Flowers in the Dark

When working to understand and heal past trauma, this new book by Sister Dang Nghiem, MD gives us a remarkable set of mindfulness practices to help us in the process to reclaim our power and stability.

Relief can be found in taking a single breath.

“Healing is always possible, especially when we have a spiritual practice to take care of our body and mind. In fact, to be aware that you have a body and to learn to listen to it is already healing. The healer, the healed, and the healing process are in each other, they are each other— they interare.”

Sister Dang Nghiem

Mindfulness teacher Sister Dang Nghiem, MD, is an inspiration for anyone who has ever suffered from abuse,  loss, severe illness, or the aftermath of life-changing trauma. In Flowers in the Dark, she brings together her lived experience as a survivor, certified MD, and ordained Buddhist teacher to offer a body-based, practical approach to healing from life’s most difficult and painful experiences.

Offering insights from Buddhist psychology and simple somatic practices for tapping into our Five Strengths–our inner faculties of self-trust, diligence, mindfulness, concentration, and insight–Sister Dang Nghiem’s approach to trauma is radically accessible; it begins with awareness of our breathing. With each chapter containing a progression of guided reflections and exercises, this book can be read as an adjunct to therapy and a helpful guide for moving through trauma in the body. With the practice of mindfulness, we can access our strength as survivors and our joy in being alive.

Praise for Flowers in the Dark

“What a profound and hopeful book! It offers the best practical wisdom for life’s worst experiences. Sister Dang Nghiem integrates the neuroscience of trauma, effective treatments, and the penetrating insights of mindfulness training…’’

RICK HANSON, author of Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom

“Through her own story and those of many others, Sister Dang Nghiem, MD, offers a path to healing from childhood sexual abuse through mindfulness … a path that allows one to reclaim their childhood and move forward in their lives and to heal what for many is a very deep wound. A book that every victim of childhood sexual abuse should read. Powerful and poignant.”

JAMES R. DOTY, New York Times best-selling author of Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart

“In this accessible and insightful work, Buddhist nun and former physician Dang Nghiem (Healing) outlines an approach to healing from trauma by using Buddhism-inspired mindfulness. Nghiem instructs readers in meditation, breathing techniques, and self-love affirmations that address the emotional and physical aftereffects of traumatic experiences…While Nghiem’s techniques can be valuable to anyone seeking personal growth or comfort for pain, those who have experienced severe traumas will find those treated here with sensitivity and compassion, and may find reasons to hope.”

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY