This Precious Life: Tibetan Buddhist Teachings on the Path to Enlightenment


Khandro Rinpoche - 2003
    She says, "Think of all the time you've wasted hesitating or feeling distracted, or expending useless energy feeling jealous or angry, or being selfish. At the time of death, you'll look back and it will all seem like a dream." The book includes contemplative exercises that encourage us to appreciate the tremendous potential of the human body and mind. They focus on how we can learn to see this life as a gift—and how, by achieving peace in our own lives, we can bring a seed of happiness to other people. Although raised in Asia, Khandro Rinpoche is well-versed in Western culture, which allows her to translate Tibetan Buddhist wisdom to Westerners with remarkable authenticity and immediacy. She is also one the most highly trained living Tibetan masters and has been teaching in the United States and Europe for over fifteen years, during which time she has attracted thousands of students. She brings a unique feminine perspective to the wisdom tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

O śmierci i odrodzeniu, czyli jak umrzeć bez lęku


Lama Ole Nydahl - 2012
    For them death is not a mystery. They know what will happen and see it as a great chance for spiritual development. Fearless Death makes their teachings accessible to the modern West. In this book, Lama Ole Nydahl condenses the information he learned from years spent with great Buddhist masters in the East. His explanations are enriched by decades of experience guiding modern people through the dying process. In 1968, Lama Ole and his wife Hannah began training with meditation masters of the Kagyu and Nyingma schools of Tibetan Buddhism in the Himalayas. In 1972, Lama Ole learned the rare meditation practice of conscious dying (Phowa) according to the wishes of his teacher, the great 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje. Since then he has taught the Phowa practice to over 90,000 people throughout the western world, inspiring them to live for others and face death without fear. People are less afraid of things they can understand. With Phowa training and the knowledge found in this book, readers can transform fear and doubt into confidence and a calm state of mind when facing death.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Taoism


Yusuf Toropov - 2002
    You know Taoism is one of the world's oldest religions, based on simplicity and balance. However, you may not know it has important parallels with modern Western faith; health, ecology, even in pop culture icons as Luke Skywalker and The Beatles.But you don't have to sit at the feet of a Taoist master to learn how the Taoist tradition has enlightened seekers throughout the centuries! 'The Complete Idiot's Guide to Taoism' will show you exactly why Taoist principles appeal to people from every walk of life! in this 'Complete Idiot's Guide', you get:-The history of the Daode Jing, the world's shortest core religious text, and Laozi, it's mysterious author.-The teachings of Zhuangzi, the often-overlooked master sage of Taoism.-An explanation of ying-yang and what it represents.-Taoism's relationship to Zen Buddhism.

The Buddha in Me, The Buddha in You: A Handbook for Happiness


David Hare - 2016
    The Buddha in Me, the Buddha in You combines the tried-and-tested wisdom of Nichiren Buddhism with the best of popular psychology and personal development, making this a brilliant guide to how life works, and how to get the most from it.Nichiren Buddhism differs from other Buddhist schools in its focus on the here-and-now, and places great importance on individual growth as the starting point for a better world. This, combined with powerful techniques such as NLP, mindfulness, journalling and coaching, makes The Buddha in Me, the Buddha in You the quintessential handbook for happiness.'Buddha' simply means someone who is awakened - yet while Nichiren Buddhists will find fascinating insights into their practice, there is no need to follow a spiritual path to benefit from this book. Through his experience as an internationally acclaimed life coach and practising Buddhist, author David Hare shows us how to wake up to our own potential and that of those around us – to discover everyday enlightenment.

Zen Essence


Thomas Cleary - 1989
    In contrast to the popular image of Zen as an authoritarian, monastic tradition deeply rooted in Asian culture, these passages portray Zen as remarkably flexible, adaptive to contemporary and individual needs, and transcending cultural boundaries. The readings contained in Zen Essence emphasize that the practice of Zen requires consciousness alone and does not depend on a background in Zen Buddhism and Asian culture. The true essence of Zen resides in the relationship between mind and culture, whatever that culture might be. This unique collection of writings creates a picture of Zen not as a religion or philosophy, but as a practical science of freedom.

Everyday Enlightenment: The Essential Guide to Finding Happiness in the Modern World


Gyalwang Drukpa - 2012
    And in this simple, powerful book based on ancient Bud­dhist teachings but framed to be relevant in today’s world, the Drukpa outlines ways for all to find that generosity and inspiration in themselves.As head of the thousand-year-old Drukpa Order, the Drukpa uses Buddhist practices to aid people who feel lost or uncertain, or who want to slow the pace of life and attend to the world around them more thoughtfully. He divides the book into sections including “The Un­common Path,” “Walking Your Path,” and “Overcom­ing Obstacles Along Your Way,” and delineates ways in which readers can absorb into their lives Buddhist teach­ings that will allow them to choose to live more fully.Clear and accessible, optimistic and profound, Everyday Enlightenment is essential reading for all those who want to improve their life by following a different, more meaning­ful life path.

Buddhism for the Unbelievably Busy


Meshel Laurie - 2017
    It’s a book about making it stop.What if I told you that a lot of what keeps you unbelievably busy is not only pointless, but avoidable, nonsensical and entirely driven by your own fears, insecurities and ego? You’d probably want to slap me, if you could find the time, right?Don’t worry, I was once just like you: exhausted, harried, overcommitted and flummoxed as to what to cut back on. I’m not completely cured, but for the first time in years I have room to breathe and to think about what kind of life I really want to live. And I have Buddhism to thank for this.In this book I’ve compiled the teachings, ideas and practices that got me to this point. Buddhism helped me dig deep to discover why I was determined to do so much, and why I was so afraid to stand still and be alone with myself. It’s not hippy-trippy stuff, believe me. Buddhism is just as relevant and practical in our modern world as it’s ever been.As crazy as it sounds, I’m asking you to add one more thing to your list today: read this book, and let it help you free yourself from the grind of your unbelievable busyness. Live the peaceful life you know you deserve and be the person you want to be.

Instructions to the Cook: A Zen Master's Lessons in Living a Life That Matters


Bernie Glassman - 2002
    That's the premise of this book: how to cook what Zen Buddhists call "the supreme meal"—life. It has to be nourishing, and it has to be shared. And we can use only the ingredients at hand. Inspired by the thirteenth-century manual of the same name by Dogen, the founder of the Japanese Soto Zen tradition, this book teaches us how we can "enlarge the family we're feeding" if we just use some imagination. Bernie Glassman founded Greyston Bakery in Yonkers, New York, in 1982 to employ those whom other companies deem unemployable—the homeless, ex-cons, recovering addicts, low-skill individuals—with the belief that investing in people, and not just products, does pay. He was right. Greyston has evolved into an $8 million-a-year business with clients all over New York City. It is the sole supplier of brownies to Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, and has even sold cakes to the White House. But financial profit is only one of two bottom lines that Greyston is committed to. The other one is social impact, and this goal is certainly being met. The bakery enterprise has led to the creation of the Greyston Foundation, an integrated network of organizations that provide affordable housing, child care, counseling services, and health care to families in the community. Using entrepreneurship to solve the problems of the inner city, Greyston has become a national model for comprehensive community development. Its giving back is more than just sloughing off a percentage of its profits and donating it to charity; it's about working with the community's needs right from the beginning—bringing them from the margins to the core. As its company motto goes, "We don't hire people to bake brownies. We bake brownies to hire people." This book is as much a self-manual as a business manual, addressing such concepts as    • Beginner's mind    • The Middle Way of Sustainability    • The "hungry ghosts" of Buddhism as a picture of all humanity    • Working with our faults    • Indra's Net and the interconnectedness of life    • Leaving no trace

Transcending Madness: The Experience of the Six Bardos


Chögyam Trungpa - 1992
    Here, Chögyam Trungpa discusses bardo in a very different sense: as the peak experience of any given moment. Our experience of the present moment is always colored by one of six psychological states: the god realm (bliss), the jealous god realm (jealousy and lust for entertainment), the human realm (passion and desire), the animal realm (ignorance), the hungry ghost realm (poverty and possessiveness), and the hell realm (aggression and hatred). In relating these realms to the six traditional Buddhist bardo experiences, Trungpa provides an insightful look at the "madness" of our familiar psychological patterns and shows how they present an opportunity to transmute daily experience into freedom.

Unsinkable: How to Bounce Back Quickly When Life Knocks You Down


Sonia Ricotti - 2011
    They can leave us feeling drained and drowning in depression. Author Sonia Ricotti draws upon her own experiences, as well as those of other high-profile self-help leaders, to help you overcome these difficult situations with ease, and bounce back quicker and higher than you thought possible.Unsinkable is not only inspiring, but it offers clearly written, step-by-step tools, strategies, stories, and exercises that will teach you how to: Powerfully move forward, take action, and create the life you deserve.Transform your way of thinking--and feel better now.Experience inner peace and happiness--no matter what your circumstances.Release your negative past experiences and create a new and exciting present and future.Ricotti gives you direct access to her unique gifts as a world-renowned transformational teacher, including the 20 Lessons to Live By When Life Knocks You Down. Lessons such as: Say Yes! to Change.Let Go of What Was.Within Every Crisis Lies a Golden Opportunity.Have Faith in What Will Be.Recreate Your Reality.

My Single Mom Life: True Stories and Practical Lessons for Your Journey


Angela Thomas - 2007
    In that decision, the faith she had always talked about became the faith she was going to learn how to live. In the years since, God has given Angela a passionate desire . . . to live an amazing life, even while raising four kids as a single mom. In this book she shares her hard-earned wisdom on loneliness, dating, finances, and parenting, encouraging every solo mom. "As a gift to our children," she says, "we can become healthy moms who are strong and amazing women in spite of our circumstances."

Buddhism: A Beginners Guide Book For True Self Discovery and Living a Balanced and Peaceful Life: Learn To Live In The Now and Find Peace From Within - ... - Buddha / Buddhist Books By Sam Siv 1)


Sam Siv - 2015
    Download for FREE With Audible Trial** **Kindle Version Now Includes A Bonus Book on Zen Buddhism** Find out all about mysterious Buddhism, its origins, its secrets and its answers to the challenges of modern life. This book contains a basic overview of Buddhism, including the life of Buddha, and the various kinds of Buddhism that have developed. It takes a look at all the key concepts and most important teachings, methods and insights in a way that is easy to understand. Filled with a wealth of common-sense and other-worldly wisdom, the path to enlightenment is considered. Learn about meditation, mindfulness, happiness, Samadhi, Nirvana and all the other important concepts that have helped shape our understanding of reality. Find out about Zen Buddhism, and study all the basic elements that make the Buddha Dharma so compelling to people of all walks of life. What You'll Learn... Learn about Siddartha Guatama, who became the Buddha Find out about different Buddhist schools Understand Meditation, mindfulness and awareness Learn about relaxing and letting go, and its benefits Find out what Samadhi is all about Find out about Karma, whether good or bad. Discover the teachings about reincarnation Learn about impermanence, and how that affects you Consider the status of women in Buddhism Find out what Buddhism means in practical life Discover the wisdom latent inside you Learn to let go of anger and frustration Learn how all things are connected, including you Discover new mental possibilities Find your own path to enlightenment Much, much more! Make use of this book today to educate yourself about one of the most popular ideas in history – transcending the mundane and discovering the ultimate. Get to know Buddhism intimately, and understand why it has had such a powerful effect on the world. Download Today!Tags: Buddhism, Zen, Enlightenment, Samadhi, Nirvana, Dharma, Buddha, Siddartha, Guatama, Meditation, Dalai Lama, Mahayana, Theravada, Impermanence

This is Gail


Gail O'Brien - 2016
    In 2008, inspirational surgeon Chris O'Brien published his bestselling memoir of his battle with brain cancer, NEVER SAY DIE. But he wasn't the only person in the O'Brien household with a powerful story to tell. Since Chris passed away in 2009, his wife Gail has gone on a journey of her own: from a busy surgeon's wife and mother of a picture-perfect family to a widow in her mid-50s, grieving not only her husband but also her son Adam, who died as a result of epilepsy a short time after Chris's death. Yet in the midst of her grief, Gail discovered resolve and strength deep within herself. When Chris was alive, Gail was the woman behind the great man. But after his death, she stepped forward to make her own mark on the world. While coming to terms with both a public and private loss, Gail took on Chris's legacy as steward of the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse cancer centre, navigating the often bruising politics of boards and committees to ensure his vision was realised. She also went back to work as a physio after being out of the workforce for 20 years, while still holding her shattered family together. She reinvented herself and found that she could survive and even thrive in a world without her soul mate. A moving, inspiring, deeply poignant and often joyous story of family, love and loss - and ultimately, about finding your purpose in the world.

A New Buddhist Path: Enlightenment, Evolution, and Ethics in the Modern World


David R. Loy - 2015
    Loy addresses head-on the most pressing issues of Buddhist philosophy in our time. What is the meaning of enlightenment--is it an escape from the world, or is it a form of psychological healing? How can one reconcile modern scientific theory with ancient religious teachings? What is our role in the universe? Loy shows us that neither Buddhism nor secular society by itself is sufficient to answer these questions. Instead, he investigates the unexpected intersections of the two. Through this exchange, he uncovers a new Buddhist way, one that is faithful to the important traditions of Buddhism but compatible with modernity. This way, we can see the world as it is truly is, realize our indivisibility from it, and learn that the world's problems are our problems. This is a new path for a new world.

Living by Vow: A Practical Introduction to Eight Essential Zen Chants and Texts


Shohaku Okumura - 2012
    Exploring eight of Zen's most essential and universal liturgical texts, Living by Vow is a handbook to walking the Zen path, and Shohaku Okumura guides us like an old friend, speaking clearly and directly of the personal meaning and implications of these chants, generously using his experiences to illustrate their practical significance. A scholar of Buddhist literature, he masterfully uncovers the subtle, intricate web of culture and history that permeate these great texts. Esoteric or challenging terms take on vivid, personal meaning, and old familiar phrases gain new poetic resonance.