From the bestselling author of When Things Fall Apart, an open-hearted call for human connection, compassion, and learning to love the world just as it is during these most challenging times.

In her first new book of spiritual teachings in over seven years, Pema Chodron offers a combination of wisdom, heartfelt reflections, and the signature mix of humor and insight that have made her a beloved figure to turn to during times of change. In an increasingly polarized world, Pema shows us how to strengthen our abilities to find common ground, even when we disagree, and influence our environment in positive ways. Sharing never-before told personal stories from her remarkable life, simple and powerful everyday practices, and directly relatable advice, Pema encourages us all to become triumphant bodhisattvas--compassionate beings--in times of hardship.

Welcoming the Unwelcome includes teachings on the true meaning of karma, recognizing the basic goodness in ourselves and the people we share our lives with--even the most challenging ones, transforming adversity into opportunities for growth, and freeing ourselves from the empty and illusory labels that separate us. Pema also provides step-by-step guides to a basic sitting meditation and a compassion meditation that anyone can use to bring light to the darkness we face, wherever and whatever it may be.
Welcoming the Unwelcome: Wholehearted Living in a Brokenhearted World, Pema Chodron, Shambhala, Paperback, 192 pp, $16.95

Pema Chodron is an American Buddhist nun in the lineage of Chogyam Trungpa and resident teacher at Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery in North America established for Westerners. She is the author of many best-selling books, including When Things Fall Apart and The Places That Scare You.

CONTENTS: Welcoming the Unwelcome
1.	Begin with a Broken Heart	1
2.	Does It Matter?	11
3.	Overcoming Polarization	20
4.	The Fine Art of Failure	30
5.	The Path of Non-Rejecting	35
6.	Just as It Is	42
7.	How Not to Lose Heart	48
8.	Beyond the Comfort Zone	57
9.	Speaking from Our Shared Humanity	66
10.	How You Label It Is How It Appears	73
11.	The Practice of Open Awareness	81
12.	Life Changes in an Instant	87
13.	Cool Emptiness	95
14.	Experiencing Nowness	100
15.	Birth and Death in Every Moment	106
16.	Imagine Life without Ego	112
17.	Our Wisdom Changes the World	118
18.	Welcoming the Unwelcome with Laughter	124
19.	Learning from Our Teachers	129
20.	Mission Impossible	139
PRACTICES FOR WELCOMING THE UNWELCOME		149
	Basic Sitting Meditation	151
	Tonglen Practice	154
	Locate, Embrace, Stop, Remain.	161
Acknowledgments		165
About the Author		167