Overview

Dawn Downey confronts the ways in which spirituality intertwines with daily living. Spirit allows no turning away, but offers its gifts when the author stares straight into the messiness of just getting along. While caring for her terminally ill mother she finds that she can bear the grief, and it fuels a desire to serve others as a hospice volunteer. Conversations with siblings reveal that what they grew up with was abuse--not corporal punishment. The revelations lead her through shock, anger, and helplessness, but she ends up at peace with a past that cannot be changed. Her spiritual journey leaves her with a paradox. Because life is messy at every turn, peace is available at every turn.

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9780692026397

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Reviews

Stumbling Toward the Buddha by Dawn Downey is a collection of interconnected essays about finding enlightenment in the modern world. Refreshingly honest, and filled with self-deprecating humor, Downey is not afraid to admit her faults, as well as delve into her painful past, to fully understand herself and the world around her.Though the book is touted as more of a memoir than self-help book, it could be said to be even more effective than the usual self-help tome because of Downey's humor and insight. Downey is expert at pointing out human foibles, especially as it relates to spiritual development. She doesn't merely spout a string of positive messages - she looks deeply at herself and her past to truly understand her best way forward. It should help the reader as she helps herself. At times, the book reads like fiction, as Downey's voice has the poetic eloquence of a fictional character. Far from this giving the book a feeling of unreality, it makes her prose, and her message, all the more endearing. Her stories will make you laugh, cry, sometimes squirm, and feel wiser by book's end. For those on a spiritual path, or really just trying to be the best person you can be, Stumbling Toward the Buddha is a heartwarming, helpful, and most of all, entertaining account of being a spiritual person in this complicated modern world. --------------------Self-Publishing Review 5 stars! I appreciated the humor in Stumbling Toward the Buddha: Stories about Tripping over My Principles on the Road to Transformation by Dawn Downey. I am on a spiritual journey and was intrigued to read what was suggested in the pages of this book. I wasn't prepared for the humor and the fact that the book basically made fun of all of the aspects that make us human, aspects that so many spiritual books tell us to get rid of. Like the compulsion to shop. Or that we feel better if we own nice things. Our jealous tendencies. The fact that we really don't want nice things to happen to other people (because we want them to happen to us, instead). Reading all of this and having someone say it in a loud, honest, in your face kind of way was very refreshing and surprising, but in a very nice way. I also loved the personalized stories within this book. I think other readers will really relate to the stories the author shares about her own issues in giving up what so many self help books say we have to give up in order to achieve bliss, peace and long term happiness. The fact that she can so honestly admit that she was jealous, and wanted to shop and buy things, and not love her neighbor made me feel like I am not the only person struggling with some of these issues and I think readers will appreciate that. --------------------------------Readers' Favorite

"""Stumbling Toward the Buddha by Dawn Downey is a collection of interconnected essays about finding ""enlightenment"" in the modern world. Refreshingly honest, and filled with self-deprecating humor, Downey is not afraid to admit her faults, as well as delve into her painful past, to fully understand herself and the world around her.Though the book is touted as more of a memoir than self-help book, it could be said to be even more effective than the usual self-help tome because of Downey's humor and insight. Downey is expert at pointing out human foibles, especially as it relates to spiritual development. She doesn't merely spout a string of positive messages - she looks deeply at herself and her past to truly understand her best way forward. It should help the reader as she helps herself. ""At times, the book reads like fiction, as Downey's voice has the poetic eloquence of a fictional character. Far from this giving the book a feeling of unreality, it makes her prose, and her message, all the more endearing. Her stories will make you laugh, cry, sometimes squirm, and feel wiser by book's end. For those on a spiritual path, or really just trying to be the best person you can be, Stumbling Toward the Buddha is a heartwarming, helpful, and most of all, entertaining account of being a spiritual person in this complicated modern world."" --------------------Self-Publishing Review ""5 stars! I appreciated the humor in Stumbling Toward the Buddha: Stories about Tripping over My Principles on the Road to Transformation by Dawn Downey. I am on a spiritual journey and was intrigued to read what was suggested in the pages of this book. I wasn't prepared for the humor and the fact that the book basically made fun of all of the aspects that make us human, aspects that so many spiritual books tell us to get rid of. Like the compulsion to shop. Or that we feel better if we own nice things. Our jealous tendencies. The fact that we really don't want nice things to happen to other people (because we want them to happen to us, instead). Reading all of this and having someone say it in a loud, honest, in your face kind of way was very refreshing and surprising, but in a very nice way. ""I also loved the personalized stories within this book. I think other readers will really relate to the stories the author shares about her own issues in giving up what so many self help books say we have to give up in order to achieve bliss, peace and long term happiness. The fact that she can so honestly admit that she was jealous, and wanted to shop and buy things, and not love her neighbor made me feel like I am not the only person struggling with some of these issues and I think readers will appreciate that."" --------------------------------Readers' Favorite"

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