First published 2002
Chögyam Trungpa examines the most common trap that ensnares spiritual seekers: the ego's ability to transform even genuine spiritual practice into another form of self-improvement. The Tibetan meditation master argues that practitioners routinely fall into what he terms spiritual materialism, mistaking the development and refinement of ego for true spiritual progress. Trungpa demonstrates how the ego co-opts any spiritual technique or insight for its own purposes, creating an illusion of advancement while maintaining its essential grip. He reveals that authentic liberation requires abandoning efforts to improve the self and instead embracing the ego's fundamental emptiness. Through compassionate yet incisive analysis, Trungpa guides readers away from this universal self-deception toward genuine freedom. The book presents a path that leads not through self-development but through letting go entirely. This edition features a foreword by Sakyong Mipham, Trungpa's son and spiritual successor.
Genres: philosophy, psychology, spirituality, buddhism
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: self-improvement
272 pages · Paperback · Shambhala