Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears
Last updated October 31, 2026
By Pema Chödrön
Pema Chödrön builds this book around shenpa, a Tibetan word for the hooked feeling that comes just before we react out of habit. She explains how it pulls us into anger, craving and blame. She offers simple practices for noticing the moment we are hooked, pausing instead of acting, and staying with the discomfort, and she argues that these small acts of attention can help us break old patterns and meet the world more openly.
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