meeting the nemy
14. Fresh Start
15. Strength
16. Three Kinds of Laziness
17. Bodhisattva Activity
18. Groundlessness
19. Heightened Neurosis
20. When the Going Gets Rough
21. The Spiritual Friend
22. The In-Between State
Concluding Aspiration

Appendix