Radical Acceptance: Embrace Life Heartfully

Loved how affordable the price dropped and it looks brand new even though it’s gently used.

The pause was the main lesson for me in this book. To pause and be aware during our daily lives is a practice I’ve being doing since I started this book. I’ll probably be reading this book again in the future, with a more mature mind. Thanks Tara!

De los mejores libros que he leído, este junto con el de Deja de ser tu de Joe Dispenza me han cambiado la vida

“Radical Acceptance” by Dr. Tara Brach is nothing short of life-changing. This remarkable book offers profound insights and practical guidance that have the power to transform not only the reader’s relationship with themselves, but also their relationships with others.

One of my favorite quotes from the book is, “It takes courage to tell the truth about how we feel, especially since we don’t ever really know how it will be received.” This quote resonated with me deeply because it highlights the vulnerability required in being honest about our emotions. Dr. Brach emphasizes the importance of facing our fears, embracing our feelings, and being true to ourselves.

Dr. Brach’s teachings on mindfulness and self-compassion are presented in a way that makes them accessible and relatable to readers from all walks of life. Her writing is clear, compassionate, and deeply resonant, allowing readers to easily grasp and apply the concepts to their own lives.

Another powerful quote from the book is, “While it takes courage to be vulnerable, the reward is sweet: we awaken compassion and genuine intimacy in our relationships with others.” This line truly encapsulates the transformative potential of radical acceptance. By embracing our own vulnerability, we open ourselves up to deeper connections with others and create space for true understanding and empathy.

“Radical Acceptance” is a must-read for anyone seeking personal growth, self-compassion, and deeper relationships. Dr. Tara Brach masterfully guides readers on a journey of self-discovery that has the power to change lives. I cannot recommend this book highly enough; it is an essential addition to any personal development library.

Das Buch hat mich tief berührt. Es wurde mir schon vor vielen Jahren empfohlen – leider habe ich es erst jetzt gelesen. Man muss kein Buddhist sein, um sich von diesem Buch angesprochen zu fühlen. In einfühlsamer Weise beschreibt die Autorin an Alltagssituationen anschaulich, wie man aus dem Gedankenkreisel der Selbstvorwürfe ausbricht und zu einem liebevollen Umgang mit sich selbst findet – und damit zu einem liebevolleren Verhältnis mit anderen. Man muss nicht stundenlang meditieren, sich keinem Guru verschreiben und auch nicht die Erleuchtung anstreben, um von diesem Buch zu profitieren. Die Übungen zu jedem Kapitel sind einfach, kurz, alltagstauglich – und sehr hilfreich.
Ein absolut empfehlenswertes Buch, das mehr als 5 Sterne verdient hat. Ich werde es sicher noch mehrmals lesen.

If you are on the fence about reading this book, my sincere advice is DO IT! “Radical Acceptance” by Tara Brach Ph. D is a profoundly beautiful book about self-acceptance. Brach takes you on a journey of self discovery using her personal stories, guided meditations, case studies and Buddhist teachings. This book contains practical advice and steps on how to implement it into your everyday life. When I picked up this book I thought it would be about accepting things outside of myself or my control but quickly learned that EVERYTHING starts from inside YOU and accepting YOURSELF. This illuminating book is a must read!

*A note of the physical book, the pages are extremely thin. If you think this might not work for you, I would suggest the audiobook or Kindle versions to avoid this as a potential issue.

The blurb:

For many of us, feelings of deficiency are right around the corner. It doesn’t take much–just hearing of someone else’s accomplishments, being criticized, getting into an argument, making a mistake at work–to make us feel that we are not okay. Beginning to understand how our lives have become ensnared in this trance of unworthiness is our first step toward reconnecting with who we really are and what it means to live fully.
–from Radical Acceptance

Radical Acceptance

“Believing that something is wrong with us is a deep and tenacious suffering,” says Tara Brach at the start of this illuminating book. This suffering emerges in crippling self-judgments and conflicts in our relationships, in addictions and perfectionism, in loneliness and overwork–all the forces that keep our lives constricted and unfulfilled. Radical Acceptance offers a path to freedom, including the day-to-day practical guidance developed over Dr. Brach’s twenty years of work with therapy clients and Buddhist students.

Writing with great warmth and clarity, Tara Brach brings her teachings alive through personal stories and case histories, fresh interpretations of Buddhist tales, and guided meditations. Step by step, she leads us to trust our innate goodness, showing how we can develop the balance of clear-sightedness and compassion that is the essence of Radical Acceptance. Radical Acceptance does not mean self-indulgence or passivity. Instead it empowers genuine change: healing fear and shame and helping to build loving, authentic relationships. When we stop being at war with ourselves, we are free to live fully every precious moment of our lives.

My review

A brilliant, thought-provoking book about the concept of radical acceptance. I read this as part of my on-going commitment to master the various skills of Dialectical Behavior Therapy which has been so very effective in helping me manage my symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder. Between these skills and the Positive Psychology taught to me by my present psychologist, I am actually symptom-free.

Radical Acceptance is a skill taught as part of the Distress Tolerance module of DBT. There are four modules: Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation, and Distress Tolerance.

Radical Acceptance and Mindfulness are similar as both require one to accept the present moment for what it is, without judgment or criticism. Mindfulness is more of a meditative skill while Radical Acceptance is to say “It is what it is” and to go from there.

I would have given this book five stars except the author’s prejudice against Christianity is fairly blatant and she has a serious misunderstanding of some of Christian theology. On the other hand, she is a practising Buddhist and Radical Acceptance does have its roots in that philosophy.