The Wisdom of Imperfection: The Challenge of Individuation in Buddhist Life

This book is a deeply insightful and detailed examination of the journey toward spiritual maturity and self authenticity, a synthesis of Tibetan Buddhist spirituality and Jungian psychotherapy, written by a master of both disciplines. The author is not only an experienced psychotherapist and master of Tibetan Buddhism, but also an excellent writer, extremely thoughtful. Every sentence in this book has been put down with the greatest care and reflection. In addition, the book is beautifully printed, with excellent typography, quality paper, bound to perfection, with absolutely no typos. The author's drawings of various Tibetan dieties grace a number of the pages. I cannot tell you how much I love this book. It has been a joyous and illuminating find. This book is one of the most treasured spiritual books I own, and I will return to it (and grow from it) throughout the remaining years of my life. It is one of a kind. I simply cherish the time I have spent with this book, and have not been able to finish it; by which I mean, although technically I have read it, I am by no means "through" with it. I have only one very minor criticism: the overall tone of the book is sometimes subdued if not downright a tad gloomy in spots. I am sure this is not what Preece intended. I realize how difficult was this task he set, to effectively reconcile the ideas of Jungian psychotherapy with those of Tibetan Buddhism is no small matter. Preece's hard-won insights are delivered with authority, and any attempt to inject humor or levity would surely be out of place. Nevertheless, it is sometimes the case where the clinical nature of psychotherapy obscures the sense of spiritual fulfillment one can obtain from following the Buddhist path. Aside from this minor complaint, the book is masterfully written and filled with important insights.

When I bought this book, I had my reservations. Mixing the two subjects of Buddhism and Jungian Psychology seemed almost impossible. I have been trying to unify the two topics in my life for many years. Preece has done and outstanding job of seamlessly combining the two ideologies. I highly recommend this book!

Being better than we really are is an impossible task--a task that, unfortunately, many Western Buddhist teachers and students have taken upon themselves. They feel that they must commit to more formal meditation time, attend more liturgical ceremonies, sit at more retreats, raise more funds for their Dharma centers, and put in more hours of community service--and all this in a spirit of permanent cheerfulness, compassion, care and generosity. Admission of fatigue, discouragement, frustration, disappointment, or annoyance is taboo in these settings. This sounds more like a recipe for burnout than Bodhisattvahood. But sadly, little do some Western teachers and students know that being driven to "perform" well in the realm of spiritual practice is fueled by a lack of acceptance and compassion for one's own self, with all its imperfections. Such a lack of acceptance leads to harshness with one's self and with others, and in many cases to dogmatism and fundamentalism. To reject those aspects of self which we deem unworthy is to reject our Shadow. But, as Carl Jung pointed out, the Shadow somehow manages to emerge in our lives in unpredictable ways. The more we suppress our Shadow side, the more suffering we are likely to inflict upon ourselves and others. Grimness and rigidity can be just as damaging as moral laxness; neither is the Middle Way and neither is of benefit to self or others. Rob Preece, a long-time Buddhist practitioner and Jungian therapist, helps us understand and, in a sense, appreciate our Shadow as a prerequisite for integrating it into our conscious lives. Interwoven with stories gleaned from therapeutic encounters with clients and fellow members of Dharma centers, Preece shares bits and pieces of his own journey as well, and compares the way of the Boddhisattva with the path of individuation. While Preece warns us of pitfalls to watch for in working with teachers and in associating with organizations, he also acknowledges that there are no easy answers when it comes to integrating our own path of individuation with that of structured Buddhist practice in a traditional setting. While other books on spiritual practice present glamorous, Shadow-suppressing "victory lists" chalked off by great masters and their disciples, this book inspires us by validating our struggles, our ambivalence and our humanness--in short, our imperfections.

I found this book very helpful, useful and easy to navigate. Predominately the book is about the Shadow and the need to integrate and accept it as part of ourselves. Rob works a lot with Western Buddhists who have trouble integrating & healing their emotional wounds while simultaneously aspiring to Buddhist spiritual practice and the resulting inner conflict this can bring. He shows that we can draw upon the resources of our own western culture to bring balance and understanding to the psyche while still pursuing the spiritual perspective of another cultural tradition. I appreciated Rob's personal and honest account of his own emotional pain as the experience of suffering is something we all can identify with. He makes a good account of the difference between the whole self of Buddhism (in the Bodhisattva aspect) and Jungian theory vs the idealised self of the ego. I felt that each chapter was a small finished essay in itself and I was able to skip around the book without loosing context. I particularly liked the chapter "Buddha's Shadow" among many. If your a western Buddhist and dealing with your darker emotions I'm very sure this book will provide some grounding and comfort even if you just read a chapter or two. For the really stupid prices you can buy it for second hand (see above) you may as well pick up a copy.

Tibetan Buddhist, psychotherapist, and meditation retreat leader Rob Preece presents The Wisdom of Imperfection: The Challenge of Individuation in Buddhist Life, an exploration of the psychological and inspirational processes that take place on the path of the Bodhisattva, embracing compassion and imperfection. Chapters also warn against tragic obstacles and pitfalls that confront those seeking to cultivate the highest qualities in themselves and others. "The willingness to sacrifice oneself for others may be born out of a deeply damaged sense of self. Sadly, I have seen a number of people, especially some close women friends, enter spiritual communities and work 'selflessly,' sacrificing themselves to circumstances that become increasingly demanding and abusive. The compulsion to neglect self and constantly work for others can easily be supported by spiritual ideals and collective approval. Within this 'selfless' spirituality often lies a deep well of pain, grief, and self-destructive masochism that seldom can be resolved through self-sacrifice." An excellent and worthy addition to Buddhist studies shelves, highly recommended.