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This section of our website is devoted to providing space where members can share readings that have helped them in any way with their practice or their own spiritual growth, whether the help was inspirational, philosophical, emotional, or whatever. Author links take you to that author's website, or a site that has some bio info on him or her. To read member comments, click on their tag name. A good reading list from the web which covers several traditions can be found here. The Wisdom of No Escape: and the Path of Loving Kindness — Pema Chödrön 
"Each of us has all that it takes to become fully enlightened," Pema Chodron writes in this book. "We have basic energy coursing through us. Sometimes it manifests as brilliance and sometimes it manifests as confusion." Chodron's 108-page book is based on a series of "talks" she delivered in the spring of 1989 at Gampo Abbey, a Buddhist monastery in Nova Scotia founded by Chodron's teacher, Chogyam Trungpa. "The message . . . for the reader," Chodron writes in the book's Preface, "is to be with oneself without embarrassment or harshness. This is instruction on how to love oneself and one's world".This book is nothing less than liberating. It offers the power to awaken your heart, and the power to awaken your courage. "Working with obstacles is life's journey" Chodron tells us. "The purpose of your whole life is not to make a lot of money, it's not to find the perfect marriage, it's not to build Gampo Abbey. It's not to do any of these things. You have a certain life, and whatever life you're in is a vehicle for waking up. If you're a mother raising your children, that's the vehicle for waking up. If you're an actress, that's the vehicle for waking up. If you're a construction worker, that's the vehicle for waking up. If you're a retired person facing old age, that's the vehicle for waking up. If you're alone and you feel lonely and you wish you had a mate, that's the vehicle for waking up. If you have a huge family around you and you wish you had a little more free time, that's the vehicle for waking up. Whatever you have, that's it." Written before her perhaps better known books, this may be my favorite Pema Chodron title. I have returned to it many times since it was first published in 1991. This is a good dharma book, written with Chodron's characteristic wisdom and clarity. —G. Merritt
Member comments: —eddo Faces of Compassion: Classic Bodhisattva Archetypes and Their Modern Expression — Taigen Dan Leighton 
From Ali to Gandhi, Dylan to Thoreau — and from Gertrude Stein to Mother Theresa — Faces of Compassion introduces us to enlightened beings, the bodhisattvas of Buddhist lore. They''re not otherworldly gods with superhuman qualities, but shining examples of our own highest potential. Zen teacher and scholar Taigen Dan Leighton takes us through the ages to meet the people who have shaped history and society with their compassion and wisdom. Faces of Compassion emphasizes the universality of spiritual ideals, and the power each of us has to change our world.
some reviews
The Wisdom of Insecurity — Alan Watts "the sins of the saints are worse than the sins of the sinners, that in some mysterious way the one searching for salvation is nearer to hell and to the heart of evil than the unashamed harlot or thief" 
'The Wisdom of Insecurity' by Alan Watts is a book which explores the idea of reversed effort: "Whosoever would save his soul shall lose it."
Watts discusses this in terms of security and suggests that insecurity is a result of trying to be secure; that safety and peace of mind can only be found in the recognition that we have no way of saving ourselves.
He calls his book the philosophical equivalent of "Alice through the Looking Glass" and emphasizes how with pleasure, pain will always follow. For instance: the more we love a person, the more we grieve at their death.
By looking at reversed effort, Watts reveals that the only solution to this problem is to become more aware and accept that insecurities are inescapable and inseparable from life.
Member comments: —eddo The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma — Red Pine (trans)  Book Description
A fifth-century Indian Buddhist monk, Bodhidharma is credited with bringing Zen to China. Although the tradition that traces its ancestry back to him did not flourish until nearly two hundred years after his death, today millions of Zen Buddhists and students of kung fu claim him as their spiritual father.
While others viewed Zen practice as a purification of the mind or a stage on the way to perfect enlightenment, Bodhidharma equated Zen with buddhahood and believed that it had a place in everyday life. Instead of telling his disciples to purify their minds, he pointed them to rock walls, to the movements of tigers and cranes, to a hollow reed floating across the Yangtze.
This bilingual edition, the only volume of the great teacher's work currently available in English, presents four teachings in their entirety. "Outline of Practice" describes the four all-inclusive habits that lead to enlightenment, the "Bloodstream Sermon" exhorts students to seek the Buddha by seeing their own nature, the "Wake-up Sermon" defends his premise that the most essential method for reaching enlightenment is beholding the mind. The original Chinese test, presented on facing pages, is taken from a Ch'ing dynasty woodblock edition.
Member comments: —eddo The Way of Zen — Alan Watts No one has given us such a concise, freshly written introduction to the whole history of this Far Eastern development of Buddhist thought as Alan Watts, in the present, highly readable work. 
After D.T. Suzuki, Alan Watts stands as the godfather of Zen in America. Often taken to task for inspiring the flimsy spontaneity of Beat Zen, Watts had an undeniably keen understanding of his subject. Nowhere is this more evident than in his 1957 classic The Way of Zen, which has been reissued. Watts takes the reader back to the philosophical foundations of Zen in the conceptual world of Hinduism, follows Buddhism's course through the development of the early Mahayana school, the birth of Zen from Buddhism's marriage with Chinese Taoism, and on to Zen's unique expression in Japanese art and life. As a Westerner, Watts anticipates the stumbling blocks encountered with such concepts as emptiness and no-mind, then illustrates with flawlessly apt examples. Many popular books have been written on Zen since Watts' time, but few have been able to muster the rare combination of erudition and clarity that have kept The Way of Zen in readers' hands decade after decade. --Brian BruyaMember comments: —eddo Pay Attention for Goodness' Sake — Sylvia Boorstein 
According to the Buddha, the path of kindness is the path of happiness. Now Sylvia Boorstein, nationally bestselling author of It's Easier Than You Think, has taken the 2500-year-old practice of developing the qualities of a compassionate heart—the core of the Buddha's own practice—and made it accessible to all. Pay Attention for Goodness' Sake is the first book ever to guide Western readers on the path of the Buddha's Ten Paramitas, the Perfections of the Heart. Boorstein combines traditional Buddhist teachings and parables with stories from her own life, as well as easy-to-follow meditations, to show how the practice of Mindfulness—paying attention in everyday life—can lead to these perfections that all of us strive for, including Generosity, Morality, Wisdom, Energy, Patience, Determination, and Equanimity.
When we take on this practice, Boorstein notes, "our vision becomes transformed. We see, with increasing clarity, the confusion in our own minds and the suffering in our own hearts. . . . And we also see the extraordinariness of life, how amazing it is that life exists." Boorstein's lively and practical lessons about everyday generosity, morality, making and mending mistakes, the bliss of blamelessness, and other human concerns and frailties, help to clarify our distractions and connect us with our own goodness, "the part of ourselves that wishes it had done differently."
For Buddhist and non-Buddhist alike, Pay Attention for Goodness' Sake is a cheerful, inspiring book that offers the possibility of a transformed life. --Inside Flap Copy
Taking Our Places — Norman Fisher 
This engaging contemplation of maturity addresses the long neglected topic of what it means to grow up, and provides a hands-on guide for skilfully navigating the demands of our adult lives.
Growing up happens whether we like it or not, but maturity must be cultivated. Challenged to consider his own sense of maturity while mentoring a group of teenage boys, Fischer began to investigate our preconceptions about what it means to be "an adult" and shows how crucial true maturity is to leading an engaged, fulfilled life. Taking Our Places details the marks of a mature person and shows how these attributes can help alleviate our suffering and enrich our relationships. Discussing such qualities as awareness, responsibility, humour, acceptance, and humility, Fischer brings a fresh and at times surprising new perspective that can turn old ideas on their heads and reinvigorate our understanding of what it means to be mature.
--HarperCollins
Cave in the Snow — Vicki Mackenzie (for Tenzin Palmo) 
How an Englishwoman, the daughter of a fishmonger from London's East End, has become a Buddhist legend and a champion for the rights of women to attain spiritual enlightenment. In 1976 Diane Perry, by then known by her Tibetan name, Tenzin Palmo, secluded herself in a remote cave 13,200 feet up in the Himalayas, cut off from the world by mountains and snow. There she engaged in 12 years of intense Buddhist meditation. She faced unimaginable cold, wild animals, near starvation and avalanches, she grew her own food and slept in a traditional wooden meditation box, three-feet square - she never lay down. Her goal was to attain enlightenment as a woman.—taken from the back cover
Related Links: Member comments: —Sarah —eddo The Miracle of Mindfulness — Thich Nhat Hanh 
Miracle of Mindfulness is a sly commentary on the Anapanasati Sutra, the Sutra on Breath to Maintain Mindfulness. "Sly" because it doesn't read like a dry commentary at all. One of Thich Nhat Hanh's most popular books, Miracle of Mindfulness is about how to take hold of your consciousness and keep it alive to the present reality, whether eating a tangerine, playing with your children, or washing the dishes. A world-renowned Zen master, Nhat Hanh weaves practical instruction with anecdotes and other stories to show how the meditative mind can be achieved at all times and how it can help us all "reveal and heal." Nhat Hanh is a master at helping us find a calm refuge within ourselves and teaching us how to reach out from there to the rest of the world. --Brian BruyaMember comments: —eddo The Present Moment — Thich Nhat Hanh (audio cassettes) 
(blurb:) How would you like to go on retreat for several days with Thich Nhat Hanh, the patient, loving, and wise Meditation Master? He takes you through sitting and walking meditation. Using easy to follow exercises you will learn to overcome anger and fear, while cultivating a more conscious relationship with yourself and others.
Here's your chance to study the main techniques of mindfulness meditation in a very in-depth, complete study course of six (6) audio cassettes in a sturdy vinyl binder. 'Present Moment' includes a helpful study booklet to keep you absorbing the instruction. This wonderful series is an excellent primer for daily meditation.
Member comments: —eddo Everyday Zen: Love and Work — Charlotte Joko Beck 
I've read quite a few books over the past few months in my search to "understand Zen" (yes, I *know* that's a contradiction in terms!). But "Everyday Zen" is really the first that helped me see how Zen can operate in the midst of my modern American life -- outside of a monastic environment, dealing with business and family and the other assorted miseries of the late 20th century. Her style is forthright and no-nonsense; excuse the sexism, but it's almost as if you had a plain-spoken old aunt who simply told you the truth about the birds and the bees when everyone else was hemming and hawing and quoting Robert Browning. I recommend this book HIGHLY to anyone new to Zen who struggles, as I do, with how to place it into a modern context.—reader review from Amazon.com
Nothing Special: Living Zen — Charlotte Joko Beck  How to awaken in our daily life. A clear and refreshing description of the Dharma, using common experiences such as anger, marriage, and work as the source of our investigation into the nature of reality. Invigorating pointers from one of the most popular Zen teachers. Filled with deep wisdom and gritty advice.
The Power of Now — Eckhart Tolle
"This book represents the essence of my work, as far as it can be conveyed in words, with individuals and small groups of spiritual seekers during the past ten years, in Europe and in North America."The book works on several levels, often "addressing the knower who dwells behind the thinker, the deeper self that immediately recognizes spiritual truth, resonates with it and gains strength from it." more info...
Member comments: —eddo Breath by Breath — Larry Rosenberg
Breath by Breath evokes the depth that this simple practice points us towards, and shows the precision of the Buddha's instructions on how to see it for ourselves. 'The seeing is what brings suffering to an end, which is the whole purpose of the Buddha's teaching. He wasn't trying to be philosophical, he was eminently practical.' This is a practical book. Member comments: —eddo The Vision of Buddhism — Roger Corless
—Jeffrey Hopkins, University of Virginia
"For the first time, the story is told in consonance with the nature of Buddhism itself." —Alfred Bloom, Institute of Buddhist Studies
"I have been reading The Vision of Buddhism and urging it on friends myself. The angle and unfolding there is a remarkably effective way to introduce people to the Buddhadharma." —Gary Snyder, U of C, Davis, winner Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1975
Member comments: —eddo A Path with Heart — Jack Kornfield
Our sangha has, when guest teachers are rare, used member-offered chapter synopses of this book for our dharma talks. A book that covers a lot of 'Buddhist' ground in simple non-Buddhist terms.
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind — Suzuki Roshi 
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few."Shunryu Suzuki (1905-1971) was a direct spiritual descendant of the great thirteenth-century Zen Master, Dogen. This inspiring work ranks with the great Zen classics, in a voice and language completely adapted to contemporary sensibilities. Suzuki's words breathe with the joy and simplicity that make a liberated life possible. As he reveals the actual practice of Zen as a discipline for daily life, one begins to understand what Zen is really about. Member comments: —eddo Not Always So — Shurnryu Suzuki and Edward Espe Brown “Calmness of mind is beyond the end of your exhalation, so if you exhale smoothly, without trying to exhale, you are entering into the complete perfect calmness of your mind.”(From Publishers Weekly) 
Contrary to Zen's principle of "nothing special," Brown (The Tassajara Bread Book; Tassajara Cooking) has indeed produced something very special: an edited collection of talks by beloved Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki, who died in 1971. It is impossible to overestimate the sustained impact of Suzuki's 1970 classic, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, a world-renowned bestseller. Brown, ordained by Suzuki in 1971 after six years of study under him, has edited transcriptions that both read well on the page and capture the style, humor and solid grasp evident in the first volume. But this is no Zen Mind sequel, and will prove highly valuable to anyone, rank novice or zazen master. These 35 talks, delivered shortly before Suzuki's death from cancer, sparkle with simple freshness and familiarity.
Member comments: —eddo Crooked Cucumber : The Life and Teaching of Shunryu Suzuki — David Chadwick 
Shunryu Suzuki (not to be confused with the great monk and scholar D.T. Suzuki) came to America in 1959 to minister to a small Japanese-American congregation at Sokoji, Soto Zen Mission, on Bush Street in San Francisco.
Artists, school teachers, poets, and students of Asian culture and thought began to practice zazen, Zen meditation, with him early in the morning. Crooked Cucumber tells the story of his life and the development of his teaching and the San Francisco Zen center. It includes many previously unpublished excerpts from his lectures, lots of great teaching stories, and a unique, unromantic look at a Zen master's whole life.
Member comments: —eddo When Things Fall Apart — Pema Chödrön
Member comments: —eddo Zen and the Psychology of Transformation: The Supreme Doctrine — Hubert Benoit 
Joko Beck describes this book as "her main teacher" and says that "it may be the best book on Zen ever written." The author was a French surgeon (and later psychiatrist) who was severely wounded during a bombing in World War II that left him unable to move for many years. The book is a brilliant exposition of our essential human problem and its resolution. The book is unfortunately not easy to read, but worth the effort. It was translated from the French by Benoit's friend Wei Wu Wei. Member comments: —eddo The Places That Scare You — Pema Chödrön
Member comments: —eddo The Three Pillars of Zen — Roshi Philip Kapleau 
"The Three Pillars of Zen is still, in my opinion, the best book in English that has been written on Zen Buddhism."Through explorations of the three pillars of Zen--teaching, practice, and enlightenment--Roshi Philip Kapleau presents a comprehensive overview of the history and discipline of Zen Buddhism. An established classic, this 35th anniversary edition features new illustrations and photographs, as well as a new afterword by Sensei Bodhin Kjolhede, who has succeeded Philip Kapleau as spiritual director of the Rochester Zen Center, one of the oldest and most influential Zen centers in the United States. Member comments: —eddo The Holy Man — Susan Trott 
The Holy Man is a delightful pilgrim's tale set in the modern world. Written with wit and verve, it tells the story of a gentle-natured disciple who, in the space of a week, moves from fear and doubt to joyful enlightenment. Anna's teacher is Joe, a wise and patient sage who sees in her the acolyte he has long been seeking. As their relationship grows, she begins to assume his mantle, while he sees her become ever more sure-footed. Watching this relationship unfold is wonderful, and Susan Trott shows uncanny insight into the nature of friendship as well as the interplay between pupil and teacher.But this novel isn't solely about Anna's progression towards enlightenment, since she doesn't come alone to the holy man's door--she is accompanied by her skeptical husband, Errol, and their two children. They, too, have spiritual journeys to make, and in so doing enrich and instruct both Anna and her mentor. The Holy Man is a charming read and an uplifting one that never veers into the sentimental or trite. —Lucas LoBlack, Amazon.co.uk
There is also a follow-up work, The Holy Man's Journey: The captivating and spiritually illuminating tales of the Holy Man continue in Susan Trott's wise and witty follow-up to her national bestseller. In The Holy Man's Journey, the beloved man on the mountain undertakes a pilgrimage of his own to find his old teacher. Accompanying him is his student successor, Anna, who learns life lessons along the way. Intimate and revealing, this is a tale of friendship and love that shows the human side of the holy man while never ceasing to instruct and enlighten the reader.
The Art of Living — William Hart 
Full title is "The Art of Living — Vipassana Meditation as taught by S. N. Goenka."
Vipassand-bhavand, "the development of insight," embodies the essence of the teaching of the Buddha. As taught by S. N. Goenka, this path to self-awareness is extraordinary in its simplicity, its lack of dogma and, above all, its results. The Vipassana technique can be successfully applied by anyone.
Based on the lectures and writings of S. N. Goenka—and prepared under his direct guidance— The Art of Living shows how this technique can be used to solve problems, develop unused potential, and lead a peaceful, productive life. It includes stories by S. N. Goenka, as well as answers to students' questions, that convey a vivid sense of his teaching.
S. N. Goenka's Vipassana courses have attracted thousands of people of every background. Unique among teachers of meditation, Goenka is a retired industrialist and former leader of the Indian Community in Burma. Although a layman, his teaching has won the approval of senior Buddhist monks in Burma, India, and Sri Lanka, a number of whom have taken courses under his guidance. Despite his magnetism, he has no wish to be a "guru" —instead he teaches self-responsibility. This is the first systematic study of his teachings to appear in English.
Member comments: —eddo blink — Malcolm Gladwell 
"The Power of Thinking Without Thinking" is the subtitle of this book, which may make it obvious why this could be a good dharma book. From the publisher:
How do we make decisions—good and bad—and why are some people so much better at it than others? That's the question Malcolm Gladwell asks and answers in the follow-up to his huge bestseller, The Tipping Point. Utilizing case studies as diverse as speed dating, pop music, and the shooting of Amadou Diallo, Gladwell reveals that what we think of as decisions made in the blink of an eye are much more complicated than assumed. Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and psychology, he shows how the difference between good decision-making and bad has nothing to do with how much information we can process quickly, but on the few particular details on which we focus. Leaping boldly from example to example, displaying all of the brilliance that made The Tipping Point a classic, Gladwell reveals how we can become better decision makers—in our homes, our offices, and in everyday life. The result is a book that is surprising and transforming. Never again will you think about thinking the same way.
Knee Deep in Grace: The Extraordinary Life and Teaching of Dipa Ma — Amy Schmidt 
A tiny Indian woman leading an inconspicuous life in Calcutta profoundly influenced the evolution and teaching of Buddhist meditation practice in America. "Knee Deep in Grace" presents the life story of Dipa Ma Barua, along with the essential spiritual teachings that make her a towering figure in contemporary Buddhism. While she experienced fame in her lifetime and had a following of many Burmese, Indian, and American students, she was like the women saints of the Vedas, "remarkable women...from the dawn of history...who achieved realization while cleaning their homes and raising their children" ("Daughters of the Goddess, Women Saints of India"). Dipa Ma was remarkable in her ordinariness, astounding in her natural grounding in the reality of the present moment.
Dipa Ma was a primary teacher of Sharon Salzberg, Jack Kornfield, and Joseph Goldstein, who have been among the most influential "importers" of Buddhism to America. Through the centers they founded and the teachers trained in them (the author among them), the example and teaching of Dipa Ma reach multitudes. Jack Kornfield described the power of Ma's influence: "Without anything said or done, just the impact of meeting a person so developed can be enough to change one's whole way of life."
"Knee Deep in Grace" is filled with intimate stories collected over a period of ten years, not only from prominent meditation teachers in the West but from Dipa Ma's daughter and grandson and her Calcutta students. Dipa Ma addressed her teaching to ordinary people in her apartment complex and her extended family, and her iconoclastic style of daily life "immersion" practice brought many of her students to awakening. And as this book testifies, her old students as well as new ones find that Dipa Ma continues to guide and inspire their meditation practice.
Member comments: —Sarah Destructive Emotions: A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama — Daniel Goleman 
Destructive Emotions: How Can We Overcome Them? A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama forcefully puts to rest the misconception that the realms of science and spirituality are at odds. In this extraordinary book, Daniel Goleman presents dialogues between the Dalai Lama and a small group of eminent psychologists, neuroscientists, and philosophers that probe the challenging questions: Can the worlds of science and philosophy work together to recognize destructive emotions such as hatred, craving, and delusion? If so, can they transform those feelings for the ultimate improvement of humanity? As the Dalai Lama explains, "With the ever-growing impact of science on our lives, religion and spirituality have a greater role to play in reminding us of our humanity."
The book's subject marks the eighth round in a series of ongoing meetings of the Mind Life Institute. The varied perspectives of science, philosophy, and Eastern and Western thought beautifully illustrate the symbiosis among the views, which are readily accessible despite their complexity. Among the book's many strengths is its organization, which allows readers to enjoy the entire five-day seminar or choose sections that are most relevant to their interests, such as "Cultivating Emotional Balance," "The Neuroscience of Emotion," "Encouraging Compassion," or "The Scientific Study of Consciousness." But the real joy is in gaining an insider's view of these extraordinary minds at work, especially that of the Dalai Lama, whose curiosity, Socratic questioning, and humor ultimately serve as the linchpin for the book's soaring intellectual discussion. —Silvana Tropea
Member comments: —Sarah Cinema Nirvana: Enlightenment Lessons from the Movies — Dean Sluyter 
Dean Sluyter (rhymes with "inciter") has found a clever way to make dharma accessible to the cinema-soaked Western mind.
Using skillful means, he explores movies to translate and convey the subtle depths of Buddhism. As a result, this surprising book spins straw into gold. Sluyter, an award-winning film critic, is the author of two previous books about Eastern spiritual teachings. In Cinema Nirvana, he focuses on fifteen movies, from Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs to Casablanca. From The Graduate to Jaws to The Godfather to A Night At The Opera. While learning about famous films, the reader simultaneously receives dharma teachings, plus information about meditation techniques and spiritual practices. So artfully does Sluyter handle plot, it makes little difference whether one has seen the films or not. The book is witty, grabbingly vivid, deftly eclectic. In the words of Lama Surya Das, "Dean Sluyter has one of the freshest voices in spiritual writing today. From the common ore of pop culture he extracts the gleaming diamonds of Dharma-wisdom. Take this jolly ride with him and you'll never see movies-or your own life-in the same way again." Readers may find a few of Sluyter's interpretations overly ingenious. As the author admits, he occasionally indulges in what Tibetans call "squeezing the legs out of the snake."But to carp about that is to miss the point. Sluyter's purpose is to use famous movies as a pleasurable teaching tool, and he does this almost miraculously well. It therefore seems unwise to sell short the vehicle selected to convey dharma. If Buddhist teachings are effectively to reach the West, why not via the appeal of our own popular media? As presented by Sluyter, movies become a sort of spiritual Trojan horse, unexpectedly inspiring devotion and surrender. The Snow White chapter can be read as a map of the spiritual path. Discussing Independence Day, Sluyter serves up a witty, refreshing version of The Four Noble Truths. The Momento chapter provides vital insights into mantra practice. Invasion Of The Body Snatchers leads to some perception-expanding stories plus an interesting account of Transcendental Meditation. The Big Sleep helps to teach us that "we can find the Buddha in any realm we're in by finding our own awareness, simple and clear...the moment we realize we've been dreaming we start to wake up." The Casablanca chapter (which focuses on bodhichitta) is so moving, so inspiring, that I find myself unable to intrude upon its beautiful truth. But please read it in sequence: that way, the teaching is even more meaningful. This book almost made me feel guilty that receiving dharma lessons can be so pleasurable, fascinating, and exhilarating. You are in for a treat.
The Zen Commandments — Dean Sluyter 
Meditation teacher Sluyter (Why the Chicken Crossed the Road and Other Hidden Enlightenment Teachings) draws 10 life "suggestions" from the world's religions, scriptures, philosophers, literature and popular culture (in his words, "any tradition that promotes compassionate outer behavior and enlightened inner awareness"). Sluyter's suggestions involve acting with kindness, noticing the moment, keeping things simple, blessing others and remaining devoted. His sources include Jesus and the Dalai Lama, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Bob Dylan, Monty Python and Ramana Maharshi, the Wizard of Oz and the Prajnaparamita Sutra. The strength of this eclecticism is that the book is extremely well written and joyously entertaining. . . . Sluyter's point - that we often make life too complex when we really need to just relax and be - is a simple one, as are pithy maxims such as "No Appointment, No Disappointment." For those who find simplicity hard to attain, his chapters also include exercises in meditation. The book enthusiastically suggests that readers experiment and adhere to anything that works for them "as if your life depended on it," because, according to Sluyter, it actually does.—Publishers Weekly Member comments: —eddo The Quantum and the Lotus — Matthieu Ricard & Trinh Xuan Thuan 
How did the universe come into being? What is the meaning of human life against the blackness of infinity? Religion and science have many answers to these and like questions, answers that sometimes meet but more often diverge.
In this book-length conversation, French Buddhist monk Ricard and Vietnamese-born astrophysicist Trinh explore how Buddhism and modern science address life's big questions. Among the matters they touch on, sometimes fleetingly and sometimes in depth, are the illusory nature of phenomena, the guiding intelligence of nature, and the search for the mechanisms that drive planets and humans alike. Both authors, each conversant in the other's medium, argue against reductionist views of nature. And both provide plenty of data that support Albert Einstein's declaration that "if there is any religion that could correspond to the needs of modern science, it would be Buddhism."
Hard-nosed skeptics will perhaps find Ricard and Trinh's reconciliation arguable. Still, the record of their conversation makes fascinating reading and provides a useful overview of scientific reasoning and spiritual inquiry. —Gregory McNamee "The Quantum and the Lotus is a mind-expanding, eye-opening exploration of the exciting parallels between cutting-edge thinking in physics and Buddhism–a scintillating conversation any thinking person would delight in overhearing." —Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence "The Quantum and the Lotus is the rich and inspiring result of a deeply interesting dialogue between Western science and Buddhist philosophy. This remarkable book will contribute greatly to a better understanding of the true nature of our world and the way we live our lives." —His Holiness the Dalai Lama Member comments: —eddo An Introduction to Zen Buddhism — D. T. Suzuki 
Choosing belief over doubt has profound, eternal consequences for practicing Christians, while for religious Jews and Moslems alike, faith in God is the cornerstone of righteousness. Yet elsewhere in the world, revered spiritual traditions exist in which the struggle between belief and unbelief is of little importance. Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki is an eloquent international spokesman for one of these traditions: the Japanese variant of Buddhism known as Zen. A widely traveled Japanese scholar, Suzuki taught in that country's university system, translated several Eastern philosophical works into English, and corresponded widely with Christian contemplatives such as Thomas Merton. Through his books and lectures, Suzuki became Zen's leading voice in America during the mid-20th century. His Introduction to Zen Buddhism, published in 1956, not only offers an overview of the historical background of Zen philosophy and practice, but succeeds in conveying something of its seemingly inexpressible essence.
There is an interesting foreword by C.G. Jung.
I Give You My Life — Ayya Khema 
You can imagine how their eyes grow round when Ayya Khema's students are treated to tidbits of her life. "There was that time with the anaconda in Brazil.... We crashed on a cliffside Himalayan road on our way to meet the mir of Hunza.... Torched by rebels, and I had to decide what to do with my nuns on our island..." Of course, her students badger her to write a book. The Jewish/German refugee, California housewife, Australian farmer, global nomad, and Buddhist nun comes through with a quiet, methodical story, that, if written in any other way, would seem more hyperbole than biography.
At the age of 55, when most people are mulling how many tulip bulbs to plant for next spring, Ayya Khema took Buddhist vows. She then established three monasteries, arranged Buddhist women's conferences, and gave teachings on a lost meditation technique at venues around the world. And that's only the second half of the book. With 25 titles to her credit and an established reputation, Ayya Khema hardly needed more publicity. Fortunately, she gave in to her students' goading, offering not only a fast-paced story but a model of freedom, energy, and accomplishment. —Brian Bruya
Member comments: —Sarah Perfect Love, Imperfect Relationships: Healing the Wound of the Heart — John Welwood 
I just finished reading what I consider a very profound and encouraging book – Perfect Love, Imperfect Relationships: Healing the Wound of the Heart by John Welwood. The book is written from a psycho-spiritual perspective by Welwood, a psychotherapist, who also has a deep understanding of Buddhist practice.
He talks about the distinction between absolute love – something we always carry within us however it may be hidden – and relative love, the kind reserved for other human beings. If this seems familiar and obvious, it probably is, but the way he presents the subject is simple, new, and hopeful. His premise is that we are constantly looking for love and affirmations outside of ourselves, that ideal of unconditional love that will make us feel loveable and loved. Since our first experiences of love were with another person – our mother in most cases – we identify love with attachment to another human being. But there is another kind of love that we can tap into on our own – absolute love – which is there if we look for it. The problem is that we are all wounded in some way – the wound of the heart – and relative love can only satisfy us intermittently, at best. He is in no way diminishing human love and relationships, as they are essential for intimacy and growth, but opening us to a more expansive love. According to Welwood, all relational problems arise out of a core wounding centered around love that affects individual relationships, and consequently, the world. When we can't get the love we need, we hold grievances against those who don't or can't give it to us. That's why we have wars. The result is a sense that we are not loveable just as we are and have to earn love by being more beautiful, kind, smart, successful, powerful, etc. We then shut down, all the while hungering for love. Some of us decide we'll never have another relationship because we associate relationship with pain and disappointment, so we close ourselves off to the very thing that we hunger for. Through meditation exercises, Welwood shows us how to tap into that absolute love present in all of us and how to hold ourselves in that love. When we are able to do that, our expectations of our partners and loved ones are lowered and, paradoxically, our hearts are more open to them. This book is full of good news, in my opinion. Welwood is leading a daylong retreat at Spirit Rock in February to talk about this new book. —Sarah
The Year of Magical Thinking — Joan Didion 
"Life changes fast. Life changes in the instant. You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends. The question of self pity." These are the lines that Joan Didion repeats throughout her latest book, The Year of Magical Thinking. (Amazon: click here)
Didion recounts, with horrifying clarity, the death of her husband and partner of 40 years, John Gregory Dunne, from a massive heart attack while sitting at the dining room table. Shortly thereafter, their daughter, Quintana Roo, dies of a mysterious illness. This is a book about loss and the rituals that survivors go through in order to survive themselves. Sometimes painful to read, this is an important book about how our lives can change in a moment – a Buddhist theme. The "magical thinking" refers to Didion's delusion in the year following the death of her husband, that he would come back, despite the fact that she had ordered an autopsy of his body and subsequently scattered his ashes. I found the book inspiring, frightening, and comforting all at the same time. I came away from it with a reminder to live in the now. —Sarah
A New Earth — Eckhart Tolle 
Building on the astonishing success of The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle presents readers with an honest look at the current state of humanity: He implores us to see and accept that this state, which is based on an erroneous identification with the egoic mind, is one of dangerous insanity.Tolle tells us there is good news, however. There is an alternative to this potentially dire situation. Humanity now, perhaps more than in any previous time, has an opportunity to create a new, saner, more loving world. This will involve a radical inner leap from the current egoic consciousness to an entirely new one. In illuminating the nature of this shift in consciousness, Tolle describes in detail how our current ego-based state of consciousness operates. Then gently, and in very practical terms, he leads us into this new consciousness. We will come to experience who we truly are—which is something infinitely greater than anything we currently think we are—and learn to live and breathe freely. —Amazon
Member comments: —eddo Peace is the Way: Bringing War and Violence to an End — Deepak Chopra  This book, like many others, discusses our current world conflicts and politics, and the destructive nature of idealism (fundamentalist religious dogma). Unlike its contemporaries however, it does not leave you feeling angry or hopelessly powerless. The primary purpose of the book is to suggest a method to bring about a positive change in the readers consciousness. This change has the power to affect the global consciousness, pushing it towards a "critical mass" of minds that understand the benefits of peace and tolerance over war and hatred.
Although I have my reservations about the general motivations of this author, I found the book to be full of insight and wisdom. It provided a way to turn my feelings of anger and despair about current events into very positive and fulfilling energy. The book is not written from a strictly Buddhist perspective, but it is definitely congruent with the dharma of Buddhism. These ideas, when integrated into insight meditation practice, are potentially very powerful. —Mike Bougher
The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East — Sandy Tolan The tale of a simple act of faith between two young people - one Israeli, one Palestinian - that symbolizes the hope for peace in the Middle East.  The Lemon Tree grew out of a forty-three minute radio documentary that Sandy Tolan produced for Fresh Air. With this book, he pursues the story into the homes and histories of the two families at its center, and up to the present day. Their stories form a personal microcosm of the last seventy years of Israeli-Palestinian history. In a region that seems ever more divided, The Lemon Tree is a reminder of all that is at stake, and of all that is still possible.
Member comments: —Sarah God's Debris — Scott Adams 
It is amazing to me that Scott Adams, the creator of my current favorite daily comic, Dilbert, also wrote this rather bizaar, but immensely entertaining philisophical/spiritual short story. Adams' talent is truly broad. He offers it as a free downloadable e-book (PDF), mainly because he already made what he wanted from the book, and after the initial rush, he finds it very difficult to market. People don't even agree about whether it's fiction or non-fiction, religion or science fiction or philosophy or just a good old fashioned mind-%*$#, to quote one reviewer, Bill Peschel. It will be a fun read for many of you, and remember, it's FREE. You can download it here (right-click and "Save As..." to save the PDF on your computer.) —eddo
A Complaint Free World — Will Bowen  John found this an interesting book, knowing of the miraculous changes that occurred to Byron Katie. Katie's life changed one day when she woke up with the realization that she could choose how she was going to feel that day. This realization changed her whole life in very profound ways. Will Bowen is a Christian minister who thinks most of the suffering we experience in our lives (and distance from "God") comes from "inner complaining," and has come up with a way of "training" ourselves to eliminate our habits of constantly complaining (scientists say this should take about 21 days). He's written this book about it (website) where, for a dollar :(, you can buy a plastic bracelet which you can use to train yourself away from inner complaining, which will indeed make a gigantic change in your life, even if you don't win that million dollars in the lottery. Bowen, introducing this idea of "change your mind, change your world" in a speech to his church can be heard here (wma file). There's also a YouTube video on this here. It's very simular to "The Secret" in principle...
Member comments: —John H. |
The breath is one of the simplest objects of meditation. But, as Larry Rosenberg points out in Breath by Breath, its very simplicity means that we can undervalue it. The book follows the structure of the Anapanasati Sutta, and points out that the Sutta 'starts with the most basic aspect of practice - following the in and out breath - and goes all the way to full liberation'.
"Every introductory Buddhism course needs just this book! It is the first book to tackle the array of national Buddhisms in a thematic way and with considerable wit and insight."
Beloved Western Buddhist master 
The beautiful practicality of her teaching has made Pema Chödrön one of the most beloved of contemporary American spiritual authors—among Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. This book is a treasury of wisdom for going on living when things fall apart—when we are overcome by pain and difficulties.
Pema Chödrön continues the teachings of When Things Fall Apart, showing how at the core of the most painful experiences lie the seeds of spiritual awakening. Here she presents key teachings on recognizing and cultivating the soft spot that is the gateway to compassion and open-heartedness.