Awakening from the Daydream: Reimagining the Buddha's Wheel of Life - Softcover

"Awakening from the Daydream repurposes for our times an ancient map to freedom, giving us a smart and sure way to break out of the habitual grooves that bind us. David Nichtern speaks to us with a voice witty and wise. Deep wisdom in a spot-on package."--Daniel Goleman, author of A Force for Good and Emotional Intelligence

"David skillfully brings an ancient framework into a contemporary context and shows how working with these teachings can support our liberation right now. This is a wonderful book--pithy, relevant and fun to read. Plus the essay from Trungpa Rinpoche is a great bonus!"--Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Real Happiness

"A guide book for anyone confused by the Gordian Knot of existence. It will put the wheel of life into sharp relief with a capital R. Masterful insight from a master."--Jamie Lee Curtis, actress and author

"As a long-time Buddhist practitioner, there are a few people I have turned to over and over to help me make sense of the dharma and David Nichtern is one of them. His insights comfort and shock in equal measure and this book is no exception. If you are looking for an introduction to the Buddhist path that is both gentle and fierce, this is the book for you. Using the iconic Wheel of Life as the gateway, it goes beyond the academic to offer real-life insights into how to transform your suffering into wisdom and joy. I'm so happy this book exists. PS, he is incredibly funny."--Susan Piver, author of Start Here Now and founder of the Open Heart Project

"David Nichtern is one of the most effortless and effective teachers I have ever met. He's funny and smart, which I love, but even better he uses his humor and intelligence to transmit a deeper message that can truly change your life. Get into it!"--Pete Holmes, comedian and host of You Made It Weird

"A wonderful extension of the powerful dharma teachings of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. The transmission of these ancient lineages is intact in David's hands as he continues to update the traditional Buddhist teachings and make them ever more accessible to the contemporary audience."--Ram Dass, author of Be Here Now

Hell realms, gods, and hungry ghosts—these are just a few of the images on the Buddhist wheel of life. In Awakening from the Daydream, discover how these ancient symbols are still relevant to our modern life.

In Awakening from the Daydream, meditation teacher David Nichtern reimagines the ancient Buddhist allegory of the Wheel of Life. Famously painted at the entryway to Buddhist monasteries, the Wheel of Life encapsulates the entirety of the human situation. In the image of the Wheel we find a teaching about how to make sense of life and how to find peace within an uncertain world.

Nichtern writes with clarity and humor, speaking to our contemporary society and its concerns and providing simple practical steps for building a mindful, compassionate, and liberating approach to living.