Tara Brach

Tara Brach is an American psychologist, author, and Buddhist meditation teacher who has an engaged following among readers, students, and academics. She is the author of several books, including Radical Acceptance, True Refuge, and The Power of Meditation. Brach is an advocate for mindful living and an active yogi, who believes in the power of contemplation to heal body and soul.

Brach was born in 1952 in Newton Centre, Massachusetts. She attended the University of Michigan and later earned her doctor of psychology degree from the Fielding Institute in California. Brach cites the influence of her years studying clinical psychology in her decision to pursue a career as a psychotherapist.

Brach has been teaching meditation and Buddhist psychology since the mid-1980s. She founded a meditation center in Maryland in 1995, which eventually moved to Washington, D.C. and became the Insight Meditation Community of Washington. She is the primary teacher at Insight Meditation Center, a community-oriented organization featuring classes, retreats, and mentoring for students interested in exploring contemplative practice.

In 2003, Brach published her first book, Radical Acceptance, which examines her Buddhism-influenced psychology. The big idea behind the book is that real freedom from suffering can be gained only through accepting life without judgment. Brach offers her readers practical ways of approaching even the most difficult moments, showing them how to step back from unhealthy mental habits, often through contemplation and meditation. She argues that when we stop judging our circumstances and allow ourselves to be in the moment, we gain access to our power and become better able to act in accordance with our values.

In True Refuge: Finding Peace and Freedom in Your Own Awakened Heart (2013), Brach advises readers to regard themselves as sacred and to live mindfully, while helping them move away from clinging to desired outcomes that lead to suffering. Brach focuses on helping her readers experience peace and joy by surrendering fearful striving and embracing divine acceptance.

In 2016, Brach published The Power of Meditation, which is an exploration of the ways in which meditation can revolutionize one's spiritual and mental health. With a focus on the tenets of Buddhism and meditation, Brach offers guidance to readers on how to move into deep and restorative states of openness, allowing them to tap into natural modes of joy and wellbeing.

Tara Brach's teaches that the key to navigating life successfully and joyfully is to practice self-inquiry, self-care, and connection with an inner awareness that includes our spiritual tradition and practices, such as Buddhism. Her books offer readers an opportunity to delve into her teachings and explore the option of tapping into insight meditation and other mindfulness practices. She believes that learning to care with kindness and awareness is the best route to liberation from suffering and to developing peace and contentment.