Threads of Awakening: An American Woman's Journey into Tibet's Sacred Textile Art

Description

What if you set out to travel the world and got sidetracked in a Himalayan sewing workshop? What if that sidetrack turned out to be your life's path-your way home? Part art book, part memoir, part spiritual travelogue, Threads of Awakening is a delightful and inspiring blend of adventure and introspection. Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo shares her experience as a California woman traveling to the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile in India to manage an economic development fund, only to wind up sewing pictures of Buddha instead. Through her remarkable journey, she discovered that a path is made by walking it-and that some of the best paths are made by walking off course. For more than 500 years, Tibetans have been creating sacred images from pieces of silk. Much rarer than paintings and sculptures, these stitched fabric thangkas are among Tibet's finest artworks. Leslie studied this little-known textile art with two of its brightest living masters and let herself discover where curiosity and devotion can lead. In this book, she reveals the unique stitches of an ancient needlework tradition, introduces the Buddhist deities it depicts, and shares insights into the compassion, interdependence, and possibility they embody. Includes 49 full-color photos and a foreword by the Dalai Lama.

Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo is a textile artist, teacher, and author. Curiosity carried her from California to India, where she became one of few non-Tibetans to master the Buddhist art of silk applique thangka. Her artwork has been exhibited internationally and featured in magazines such as Spirituality & Health, FiberArts, and Fiber Art Now and in the documentary, Creating Buddhas: The Making and Meaning of Fabric Thangkas. To share the gift of Tibetan applique with stitchers around the globe, she created the Stitching Buddhas virtual apprentice program, an online, hands-on course that bridges East and West, traditional and contemporary. After two decades abroad, Leslie returned to her native Southern California, where she now lives with three cats and enough fabric to last several lifetimes in Oxnard, CA.

2022 Readers' Favorite Book Awards Finalist in Non-Fiction (Art/Photography) "Threads of Awakening reveals the intricacies and richness of the applique tradition. I am sure it will enhance appreciation for our unique artistic traditions." -His Holiness the Dalai Lama ". . . the narrative threads . . . weave together in a sensitive work that considers Rinchen-Wongmo's difficulties navigating Tibetan culture in her quest to learn a new art. . . . Along the way, it effectively delves into the Buddhist thought that she incorporated into her worldview." -Kirkus Reviews "Readers interested in Tibetan culture and Buddhist spiritual practices will find this book of interest." -Library Journal "Deeply personal, learned, and genuine, this is a beautiful memoir of spiritual self-discovery." -Susan Piver, New York Times best-selling author of The Four Noble Truths of Love: Buddhist Wisdom for Modern Relationships "At first glance, it seemed as if this book might be yet another travelogue, with adventures into India and a dip into Buddhist culture. How wrong I was. It is a deeply moving story of how one woman's decision to help the Tibetan refugees in India led to a lifetime's work of creation in one of the finest and rarest art traditions. . . . An absolute delight to read." -Reedsy Discovery "Threads of Awakening is an illuminating window into the world of pieced brocade thangkas. Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo is, to my knowledge, the first American woman to master this exquisite artistic tradition, and also the first to write extensively on it. We are fortunate to reap the fruits of her endeavors!" -Glenn H. Mullin, author of Female Buddhas and four more books on Tibetan Buddhist art "Threads of Awakening not only fulfills a critical gap in the recorded literature and preservation of traditional Tibetan applique thangkas-it is also sure to enrapture, delight, and inspire you!" -Pema Namdol Thaye, traditional Tibetan architect, artist, author, and art educator "Part travelogue, part spiritual biography, and part artistic chronicle, Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo's Threads of Awakening is an eloquent work that is both adventure and homecoming; transformational and grounding . . . her personable and insightful presentation stimulates introspection about our own journeys, whatever they may be." -Buddhistdoor Global "All of us are granted the same twenty-four-hour day. But great memoirs show us how much life we can pack into every moment if our heart says yes. Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo, whose name means 'precious, empowered woman,' did just that. She came upon a group stitching sacred Tibetan tapestries in India and stayed to become the first Western woman trained to make them. Her story takes us deep into the art and culture she embraced. But just as importantly, Leslie provides a luminous lesson on what she calls 'the experience of traveling off course to a wondrous life.'" -Barbara Cornell, Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist and librarian "I was genuinely moved by Leslie's courage and compassion as she pursued her dreams. Perhaps one of the most moving moments of the book is her meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Her book is a joy to read." -Cindy Rasicot, author of Finding Venerable Mother: A Daughter's Spiritual Quest to Thailand "Prepare yourself not just for a fascinating read but also for a profound personal awakening at the depths of your being!" -Bill Bauman, PhD, author of Emptiness Dreaming: The Story of Creation as Seen through the Eyes of the Quantum Void "Leslie retells her journey in prose that is as beautiful, meticulous, and captivating as the thangkas themselves." -Meher McArthur, author of Reading Buddhist Art "Profoundly meaningful and deeply spiritual, Threads of Awakening is a delightful and inspiring travel memoir about an ancient Tibetan Buddhist textile tradition and a woman's search for purpose." -Isadora Leidenfrost, PhD, filmmaker of Creating Buddhas: The Making and Meaning of Fabric Thangkas