Down to Earth Dharma
Most of us are used to living busy, productive, independent lives, but we have less experience with letting go, listening deeply, and embracing vulnerability. When these more “active” traits overpower the “receptive” ones, we don’t just feel a lack of harmony within ourselves—we also create a world built on domination, destruction, and oppression. This imbalance has made us strangers to our own hearts and bodies and disconnected us from the world around us, obstructing our path to inner freedom and connection. It isn’t sustainable—but it can be changed.
Drawing on the fluid archetypes of the masculine and feminine present in all of us, Insight Meditation teacher Rebecca Bradshaw weaves together classical Theravada Buddhist teachings and mindfulness practices to explore ways to balance the masculine archetype qualities—action, focus, individualism, achievement, and transcendence—with the often underdeveloped feminine—feeling, embodiment, relaxation, receptivity, and intuition. She shows us how to get more comfortable resting in receptivity in a world that has prioritized constant action, teaching us how to feel at home in ourselves and create a more heart-centered world. As Bradshaw writes, “We’re not going to be able to think ourselves out of all of this; we’re going to have to feel our way.”
"Down to Earth Dharma is a wonderful and engaging exploration of how the feminine archetype can greatly enrich and transform our dharma practice. Rebecca Bradshaw shows with exceptional clarity and warmth how receptivity, intuition, embodiment, and relaxation open us more deeply to the classical teachings of the Buddha. She draws on a wealth of experience as a longtime meditator, teacher, therapist, world traveler, and lover of nature as she shares the many stories of her struggles and insights, always highlighting a feminine perspective that has sometimes been lost in the often hard-driving energy here in the West. These are lessons that will be invaluable for us all in these challenging times. Highly recommended." —Joseph Goldstein, cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society and author of Insight Meditation
"A much-needed antidote to traditional, patriarchal Buddhist teachings, Down to Earth Dharma is written for us all, whatever our gender. Weaving traditional dharma teachings with personal life stories, a profound relationship with the natural world, over thirty years of teaching experience, and gorgeous nature metaphor, Bradshaw elucidates an embodied feminine paradigm of the dharma—receptive, relaxed, heart-embracing, and relational. Most remarkably, Bradshaw never sacrifices her respect and allegiance to the traditional Buddhist lineage and teachings. Down to Earth Dharma takes us on a much-needed journey into the heart of a feminine spirituality that so many of us—and our Earth—are aching for in these tumultuous times. A spectacular accomplishment!" —Diana Winston, director of mindfulness education at UCLA and author of The Little Book of Being
"Down to Earth Dharma is an awakening journey into the reclamation of the eclipsed feminine within Buddhism. Rebecca’s gentle, incisive approach, drawing from decades of deep meditation practice, is refreshing, healing, and engaging. Throughout there is a beautifully crafted weaving of a Buddhist worldview and its essential meditative practices with a receptive, intimate approach to life. In a world relentlessly driven by ‘getting to the next thing,’ this book invites us to take our foot off the accelerator and attune to the simple joy of listening more carefully to the heart. It is a vital contribution to rebalancing the ways patriarchal Buddhism tends to prefer transcendence over being rooted and truly ‘Down to Earth.’" —Thanissara, author of Time to Stand Up
"With beautiful prose and an open heart, Rebecca Bradshaw guides us on a timeless and timely journey into the heart of what really matters in Buddhist practice. Her message—that we are made real through love and that we find wisdom through nature, the body, and relationship—is a necessary inspiration for those interested in the deep well-being that comes from waking up here and now." —Devon Hase, coauthor of How Not to Be a Hot Mess
"Bradshaw’s emphasis on engagement and our individual connection to the world encourages readers to transmit Buddhist practice through to all aspects of life. She offers healing to the hearts of readers and requests they pass it along to the hearts of others and to the rest of the world." —Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Real Life
"Down to Earth Dharma is a clear, illuminating guide that invites us to engage with the world from a place of embodiment. Rebecca’s insightful book offers practical wisdom and classical and modern teachings that awaken the heart, making the dharma accessible and relevant to all. It encourages living with authenticity and compassion, guiding both new and seasoned practitioners toward a deeper connection with themselves and the world." —Devin Berry, meditation teacher, youth worker, and cofounder of Deep Time Liberation
"Rebecca takes us on a wondrous journey through the landscape of a mind in practice. She uses artistry, storytelling and playfulness to explain age-old practices in detail. If I were new to meditation, I would feel confident in understanding basic principles that would get me on my way with a joy and curiosity that she invites us into. And for a more seasoned meditator, this book helps remind us of the expansive possibilities that an Insight Practice has to offer. It is a very creative yet in-depth exploration." —JoAnna Hardy, lecturer, meditation teacher, and cofounder of Meditation Coalition
"Down to Earth Dharma is an important book—whether you’re just beginning a meditation practice or you’ve been meditating for decades. Rebecca clearly and beautifully articulates the importance of balancing vigorous effort with the yin, feminine, or receptive qualities of awareness. These qualities are too often undervalued in mainstream mindfulness and Buddhist teachings—let alone mainstream Western culture. Within this frame, Rebecca also seamlessly weaves in wisdom from her deep connection with the natural world. I highly recommend this book!" —Jessica Morey, founder of Inward Bound Mindfulness
"[A] wise debut from Buddhist teacher Bradshaw. . . . Her revival of feminine Buddhist tradition is smart and cogent. Buddhists seeking a fresh approach will find plenty to ponder." —Publishers Weekly