The Exquisite Risk: Daring to Live an Authentic Life

Nepo, Mark

ISBN 10: 0307335844 / ISBN 13: 9780307335845

Published by Harmony/Rodale/Convergent, 2006

Item in acceptable condition! Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00087832072

Synopsis:

This stunning meditation from the renowned author of The Book of Awakening offers a fresh perspective on the art of being alive and provides essential insight into how we can overcome the barriers holding us back from living life to its fullest.

“Once again, Mark Nepo draws us to the heart of what matters. He illuminates love with the light of his own understanding.”—Marianne Williamson

How can we stay awake and authentic when our wounds make us numb and hidden? How can we minimize what stands between us and our experience of life? How can we make a practice of wearing down what thickens around our mind and heart?

In these fast-paced times, the exquisite risk facing each of us every day is to slow down so that we may experience life rather than simply manage it. In The Exquisite Risk, poet and teacher Mark Nepo encourages us to become quiet enough and open enough to listen to what truly matters—our own hearts, our loved ones, the wonders of nature—in order to live a life with nothing held back.

In moving, thoughtful prose, Nepo bravely demonstrates the vulnerability he urges us all to practice, sharing the development of his own spiritual path and how his battle with a rare type of cancer transformed his perspective on himself, his connections to others, and the world around him. Along with personal anecdotes, Nepo pulls wisdom from ancient teachings to explore the importance of staying present and mindful in the face of life’s myriad challenges and concludes that only by daring to embrace all that life has to offer—good and bad—can we come to a deeper appreciation of its meaning and beauty.

About the Author:

Mark Nepo is a poet and philosopher who has taught in the fields of poetry and spirituality for over thirty years. He has published twelve books and recorded five CDs. Forthcoming work includes a new book of teaching stories, As Far As the Heart Can See, (HCI Books, Fall 2011), Finding Inner Courage (Red Wheel-Conari, Spring 2011, originally published as Facing the Lion, Being the Lion, 2007), and audio books of The Book of Awakening and Finding Inner Courage (CD, Simon & Schuster, Spring 2011). His most recent book of poetry is Surviving Has Made Me Crazy (CavanKerry Press, 2007). 

In 2010, Mark sat down for an interview with Oprah Winfrey as part of her Soul Series on the satellite radio network, SIRIUS XM Radio. Of his books, The Exquisite Risk (Harmony Books) was cited by Spirituality & Health Magazine as one of the Best Spiritual Books of 2005, calling it "one of the best books we've ever read on what it takes to live an authentic life." The Book of Awakening was a finalist for the 2000 Books for a Better Life Award and was cited by Spirituality & Health Magazine as one of the Best Spiritual Books of 2000. Mark's collected essays appear in Unlearning Back to God: Essays on Inwardness (Khaniqahi Nimatullahi Publications, 2006). Other books of poetry include Suite for the Living (2004), Inhabiting Wonder (2004), Acre of Light (1994, also available as an audiotape from Parabola under the title Inside the Miracle, 1996), Fire Without Witness (1988), and God, the Maker of the Bed, and the Painter (1988). 

His work has been translated into French, Portuguese, Japanese, and Danish. In leading spiritual retreats, in working with healing and medical communities, and in his teaching as a poet, Mark's work is widely accessible and used by many. He continues to offer readings, lectures, and retreats. Please visit Mark at: MarkNepo.com and threeintentions.com.

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Exquisite Risk: Daring to Live an ...
Publisher: Harmony/Rodale/Convergent
Publication Date: 2006
Binding: Soft cover
Condition: Acceptable