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Summary: An Excellent Primer
Review: "You Can Be Happy" is an excellent primer to the entire of Psychology of Mind (POM) gendre. I highly recommend it if the reader is in search of a change in outlook in regards to their present circumstances. The concepts contained in the book are simple and once grasped will seem obvious. So far, I've read the book completely five times and I've learned something new each time. I've never done that with any other book. If you feel that that you're out of touch with the world - buy this book!
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Summary: Natural State of Mind verses Habitual Thought Patterns
Review: .
What a wonderful book!! Ultimately, it is the ability to leave the habitual thought patterns, that of analytical thinking and contemplative efforts to the state of thoughtless non-activity, which Carlson calls the "Natural State of Mind." This is truly the place where peace and happiness always exists, always in the present moment regardless of external circumstances.
Carlson calls this a new teaching and labels the area outside of the habitual thought patterns an area called the Natural State of Mind. While this may be true, it has been known for thousands of years, such as in the Gita, many of the Sutras and the Vigyan Bhairav Tantra, which Osho so profoundly expounds upon. The only difference is the two opposing forces are those of the mind and the consciousness/the no-mind, as the mind itself is the disease. Regardless of how you wish to interpret it teaching is basically the same. One place is of thoughts and computer analytical deductions and interpretations, the other is the area of peace and thoughtless, relaxed wisdom. If you can come to the awareness that your mind is not you, but habitual patterns of thought that can both benefit you greatly and detrimentally disturb you - depending on how you use it - then you can obtain the ability to leave the mind and rest in the consciousness or natural state and find happiness despite ALL external circumstances. It is an amazingly profound concept. To quote one Tibetan Buddhist, Sogyal Rinpoche, from The Tibetan Book of the Living and Dying, "Slip quietly out of the noose of your habitual anxious self, release all grasping, and relax into your true nature."
Carlson's comments on moods, feelings and separate realities are equally profound in that our thinking derives from our self accumulated perceptions, our perceptions derive from our thinking patterns and our feelings from our thinking. Our moods, once recognized with our awareness of our mind separate from our natural state can then be tolerated and taken far less seriously, enabling us to both endure and patiently wait until such moods pass over. This is the power we obtain when we can be objective, an objectivity that comes with the ability to enter our natural state of mind (no-mind) and understand our thoughts that are clouding our decisions are from the lower areas of habitual thought patterns.
I can't write like Carlson, or like Osho, but am so grateful to both men and many other authors, psychologists, writers, masters and so forth. I've read this book a dozen times and it's never old, always valuable. Far more valuable than relying on a perceived religious book of absolutes, when in effect, it is the mind and the consciousness (the natural state of mind or the no-mind) that one must discover to find peace, not the other way around.
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Summary: Natural State of Mind verses Habitual Thought Patterns
Review: .
What a wonderful book!! Ultimately, it is the ability to leave the habitual thought patterns, that of analytical thinking and contemplative efforts to the state of thoughtless non-activity, which Carlson calls the "Natural State of Mind." This is truly the place where peace and happiness always exists, always in the present moment regardless of external circumstances.Carlson calls this a new teaching and labels the area outside of the habitual thought patterns an area called the Natural State of Mind. While this may be true, it has been known for thousands of years, such as in the Gita and the Vigyan Bhairav Tantra, which Osho so profoundly expounds upon. The only difference is the two opposing forces are those of the mind and the consciousness/the no-mind, as the mind itself is the disease. Regardless of how you wish to interpret it teaching is basically the same. One place is of thoughts and computer analytical deductions and interpretations, the other is the area of peace and thoughtless, relaxed wisdom. If you can come to the awareness that your mind is not you, but habitual patterns of thought that can both benefit you greatly and detrimentally disturb you - depending on how you use it - then you can obtain the ability to leave the mind and rest in the consciousness or natural state and find happiness despite ALL external circumstances. It is an amazingly profound concept. Carlson's comments on moods, feelings and separate realities are equally profound in that our thinking derives from our self accumulated perceptions, our perceptions derive from our thinking patterns and our feelings from our thinking. Our moods, once recognized with our awareness of our mind separate from our natural state can then be tolerated and taken far less seriously, enabling us to both endure and patiently wait until such moods pass over. This is the power we obtain when we can be objective, an objectivity that comes with the ability to enter our natural state of mind (no-mind) and understand our thoughts that are clouding our decisions are from the lower areas of habitual thought patterns. I can't write like Carlson, or like Osho, but am so grateful to both men and many other authors, psychologists, writers, masters and so forth. I've read this book a dozen times and it's never old, always valuable. Far more valuable than relying on a perceived religious book of absolutes, when in effect, it is the mind and the consciousness (the natural state of mind or the no-mind) that one must discover to find peace, not the other way around.
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Summary: Depressed? Anxious? Try healthy psychological functioning!!!
Review: This was the first of several books I read from Dr. Carlson, and I know it was a very instrumental part of my recovery process overcoming depression. I can't remember when I was so excited to read a book (except perhaps, when I read his book, "Shortcut Through Therapy"). I've read it three times, and bought four copies for other people who were also amazed at how much control they actually had over their own happiness! The beauty of this book is it's simplicity. It combines principles and applications that are not difficult to understand and, with practice, almost effortless to implement. This book benefited me because I believed, that I had little or no control over my thoughts, feelings, moods, circumstances or happiness. As I reflect after reading the book, I find that I have been feeling better longer. I still have low moods, but I don't sink as low, stay as long or hurt as bad as I used to. I'm still in therapy, and an end is in sight. My shrinks have substantially lenthened the time between visits, and reduced my meds considerably. Thank you Dr. Carlson, for your helping hand when it was needed most.
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Summary: Finally A Self Help Book That Is Not Boring!
Review: A very good read. Direct and to the point. It explains very simply that we are all "only one thought away from happiness".
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Summary: All the info you need to be happy.
Review: All the info you need to be happy is contained in this book. Individual thought patterns are explained through out the book,how are emotions control are thoughts and how we make decisions based on the emotions we are experiencing controled by thought patterns. The decision to be happy or upset or angry are the results of thoughts. If we learn to control are thoughts or rather do not make decisions until are thought patterns are in the right frame of mind we could live a happier life. It seems difficult to change thought patterns when you are highly upset or angry,but with patience and persistence,thoughts can be controled to a happier way of thinking.
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Summary: can be helpful, but . . .
Review: Books like this can be useful for those seeking help. Statistically people in therapy do better when they read good self help books on the side. This book and its "let's not be negative" messsage may improve many people's therapy. My complaint about these books, and therapy itself, is that, for one thing, an individual is too often considered as an individual, and not as the result of their environment and interactions, etc. An individual needs to learn to stand up for him/herself, and realise the problem isn't always them, but can very well be the company they keep. People are so rarely interested in changing their associates. Yet, it is so often our social milieu which can create their "chemical imbalances," or what not ...or make such "imbalances" worse. With regards to individuality, the silent Clint Eastwood variety is the only one really worth having. Assertiveness training is nothing without a firm foundation to stand on, and one would be just as better off watching Clint Eastwood films until one got the point, as much as indulging in all the therapy in the world for the sake of assertiveness, not letting things bother them, etc. Too often, therapy and self-help books seem to try to "wag the dog by the tail," rather than get the "dog" to consider its over-all self. Deciding to drop all "waste emplyoments and enjoyments," ie, staying out of bars and such, noisy environments, and finding a job where the people are decent and more intelligent that one's present employ, are too often not considered. The "shrink" waits for the individual to make those decisions about environment, when occasionally the counselor ought to really state the obvious to the client in order to get said client to see how their chosen environments that make up their lives, perhaps ought not to be where they are in the first place.( After 300 hours of therapy and medication, I made a list of 20 people I ought to stay away from last summer, just to be safe, and am doing much better now, thank you !) Another major issue rarely considered by these books, and by therapists in general, is the individual and their relationship to the community. If you are not busy cultivating a positive image for yourself in a community, or even in your world, your therapy is going to be less that useful. You need social power, a good image, and without making scene or crumbling about it. Assertiveness is fine, as is comfort with self and significant others: but in the larger picture, social power and image is as important as "self-understanding" and what-not. This is not to oversimplify or negate the need for therapy. Everyone who even suspects they need it, ought to get some. For one thing, therapy can help prevent blossoming mental health issues you may be unaware of, and may even prevent danger, accidents, and threats to personal health, even if the only source is stress. This makes therapy, and reading books like this one, as important as going to the doctor, or, say, fireproofing your own house. Having covered the issues of useless activities, cultivating social power, a good public image, and an ability to really stand foursquare on the ground in such a fashion as to compel people's respect, therapy can get a heck of alot easier. In short, I made too many mistakes associating with the wrong people ( and they were quite likeable on the surface, a good part of the time! but no good for me), and depending only on being a "smiley nice guy" all the time, for social success, when I really needed to be working hard on my social image, and being careful of the company I kept. Therapy and self-help books walked me into trouble, as they do not always lead to the above realizations, which I offer up to you here in order to make better use of therapy for yourself.
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Summary: A Great Way Of Solving Life's Simpliest Problems
Review: Dr. Richard Carlson reveals an extreme breakthrough in human psychology. He teaches his reader how to find contentment with one's mind instead of trying to solve forces that are out of our control. He states that our natural state is contentment. Rather than trying to solve our problems that occur now, he tries to use his simple guide that allows us to focus on the present. His guide consists of understanding five principles-thought, moods, separate realities, feelings, and the present moment. It has helped me find happiness through life's challanges and helped me focus on a more clearer level. When I get stressed, I try not to "fuel the fire" as much as I did prior to reading this book. When I try not to "fuel the fire," I'm basically trying not to make my problems more worse than it already is. This type of strategy is taught with many others in this extraordinary book that guides you towards happiness. Furthermore, I learned how not to get easily overwhelmed over something so small.
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Summary: A Great and Important Overview of How Humans THINK
Review: Due to the richness in content and a somewhat monotonic reading by Carlson, the AUDIOTAPE version of this book is hard to digest in large pieces. The message, though, is one of the most reavealing about why we think the things we do. It provided me great insight into dealing with family and friends who occasionally make me angry or cause me to become defensive. Not only do I now have a greater awareness of my own processing of their words and actions, but I have greater insight into what 'thinking' causes them to say what they say and do what they do. This is a great book for those people trying to be at peace with themselves and others.
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Summary: This is Self Help at Its BEST!
Review: Ever felt like depression and negativitity were swamping all the happiness out of your life? Then read this book before you turn to Prozac. When I first found this book, back in 1997, I instantly recognized myself in Dr. Carlson's descriptions of the way thoughts can play through one's head and cause you to act in reactionary, emotional ways when one is experiencing what he calls a "low mood." He teaches readers, though, through a step by step process, how to return once again, to a state of "healthy psychological functioning." This book is NOT another "positive thinking" book. No, it is one of the most profound little books you'll ever pick up. It teaches you how to recognize "low moods" and to avoid action during low moods. It shows how to return to "normal functioning." After reading the book version several times a year for the last couple of years, I recently bought a two-tape audio version of this book, which is read by the author, and allows me to review the book's key principles whenever I feel a low mood setting in for too long. Not just a book. A great mental health tool.
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