The happiest people, Stephen Levine says, are those who have fully investigated their fears. But what is fear? And how is it related to grief, anger, and pain? In In the Heart Lies the Deathless, Levine addresses these questions with clear relevance to everyone on the spiritual path. Within each of our hearts, he begins, there is a sacred emptiness that we share with the divine spirit and with all life. The qualities of this space are love, kindness, and mercy. But a "hardness" of the mind, which Levine describes as a layering of grief, prevents us from accessing our natural love and kindness.

In his work with the terminally ill, Levine has explored why people who are dying are often the most loving, generous people of all. Profound loss, he says, gives people permission to grieve, which in turn brings unconscious issues to the surface. As these are faced and resolved, love floods into our lives. In the Heart Lies the Deathless is Stephen Levine's inward look at how pain and loss can provide a remarkable opportunity for spiritual growth. Includes two guided meditations.

Additional topics: how to release fear, why we go to therapists, the nature of the unloved self, psychological momentum, Buddhism and temperament, meditation concepts, the heart as essence, the gift of healing, divine anger, and more.