Like Swans

Bodhisattva: How To Be Free, Teachings To Guide You Home

Open Bodhisattva and enter a sanctuary and a school where every page welcomes you into a private peace and inspires the wisdom of quiet contemplation.

Bodhisattva: How To Be Free reveals profound teachings of the High Dharma.

Composed by internationally beloved Buddhist monk and mystic, Nicole Grace, the revelations unveiled in these brief meditations provide readers of all faiths and traditions with moments of genuine peace, reflection and discovery.

Awards

WINNER – 2011 Paris Book Festival – Best Spiritual Book
WINNER – 2011 International Book Awards in two categories:
Best Poetry/Inspirational Book & Best Religion/Buddhism Book
WINNER – 2010 USA Book News Best Books Award in two categories: 

Spirituality/Inspirational 
& Poetry/Inspirational

Reviews

Her Royal Highness of Bhutan
Ashi Kesang Wangmo Wangchuck
“Bodhisattva: How To Be Free is a breath of freshness. It sings loudly the profound messages of the Buddha in the practice of compassion and tolerance…I trust that readers will enjoy this book as much as I did.”

ForeWord Clarion (Four Stars out of Five)
“Good poetry comes from a poet’s soul and touches readers’ hearts, thus sparking a natural affinity between poetry and spirit…The focus on spiritual awakening never falters in this book. Many poems successfully transform personal reflection into moving message…Those who look to poetry for spiritual understanding will value this book. The last poem, ‘Language of Eternity,’ takes the reader beyond words to reach that goal.”

Kirkus
“In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is a seeker who, upon nearing enlightenment, turns back to devote him – or herself to helping others gain enlightenment too. Grace, an ordained monk, is an excellent expositor of Buddhist thinking. [She] lucidly explains a number of the religion’s basic tenets and provides an incisive introduction to the uninitiated.”

Vision Magazine
“These teachings are jewels of wisdom and, yes, even enlightenment given up in delicate offerings. These words were for me, to be savored over and over again divulging wisdom for our lives. Grace offers the promise to bring you home, to bring you back to your true self. I feel compelled and propelled to be here and live now. Grace’s words are so seemingly simple, yet are so compelling that the entire scope of my life is laid bare in her words…I know that all of my life can be more fully lived through the lens of her words. I savor them. And so will you.”

Common Ground Magazine
“While [Bodhisattva] is undoubtedly of interest to Buddhists, it is also more than capable of inspiring spiritual types from any background or on any pathway of introspection.

“As you read each teaching, you find yourself drifting into a contemplative mood, the words pointing inevitably to a joyful, intense or traumatic experience you’ve been through and giving you a new perspective on it. Then you turn the page, and then the next. While the author may not have intended anyone to read the book cover to cover in one sitting, you may find yourself compelled to continue reading. Then, you will find yourself carrying Bodhisattva around with you so you can read a page while you’re standing on line, or eating lunch, or getting ready to sleep. You will want to tap into that world of peace again and again.

“Bodhisattva can take readers of any background or faith on a quiet and powerful journey of self-discovery.”

Norm Goldman, Book Pleasures
“It is difficult to describe just how much Ms. Grace’s poetry spoke to and touched me…It has been said that a poem can change your life, for in poems we often find words and images that help us understand and interpret the world. It is with this in mind that we can truly appreciate some of the memorable words of wisdom that Grace’s lyric voice delivers to her readers. The themes of Grace’s collection are soulful, as well as being far reaching, navigating a variety of subjects that reflect the basic tenets of bodhisattva [practice]. Moreover, the poems are unified in Grace’s skilled presentation and conscientious attention to her message, while she balances straightforward emotional honesty with her relish in language and linguistic play.”

San Diego Examiner
“Bodhisattva is a collection of lyrical poems – Grace likes to call them ‘teachings’. They are each jewels of insight —epiphanies obtained through meditations on nature and the world. It’s rich reading for those who appreciate great poetry and its power to reveal what words alone cannot.”

To Learn More

To learn more about Bodhisattva and to read excerpts visit our Teachings page.

Read articles by Nicole Grace, as well as interviews given by her on our Press and Awards page.

Follow Bodhisattva on Facebook

Where To Buy

Bodhisattva can be purchased now from your favorite bookstore or online:

The author is grateful to Janet Piesold for her magnificent painting of “Peaceful Vajrapani” that graces the cover of Bodhisattva.