Standing at the Edge: Finding Freedom Where Fear and Courage Meet

Joan Halifax is the only other person I know who has recognized the difference between sympathy and empathy in a Buddhist practice, that simply giving can have a deleterious effect. By giving to another in a specific situation we may enable the recipient to continue unskillful(in the Buddhist sense) behavior, or undermine his agency in providing for his own needs. Many Buddhists I know just compulsively give, give, give in a manner that comes from the heart, but has a negative outcome. In other words, true effective compassion requires discretion. That having been said, the remainder of the book presents ideas in somewhat of a scattered manner. An idea is partially presented and then we cut to an example from her life or someone else's and then we move on to another tangentially related idea. Also, she does not present precise easily-understandble corrective ideas.. how to handle the particular edge situation...in one chapter the "correction" for the edge state that is offered is to follow the 5 Buddhist principles. That is equivalent to telling a Christian to pull himself out of a psychological crisis by following the ten commandments. This book disappoints but I admire the work that Roshi Halifax has done in the world and I wish her, and everyone else on the planet, peace and liberation from their unruly Selves.

Caring for the dying is exactly that: Standing at the Edge in a balancing act. Extremely well written, the kind of book that changes oneself, the kind of book that brings the best of what we have in common, humanity and mortality and compassion. Bravo! RJ Joan!

In this book, Roshi Joan Halifax gives a priceless gift – she identifies patterns of suffering and teaches how to transform them. With a penetrating view on five qualities that are key to a life of service, compassion, and courage, she shows how each of these “edge states” has a virtuous aspect and a harmful aspect. She reassures us that we can learn from the exalted as well as the degraded aspect, and we can use our plunges into pathology as gateways to positive transformation.Looking deeply into my life through the lenses of the five edge states, I see that their positive aspects are ways to embody kindness toward myself and others. They are compassion in action. They also are the essence of any service work that is healthy, rewarding, and sustainable.This book imparts invaluable knowledge on edge states and inspires us to inquire deeply into our life and choices, especially as caregivers. Roshi Joan's plunge into edge states sparks courage and motivation to look deeply and access the best, noblest parts of ourselves. As she asks in this book, “Why not embody the spirit of bodhisattvas, who have realized a mind and heart of fearlessness, wisdom, and compassion? Why not stand at the edge and take in the view? Why not do it now?”

This book is, plain and simply, beautiful. It is real, it is wise, it is practical. And it is human.I was fortunate to be with Roshi Joan in Seattle when she first held her new book, this book, at its national release. She said when looking at its cover and touching it with embodied gentleness: “It’s a beautiful book, isn’t it?” And it is.Understanding edge states has already had a profound impact upon my life, at work, at home; with my colleagues and with my family. I’ve already begun sharing it with others—and its impact is being realized.It’s true (and it’s still a choice we can all make): “Compassion is not a luxury, it is a necessity.” And we need it more than ever. We are compassionate by nature—we just need to wake up, engage, and realize what will best serve in each and every moment...with grace and G.R.A.C.E. Standing at the edge takes courage—but we have to understand and realize that we are there and that, when there, in those moments, we have a choice and an opportunity.Thank you Roshi, for being you and for this gift. May it find a wide audience so that its light can warm this cold world—if only this one little corner of it.

Roshi Joan Halifax is one of the great Zen teachers of our age, and is to be admired not only for the service her life has been to humanity, but for her huge heart, creative intelligence, and selfless commitment to personal and societal transformation. We all have things about ourselves that we need to transform in order to do our chosen work effectively in this world. Joan has been thoroughly devoted and courageous in this regard. In this book, she takes on issues like “bullying up” in a hierarchy, behaviors not generally addressed in other books. There is nothing faint, ordinary, or halfway about how she approaches human behavior and what is needed as we stand at the edge of transforming our world and never has this been more necessary than it is today. And she is an amazingly talented writer. Do not miss this book.

Walking with others on the path of care is what gives me a sense of hope. But it can also be a tenuous journey on which we come to face our shadow-sides in the thick of what Joan Halifax calls “edge states.” For the broad spectrum of caregivers we are and need to be: parents, teachers, neighbors, community organizers - voters! - as well as professional social workers, hospital/prison chaplains, counselors, psychotherapists, medical professionals, and social justice advocates, Roshi Halifax provides both philosophical wisdom and practical skillfulness in how we can navigate that path courageously and wholesomely, with both compassion and equanimity in tact. Maintaining a “soft front and strong back,” we can sustainably nourish ourselves and care for others, without spiraling down into the collapse of empathic distress and caregiver burnout. Living in a time when our well-being depend on care, I can’t think of a more important perspective to share. This is a beautifully written and truly inspiring book, and I am so grateful for the support it offers.

I heard of this book at a conference and I was curious. It's definitely well written and has important reflections about working as health professional or caring for someone. I would recommend it to people that may feel burnt out as it holds an important compassion focused view.

Great inspiring book

As qualidades de altruísmo, empatia, integridade, respeito e engajamento são chave para uma vida compassiva e corajosa. Mas podemos cair no lado danoso destes estados, como distress empático ou altruísmo patológico. Além de falar sobre meditação, neurociência, conta maravilhosas histórias de toda a sua vida para ilustrar os temas com casos reais. E termina dedicando um capítulo à compaixão permeando estas outras qualidades. #mustread

Joan Halifax Roshi in questo libro supera se stessa: profondo, leggibile, narrativo, saggio e arguto. Chi è interessato a meditazione, zen, crescita personale non può non averlo in libreria