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The Wisdom to Know the Difference |
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When to Make a Change-and When to Let Go
Eileen Flanagan - Author
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| eBook: ePub eBook | 8.26 x 5.23in | 288 pages | ISBN 9781101144923 | 17 Sep 2009 | Tarcher |
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This wise book guides readers in discovering what they can—and should—change in their lives, accepting what they cannot, and discovering “the wisdom to know the difference.”
Thousands of people have been moved by the famous last lines of the Serenity Prayer:
God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things that should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.
But how exactly can we know the difference? How can we acknowledge our true limits without negating the possibility for dramatic change? In this inspiring book, Eileen Flanagan draws on her own Quaker faith as well as a range of other religious and spiritual traditions to show readers how they can learn to listen to their own inner voice in determining when a change is needed in their lives or when instead acceptance is the answer. These lessons come to life through the inspiring stories of various individuals, including:
· the mother of a fallen soldier in Iraq who talks about the power of forgiveness and her work to end the war;
· A Katrina survivor who describes how she learned inner peace the hard way;
· a family therapist who shares what he learned about accepting the things he cannot change from the car accident that left him paralyzed.
This illuminating book leads readers to discover the serenity that comes when one has gained “the wisdom to know the difference.”
“The Wisdom to Know the Difference is about being able to change. We human beings are basically the same, wherever we come from, and despite the small physical differences in the shape of our noses, the color of our hair and so on. We are the same because we all have the same potential to undergo both positive and negative experiences. What’s more, we also have the same potential to transform ourselves and our attitudes. What is important is that we can make a change and transform ourselves into better, happier people.”—His Holiness the Dalai Lama
More praise for THE WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERRENCE: “We've all heard these famous lines ‘grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, and the courage to change the things I can’ but we rarely hear how to find the wisdom to know and act on the difference. Until now. This beautiful book weaves together fascinating stories and timeless wisdom from across spiritual traditions to create a practical map for all of us to navigate this very question.” —Diana Winston, Director of Mindfulness Education, UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center, and author of Wide Awake: A Buddhist Guide for Teens
“In The Wisdom to Know the Difference Eileen Flanagan effortlessly weaves the wisdom of the ordinary people she has met on her path with the extraordinary wisdom of many spiritual teachers into a rich tapestry. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking spiritual wisdom.”—Karen Casey, Ph.D. author of Each Day A New Beginning
“Full of wisdom and everyday stories that become parables in Flanagan's hands.’” —Phyllis Tickle, author of The Divine Hours and The Great Emergence
“Eileen Flanagan’s delightful book is a source of wisdom and encouragement to which you’ll return again and again. Blessing and inspiration await on every page.” —Brent Bill, Quaker minister and author Sacred Compass: The Way of Spiritual Discernment
“This book draws from actual situations of real-life people as they struggle to become their true selves.” —Suzanne Farnham, founder of Listening Hearts Ministries and co- author of Listening Hearts and Grounded in God
“Flanagan goes far and wide to absorb and integrate teachings from many great traditions of the world. The result is a fusion that inspires and uplifts the reader.” —Derek Lin, The Tao of Daily Life
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