Tara Brach's new book, Radical Acceptance, is a gem. I recommend it for anyone, not just students of Buddhist meditation. There is something here for all of us who self-judge, who get so lost in fantasies, old hurts, worries and fabricated stories that we miss out on the peace, simplicity and happiness that can be found by just paying attention to this moment. And that is the key and what Tara so gracefully and gently points the reader to (through real-life examples and guided meditations and exercises) -- that we actually can, in our very mundane everyday lives, find the peace, simplicity and true happiness that our hearts really long for. Tara shows us how in practical and do-able ways.

This type of book really isn't my sort of thing. But I loved the way Rumi is woven in and out as a recurrent poetic theme and, mostly, was fascinated by the journey of this woman who has developed a practical path out of the miseries into what could be a comfortable and self-accepting life. Other non-spiritual types will find themselves loving it, too!

'A book with heart.'

In the 25 centuries since the Buddha's enlightenment under the tree in northern India, his teachings have taken on unique expressions as they spread from India and throughout Asia. The core of the teachings kept their integrity and directness, but the forms and expressions they took both helped shape and were shaped by the cultures and pre-existing traditions in these countries.

As the Buddha's teachings have spread to the West-particularly in the last two generations-a similarly fascinating encounter is at work. Westerners have the opportunity to read, explore, and practice in a variety of Buddhist traditions-Tibetan, Zen, Insight meditation and others. At the same time, Buddhism in the West is being shaped by our own social, political, cultural, and scientific history of recent centuries-so already Buddhism here looks less monastic, more gender equal, more focused on the inner search for truth than on external rites and rituals, and more agnostic on questions that are not so easily testable by our own direct experience, e.g., reincarnation.

The spiritual marketplace is rich with the extraordinary contributions of Westerners who have spent extensive time in Asia studying with teachers there and coming back to share their wisdom-Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein, Sharon Salzberg, Christopher Titmuss, to name just some of those teaching in the Insight meditation tradition. They have all succeeded in taking these perennial wisdom teachings and expressing them in a language that is accessible to Westerners from many walks of life and spiritual backgrounds.

Tara Brach's 'Radical Acceptance: Embracing your Life with the Heart of a Buddha' is a wonderful continuation of this still-new encounter. As a Buddhist meditation teacher and a psychotherapist, Brach is well placed to bring the wisdom and compassion of Buddhist teachings together with the insights and understandings of psychotherapy. But this is not a slam-dunk. Ancient wisdom teachings mixed with Western therapeutic approaches can come out as New Age pablum. Brach succeeds by staying true to the Buddha's statement: "I teach one thing and one thing alone: suffering and its end.' She finds much of our suffering in the West in our own lack of worth or worthiness and sees that happiness, contentment, and awakening must come through a full and loving acceptance of who we are-rather than trying to escape from, avoid, or transcend our fears, desire, and longings.

'Radical Acceptance' is a book full of heart, full of the desire for all of us, all beings, to realize our true potential, our true nature, our Buddha nature. It is replete with stories from Brach's own experience that do not put her on a pedestal-'the teacher: be like her'-but say clearly that these fears, this lust, this anger, greed, the pleasant and unpleasant emotions and states of mind... are in our natures as humans, and happiness and ultimate freedom come through accepting and embracing them and seeing that they are not 'me' or 'mine.'

'Radical Acceptance' is a deeply kind and generous contribution to a suffering world. Truly a book with heart.

Twenty years ago, when I was a college student, I got turned on to spirituality largely by reading Ram Dass' "Be Here Now." Kornfield's book could do the same thing for thousands of people today (to the consternation of apologists for other religions!).

A Path with Heart is pretty much my favorite book on spirituality. It contains both useful practical advice on living a spiritual life and amazing esoteric descriptions of super-normal states. Numerous pages contain "gems" that speak directly to my personal struggles and experiences. And Kornfield has a great sense of humor with deep compassion.

One of the things that attracts me to Buddhism is its relative lack of superstition and dogmatism. The essential teaching is practical, down-to-earth, and perfectly acceptable to a scientifically minded person. Still, many Buddhists believe in reincarnation, and Kornfield describes some pretty far out experiences involving, for example, reincarnation, angelic beings, and psychic powers.

Kornfield is a wonderful writer, and I hear that he is such a good teacher that one has to enter a lottery to get the chance to go to one of his retreats. He seems to be a charismatic, highly advanced being (though, who am I to judge?). But he would be the first to warn against starry-eyed adulation of him. An oft-repeated theme throughout the book -- and the topic of one whole chapter -- was the need to beware of unhealthy, exploitative relationships with teachers. Every spiritual seeker has one or more fallings-out with a teacher, he says. These fallings-out can be painful and damaging, but we must learn to learn from such events.

Many people get the impression that Buddhism is an austere, impersonal, ascetic religion, with little of the bhakti (devotion) found in many Christian and Hindu faiths. This book challenges that perception. Indeed, it's amazing how loving Buddhists can be, considering that they tend not to believe in God! One thing that impresses me is his apparently complete lack of cynicism and pessimism. Kornfield has only good things to say about every major religion.

In fact, another theme of the book is that Buddhism too should not be treated as a dogmatic teaching that we should grasp on to. Rather, it is a tool to be used to get where we want to go. Teachings and paths should be left behind when no longer needed, like a boat used to cross a river. (I'm reminded of Kornfield's story about a retreat in which two of his students, a married couple, were struggling hard to relax into meditation. Kornfield advised them to stop being so serious and to make love. They started to show up in the meditation hall smiling.)

I'm still not completely convinced that a spiritual seeker can get by without faith and trust in some sort of divine being or essence. But this books goes a long way to showing how an atheist can have faith and hope.

If you're on a spiritual path, or even if you're just curious and open-minded, read this book. (I feel like I'm writing an ad.)

I arrived at this 1993 book after reading Jack Kornfield's more recent book, AFTER THE ECSTASY, THE LAUNDRY (2000). I enthusiastically recommend both books.

We must be a lamp unto ourselves, the Buddha said. We must find our own true way. This is really the point of Kornfield's book. As a former Buddhist monk, a psychologist, and a seasoned meditation teacher, Kornfield has the qualifications to help us on our journey through life. "What matters is simple," he writes. "We must make certain that our path is connected with our heart" (p. 11). To live a genuine spiritual life in this confusing world, and a society all too often "addicted to alcohol, drugs, gambling, food, sexuality, unhealthy relationships, or the speed and busyness of work" (p.23), we must bring our full attention to life. "To open deeply, as a genuine spiritual life requires," Kornfield says, "we need tremendous courage and strength, a kind of warrior spirit . . . We need a warrior's heart that lets us face our lives directly, our pains and limitations, our joys and possibilities" (p. 8).

Although written from a Buddhist perspective, this book will appeal to anyone interested in living an authentic life. It is filled with insightful passages. In Chapter Two, Kornfield encourages his reader to stop the war with oneself and make peace. He teaches his reader in Chapter Seven to name one's demons, e.g., greed, fear, doubt, judgment, confusion, anger, boredom, sleepiness, and restlessness, in order to gain power over them. "A genuine spiritual path does not avoid difficulties or mistakes," Kornfield observes in Chapter Six, entitled "Turning Straw into Gold," "but leads us to the art of making mistakes wakefully" (p. 72). (Facing the difficulties of one's spiritual life becomes the theme of Kornfield's current book, AFTER THE ECSTASY, THE LAUNDRY.) Learn to be a lamp unto yourself, he writes in Chapter Eleven, "our liberation and happiness arise from our own deep knowing" (p. 159). In Chapter Twenty--one of my favorite passages in this book--Kornfield writes: "Everything we do in life is a chance to awaken" (p. 291). He asks: "Can we bring the Buddha into the voting booth where we live; can we act as the Buddha, writing letters to our congressmen and congresswomen; can we share in feeding the hungry; can we walk like the Buddha to demonstrate for peace or justice or care for our environment? The greatest gift we can bring to the challenges of these areas is our wisdom and greatness of heart" (p. 293).

If you liked AFTER THE ECSTASY, you will like this book. Read it. It will become a well-travelled "Path" on your bookshelf.

G. Merritt

I read this book when it was first published and recognized immediately that Jack Kornfield's path was also 'my path'. It inspired a deepening of my spiritual practice and a truly happier and more peaceful life. I re-read it whenever I need a boost. This book is very personal, and also universal. Jack uses stories from his own experience to illuminate the path of a more general spiritual journey, and to entertain us.
It's a must for anyone seeking guidance for a spiritual journey or inspiration to begin one. A Path With Heart speaks to the heart, the mind, the body and the soul. It is accessible, it is not religious, it is not heavy duty philosophy. Read it.

This is a good beginning book that is a fast, enjoyable read. It doesn't get too bogged down in dry teachings and philosophy, but gives you enough to give one a beginning feeling. It also gives a feeling as to who Buddha the human being was.

The book was well written with many examples illustrating the message of each chapter. I especially liked the companion pictures and quotes from Buddha which distill the message of each chapter. The book was informative and enjoyable. If you are a first time reader of Buddhasm and want to know about Siddhartha's life as he became an enlightened One, then this book is the one for you.

This is an excellent and helpful book for anyone wishing to know the locations of sanghas, monasterys, and the like in North America. There is also interesting commentary from various North American practitioners of Buddhism included in the material. The overall layout of the book is good and the amount of information is massive. My only complaint is that the information is divided into the three schools of Buddhism and then it is put in geographic order by state and province. I would have preferred it to have been all geographic with the type of Buddhism practiced placed in the listing. Others may be perfectly happy with how the book is set up however. Regardless of this I would recommend this book for those who want a large directory of Buddhist groups in North America.

This book is extremely informative and practical. It clearly describes the different forms of Buddhism, including articles on each, and also covers non-sectarian Buddhist organizations.
Buddhist centers/groups are listed according to type (Theravada, etc.), and includes all the essential information for each, such as contact information and programs offered.
There is also an appendix listing the centers by location (alphabetically by state and locality), and another listing them alphabetically by name.
Many illustrations of centers and spiritual heads also add to the appeal and usefulness of this excellent book.

This book is amazing.. I did some of the games with my fiancee and we both got to know each other much better than we had before. It deepened our relationship and helped us to talk about ideas we had not felt comftrable with before. I recommend it for all stages of relationships.

My husband and I loved this book. By bringing fantasy and play to the world of relationships, author Mark Robert Waldman successfully combines psychology and sensuality in Love Games. Exercises drawn from diverse experts, including Harville Hendrix and the Dalai Lama, can be done alone, with a friend, or with a lover. Sometimes therapeutic, sometimes childlike and playful, Waldman's book shows how to discover more about yourself and your partner, improve communication and fan the flames of romance. My favorites: "Treasure Hunt" - Tuck a heartfelt love note under a jar of pickles, in a box of cereal, or between the bedsheets; create a "Couple's Journal"; make a "Pleasure List" of your most pleasurable memories; and "Two Thumbs Up,"in which you and your partner engage in a scene where the characters are, well, your thumbs.

What A delight, Clear and concise.I carry it around in my shirt pocket.Do the authors give individual sessions about their book?

"THOUGH OUR MINDS MAY BE COMPLICATED, BEAUTY IS NOT. WE DON'T HAVE TO STRIVE TO MAKE BEAUTY IN OUR LIVES, OR LOOK FAR TO FIND IT. WHEN THE MIND IS STILL, WE CAN SEE A MAGNIFICENCE IN EVEN THE MOST ORDINARY THINGS--THE VIVIDNESS OF A SUNSET, THE WARMTH OF A SMILE, THE SIMPLICITY OF SERVING A CUP OF TEA. WE CAN SEE NEW LIFE AND GROWTH. EACH THING IS DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHERS, EACH MOMENT IS UNIQUE." [from page 152.]

Here are the chapters: 1) Discovering the Heart of Meditation 2) Meditation Instructions 3) Difficulties and Hindrances 4) Suffering: The Gateway to Compasion 5) Integrating Practice. (Each chapter is amazing but chapter five to me is the best. I have probably 85% of it highlighted!)

This is a life-changing book. It's small enough to carry on your body and profound enough to envelop in your heart. I will cherish this always. My wish for all who read this is on page 170, paragraph one.

Thank you Joseph and Jack!

The first thing I want to comment on is the title. This book is not exactly an instruction book per se, although at the end of the book it gives Meditation tidbits. I've had this wonderful little book for years. The first 124 pages give a a single quote above a watercolor type drawing.

Time and time again I reach for this book to give me a desired quote to live by, such as the following on page 11,

"The heart is like a garden. It can grow compassion or fear, resentment or love. What seeds will you plant there?"

Just a handfull of words but perhaps change the course of your day. As I said in the Title of my review, I love this book so much it is falling apart at the seams, and I mean literally the pages are no longer connected to the binding. This is truly a little treasure!

I keep Buddha's Little Instruction Book by Jack Kornfield by my bedside. I refer to it nearly every day. It's a small book, with a single quote on a page. If I'm feeling stressed, or angry, I'll pick it up, and guaranteed within a few minutes I'm feeling centered, and focused on my life's priorities. I highly recommend it!!

Words to live by....this profound collection of quotes will change your perspective on love, loss, change and living in the moment. I have given this book to countless friends and family members and it has always had a positive effect. I highly recommend this book to everyone, as it will open your eyes to the world around you and teach you to enjoy the journey.

Jack Kornfield has the voice of a deeply aware human being. It is extraordinary because you do not tire of hearing it. He exemplifies kindness. He demonstrates love. His compassion leaps off the page and into your heart. Energy is transmitted from the author to the reader in a very intentional and direct way.

The uniqueness of The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness, and Peace is not so much in the message, but more in the artful way that the message is organized and presented. Kornfield is highly selective about his choice of material. He is very deliberate about the slow and mindful pace that it is relayed. And he is masterful at communicating in a cohesive, well honed way. The end result is a powerful and persuasive reading experience.

The spiritual reviewer (a/k/a Karen Bentley) gives this book an overall score of 8.5 on a scale of 10, which is very high and designates this book as a "classic." This book is a pleasure to read and a pleasure to recommend.

The older I become the simpler life seems. I've read Jack's work, though I haven't read this book yet. I'm fortunate to live in a community very close to the lovely San Geronimo vallery where Spirit Rock Meditation Center is located. I see Jack quite regularly standing with friends on a San Anselmo street corner Saturdays, offering witness of his commitment to peace and justice. The times I've heard him speak at Spirit Rock and elsewhere I was deeply touched by his simple humanity.

Learning to forgive, to treat others in our lives with loving kindness, as we cultivate peace...what more is there to realize in this human journey? There will always be what a teacher of mine once called "cookies for the mind." Jack offers something far more profound as he supports us in coming to each moment with our hearts open. This is what I hope to do with the remaining years of my life. It is comforting to share the journey with others who understand what is truly important. Jack Kornfield is surely one of them. Thank you Jack for sharing with us the wisdom you've come to.

This book is short yet profound. No wasted words. Each phrase is a short lesson to meditate on, full of meaning. There are modern quotes as well as ancient. A favorite was by Ben Franklin: "Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame". I was attracted to this book by its brevity and the resonance of the words.

At one point in this tape set, Kornfield warns that the path of peace is not a path of emasculated spirituality. Unfortunately, his whining, artificial, NPR-esque voice has already alerted the listener that in his case, it just might be. . . I was familiar with Kornfield through his book, "A Path With Heart," which is an excellent read. I was expecting this tape set to be similarly 'enlightening.' It is not. The tapes deal sparingly with what Kornfield terms 'Buddhist psychology'; they deal at great length with various New Age concerns and Kornfield's attachments to certain residual 60's fancies. Kornfield occasionally quotes from Buddhist masters; he more frequently quotes from his apparent heros, Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, and the author of "Children's Letters to God." My impression from this tape series is that Kornfield is quite hung up on his pet causes and that he is using the mantle of Buddhism to promote his own beliefs. For California Buddhists, this series may be IT, but for anyone seeking the genuine article, I'd suggest you look elsewhere.

Wholeheartedly recommend these tapes by Jack Kornfield. He is a very wise teacher, and these tapes have kept me company through the ups and downs of my own spiritual practice. A wonderful, erudite but grounded collection of teachings.

Jack Kornfield is an excellent teacher of metaphysics. He weaves the reader through the teachings of Buddhist Psychology like an artist uncovering an image that cannot be seen apart from an inner vision revealing itself. He illuminates these teachings in practical ways that are easily used in daily life. -- Samuel Oliver, author of, WHAT THE DYING TEACH US: LESSONS ON LIVING.

I'm afraid I have to agree with the reader from Phoenix. There's just too much whitespace in this book. If "its profundity is in its silence," then maybe I should have gotten an even *more* profound book - one with *all* the pages entirely blank. (Or maybe saved my money and gotten no book at all.) At any rate, this book is not at all a scholarly comparison of Jesus and the Buddha. All the nice interaction via which the "parallel sayings mutually inform each other, broadening and deepening the message of each," is contributed entirely by the reader. Which isn't necessarily *bad*, I suppose, but there's precious little reason to buy *this particular book* to accomplish that.

It's a shame that such a wonderful little book has an average rating due to the Phoenix-types who need "more words and less white." If you are turned-off by Christianity because of the Bible's "excess food and unnecessary baggage," this book really gets to the point. You may even discover that universal truth, which most Christians seem to think that the Bible has cornered the market on, is much more eloquently described outside the narrow little world of scripture-based "scholarly discussion" and "commentary."

This book is a thing of beauty. While you could read it from cover to cover, I prefer to turn to a page now and then and read a pair of parallel sayings presented side by side. It's wonderful to see the unexpected convergence of thought. I benefit from reflection on the parallel sayings which cover a wide spectrum of spiritual topics.

For me, the most important point this book makes, not explicitly but as a result of the power and beauty of the presentation of the parallel sayings, is that religious people who follow the teachings of Jesus or Buddha need not worry too much about whether they are on the right path. Both paths are the same path of goodness.