After the Darkest Hour: How Suffering Begins the Journey to WisdomIn the tradition of When Bad Things Happen to Good People, a book that explains the transformative power of suffering Most people understand that suffering and sorrow are inevitable parts of every life and that illness, death, or loss of a loved one are universal experiences, not retribution or a symptom of bad luck. But few of us comprehend the ways in which suffering can give rise to growth. In this sensitive and caring book, Kathleen Brehony describes the experiences of people who have endured life's trials and consequently found deeper spiritual and psychological meaning in their lives. Drawing on a rich selection of mythological and religious stories from many faiths, Berhony provides a historical and cultural context that enriches the meaning of these deeply personal tales. After the Darkest Hour explores the qualities--psychological, behavioral, and spiritual--of those who have turned periods of pain and suffering into opportunities for growth and renewal. The final chapters offer exercises that will help readers approach the difficult situations they face in a more conscious, enlightened way, as well as specific suggestions for creating personal healing rituals. |
Contents
PART TWO A Dozen Strategies for Growing Through the Pain | 161 |
Conclusion Living in the Guest House | 255 |
Notes | 263 |
Acknowledgments | 271 |
Other editions - View all
After the Darkest Hour: How Suffering Begins the Journey to Wisdom Kathleen A. Brehony Limited preview - 2000 |
After the Darkest Hour: How Suffering Begins the Journey to Wisdom Kathleen A. Brehony Limited preview - 2001 |
After the Darkest Hour: How Suffering Begins the Journey to Wisdom Kathleen A. Brehony No preview available - 2001 |
Common terms and phrases
Abraham Maslow accept adults asked awareness bad luck become believe Beth Nielsen Chapman Bill Moyers blessings Boethius breath Buddha called cancer Carl Jung challenges chemotherapy Chögyam Trungpa compassion consciousness courage create Deanne death Deborah destiny discover Dorothy enlightenment everything experience fate father feel Frankl friends grief happen healing heart Helen Helen Keller hero hero's journey human humor idea important inner Jennet Jon Kabat-Zinn Joseph Campbell Jung knew laugh laughter life's lives look loss Magic Eye Inc meaning meditation mind mother nature never Nicholas Nicholas Flamel ourselves pain path person philosophy prayer psychological reality resilience Robert Urich says self-image sense soul spiritual spite Stacy stereogram story suffering talk teach tell Teresa things thought told true truth unconscious understand Viktor Frankl warrior wheel wisdom words wrote