She Appears! Encounters with Kwan Yin, Goddess of Compassion

This book caught me by surprise. I expected a paean to an ancient goddess, Kwan Yin, and instead found deep insights into our heartrending humanity. Many of the stories brought me to tears, but collectively they are winged with ephemeral joy. The litany of profoundly compassionate encounters with Kwan Yin by miraculous visitation, mystical vision, or simply intimate deep kindnesses is astounding: not only in the tales they tell, but the sheer number of them.There was the story of four somewhat estranged friends experiencing a gentle garden evening in Utah, when the nearby Kwan Yin statute began to breathe, “All four of us sat in poignant silence watching the statue breathing in front of us, her bronze chest rising and falling in a deep, steady rhythm, a rhythm that neither disappeared nor diminished as we looked on, rapt and wordless.” There was the hospice chaplain: “I would like to say that I have had grand visions of Kwan Yin, tales to resurrect the mysteries, jolt the mind into awakening. But I think that might distort the intimacy. She has been a presence teaching me to be present, a kindness willing to stare into the face of anything, even when everyone else turns away.”This collection of stories and artistry, linked by the presence of Kwan Yin, reminds us that we are all as close to being extraordinary as a simple bow to the potential perfection of compassion in our own hearts.

Silly me . . . I thought this book would be filled with reports of actual Kwan Yin sightings. There are a few, but, surprisingly to me, it is some of the less physical encounters that I identified with most deeply. Until recently, I really had no idea that there are Buddhist deities. Several years ago, during a period when I prayed a lot of written prayers to our father, I had a waking vision of who I've discovered to be Kwan Yin. The beautiful translucent being reached into my chest, saying, "Good. Good." I thought she was an angel, although her ornamentation surprised me. At that time, I had a sense of gratitude and humility after what I felt was a brush with death. An infection had rendered me so weak that it strained me to become upset, and so I learned to go slowly and to meet obstacles with compassion. It was a real shift from the wretch I had been formerly. I wasn't sure what had changed after the visitation other than a sense of levity where there had been gravity. The accounts in this book have helped give me much greater clarity regarding what happened to me, although I suspect that she might have also turned the karmic wheel for me, because my life is filled with such beauty today. I highly recommend this book. It's the real deal.

I too have had amazing encounters with Quan Yin and have felt my heart opening to the love and compassion within. This book shares the many ways the Goddess Quan Yin touches the lives of so many in wondrous and completely unexpected ways. Very touching to read, especially given the very complicated feelings I have around my father’s passing 3 weeks ago. I feel so much more peaceful having read this book and so loved. Much gratitude!

This book is certainly highly recommended for all of her devotes. I have to admit, I didn't expect much from it , but it is sincere, from the heart. I have to say also, I was most of my life not into gods, none of them, without religious background, very psychological, atheistic oriented. Even when I had find my interest and fascinations with various spiritual practices and philosophies, I always thought that we come across deities in a temple, church, cathedral, mosques,..but surely not in a hospital bed where I have find myself. With the time I realized, in that hospital bed I didn't only discover my self but also Kuan Yin, who is there already all along, if we just listen.

I am enjoying reading one story each day and learning a few tidbits of information about Kwan Yin along the way. The varied personal stories are mostly how people have experienced Kwan Yin or her compassionate, caring energy. It is not meant to be a history of her or to tell the tales associated with her. There is a variety of art work from the contributors who share their experiences of how Kwan Yin inspired them or helped them. Reminds me of the Chicken Soup books, with Kwan Yin as the theme.

I am so very surprised at how much of an impact this book has had on me. I thought it would be a collection of wonderful stories, which it is....for me it has become as open doorway into the reality of Kwan Yin's presence in my life and in my heart !

I liked the memoirs the most. Worth it. Namo Guan Shih Yin P'usa. Would have liked more miracle stories. Thank you.

Oh it’s one of my favorite books on Kwan Yin. I read it once a week

Extraordinary significant experiences of meetings with Kwan Yin coupled with beautiful illustrations.