"With a mix of wisdom, mindfulness meditation practices and inspiring stories of everyday people, Brown hopes to provide a source of hope for anyone who needs it." --The Root
"Brown writes that she hopes readers will 'let [Hope Leans Forward] surprise, inspire, and warm your heart.' It set mine on fire." --Friends Journal
"Perfect for those who want to progress on their spiritual journey." --Library Journal
"This extraordinary book is like a great river that delivers nutrients to all those on her shores. I have sat with the wisdom that Valerie Brown has shared in this remarkable volume and been uplifted and also grounded as she opens the heart of her reader through the courage and hope that she shares." --Roshi Joan Halifax, abbot, Upaya Zen Center
"Hope Leans Forward is a deeply personal and rich book that does not hide the mud from which lotuses grow, but at the same time shows the lotuses in all their splendor.... As the author shows, our hope lies not so much in the future but in the present, for there we can listen to the voice of our soul in order to live in the service of a more compassionate life." --sister true virtue, Plum Village, France
"To read this book is to feel more grounded and alive; to practice the wisdom within it is to open yourself to the possibilities of your own life." --Barry Crossno, general secretary, Friends General Conference
"In this moment, when our interconnectedness and mutual vulnerability are more evident than ever, Valerie Brown's Hope Leans Forward offers a path luminescent in its pragmatism, crystal in its invitation to shared responsibility, gentle in its guiding steps and full of grace for each of us." --Sarah Willie-LeBreton, provost and dean of the faculty, professor of sociology and Black studies, Swathmore
"Each chapter of Hope Leans Forward by Valerie Brown is an exploration of one of seven factors of awakening of Buddhist teaching and practice--mindfulness, investigation, energy, joy, tranquility, concentration, and equanimity--in dialogue with Quaker tradition. In particular, Brown writes as a Buddhist-Quaker grounded in her practice of Kundalini Yoga. The end result is an excellent example of how the practice of interreligious dialogue more often than not expands one's faith journey in unexpected and creative ways." --Paul Ingram, The Society for Buddhist-Christian Studies
"This wonderful book invites you in with its mix of warmth and empathy skillfully blended with a sense of adventure, discovery, and fun. It is rich, yet meant to be carried lightly. Practical, but in the service of the journey toward unknowing. Filled with helpful practices and powerful insights, it will help anyone chart the course toward spiritual maturity." --Rev. Seifu Anil Singh-Molares, executive director, Spiritual Directors International
"Hope Leans Forward is equal parts inspirational and practical offering an abundance of wisdom and guidance at the intersection of multiple religious and spiritual traditions." --Lynn Screen, managing director, Institute for Transformational Leadership, Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies
"In Hope Leans Forward Valerie Brown intimately weaves her own story and those of others to explore in a very deep way the seven factors of awakening in Buddhism and the inquiry and reflection of Quaker spirituality to provide a reader's guidebook to explore life's deepest questions, navigate life's inevitable rocky waters and hurt places, and cultivate clarity on the way to their true self." --Bill Pullen, MSOD, MCC, academic director, Institute for Transformational Leadership, Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies
