Nancy A. Scherl: Challenger Defender

A magnificent guide to an age-old and rarely seen Tibetan Buddhist practice for anyone interested in mindfulness, well-being and consciousness

This beautifully illustrated book, with a foreword by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, captures the practice of Tibetan monastic debate, performed by Buddhist monks as a series of dramatic, theatrical gestures. Tibetan debate is a total expression of body, mind and spirit. Its purpose is to establish a viewpoint, conquer misconceptions and understand the nature of reality. With stunning photographs by American photographer Nancy A. Scherl (born 1955), Challenger Defender is a vibrant tapestry of text and images, exploring the practice of monastic debate and allowing the reader entry into the fragile yet thriving Tibetan Buddhist diaspora. This debate tradition shows us how we can think, learn and formulate our own points of view by engaging different opinions and experiences while practicing compassion for one another, in contrast with the Western concept of debating to "win."