Dominique Side is a practising Buddhist and experienced teacher of Buddhism. She has a Ph.D. in Buddhist philosophy and has edited two books by the Dalai Lama. She is the author of Buddhism (2005) and Discovering Buddhism (2022) and a founder of the Windows into Buddhism website providing educational resources for all age groups. A Softer Gaze, her blog on Substack, carries audio recordings of guided reflections on the topics in this book.