Our thoughts and emotions can take us anywhere. In an instant they can bring us down or lift us up. If we don’t attend to the mind, the source of all our thoughts and emotions, it can seem like a runaway train. Yet when guided by wisdom, our mind can lead us to awakening. How do we utilize this resource?

The Buddha asked big questions concerning the causes and conditions of happiness and suffering and how we can shape our mind and attitude to support our wellbeing. According to the Buddhist teachings, when our natural intelligence is sparked by contemplation and meditation, we discover insights into what true happiness means – and how to achieve it. The distilled wisdom of the Buddhist tradition leads us to clarity of mind—step by step, the light of our natural intelligence comes through.

With the humor and insight he is known for, Dzigar Kongtrul engages us in a playful – and challenging – investigation of disturbing emotions, our relationships with others, the trap of self-centeredness, and the practicalities of working with a Buddhist teacher. Most importantly, he shows us the subtlest use of our natural intelligence–its ability to recognize the nature of reality itself.

“This is a wonderful fresh look at the amazing potential of our human mind. In the innovative and accessible style he is famous for, Dzigar Kongtrül continues to challenge and encourage us.”–Pema Chödrön, author of When Things Fall Apart and Practicing Peace in Times of War

“Light Comes Through is an inspired, well-written, and creative examination of topics such as faith, romance, developing happiness for others, and facing our own suffering with perspective and compassion. It is a wonderful guidebook for living a very different kind of life.”–Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness