Rating: 
Summary: Great!!
Review: "What is Love" was given to me by a friend at a very rough time in my life and it has opened up my mind and taught me more about myself in 80 some odd pages then I ever did in 31 years on my own. It's one of those books that you put in your back pocket and pull out and reread every time you encounter a bump, so to speak. It's definitely worth the read.
Rating:
Summary: Love Is¿
Review: "A loving relationship is meant to serve not as a safe harbor for our unhealthy tendencies but rather as a healthy place of reformation where such tendencies can be eliminated. Only by exposing the dark spiritual poisons within us can we transform them in the light of spiritual healing." ~Taro Gold"What is Love?" is inspired by the universal principles of Buddhism. When we learn to be at peace with ourselves, we can spread this peace to the world. Unconditional love truly can heal the world. In a similar way that music unites us, love is what we need to unite the world. Hate destroys while love nurtures. I have found that there is a point at which the pain of life dissolves into the bliss of love. This tiny book explores the topic of "Love" in 80 exquisite pages. "What is Love?" is filled with inspirational quotes, watercolors and Taro's wisdom. There are swirling goldfish, flowers clinging delicately to the edge of pages, pots of orchids, birds perched on bamboo leaves and cherry trees, and a variety of creatively patterned pages. There are three main sections: Part One: Love and Illusion - Taro introduces a variety of interesting ideas and explains how in early Buddhist teachings, romantic love is seen as unstable while compassionate love is seen as limitless. He truly starts to delve into the meaning of love and explains why love as an illusion will disappear as fast as it appeared. I loved the humorous ending to the "Zuri" story that is almost as funny as the quote by Woody Allen, which just spins your mind. "Needy Love" is not often discussed and this is the first time I've seen an author explain this aspect of love in such a concise manner. Taro explains why "needy love" is ultimately unfulfilling. "Moments of temporary insanity" - I can relate to this. Part Two: Love and Reality - Taro's writing is filled with creativity and speaks directly to the heart. He explains relationships through the retelling of an ancient Japanese comedic tale. Taro then explores change, the three main types of love, self-mastery and "meeting your soul mate." This book makes complete sense although the issue of greater and lesser worlds was a new concept to me. Who would not want to reach the place of "Enlightened, altruistic, unshakable happiness." Page 50 is just powerful. The entire section on enlightenment makes the concept very easy to understand. Most books do not reach this depth, nor do they make enlightenment quite so attainable. Taro takes mysterious topics and transforms then into everyday wisdom. Part Three: Love and Life - Taro's thoughts continue to create a connection between the quotes and his experience with Buddhist wisdom. The quotes are not all Eastern and you will find quotes from Judith Viorst, Alfred, Lord Tennyson and even Victor Hugo. He explores the topics of loyalty, romance, commitment and karma. The story of how we become mirrors in relationships is so true. Taro Gold has spent much of his life living overseas. He has been successful as an author, children's counselor, teacher, interpreter, actor, singer and songwriter. He has traveled to over thirty countries and has lived in Australia, Spain and Japan. He has also written extensively for international Buddhist publications and his books have been published in seven languages. I find Taro's choice of art for the covers to be quite intriguing. His message is definitely "peace and hope" for a better world. "What Is Love?" is a gift for our hearts and this book is much more than a book of quotes. It is a journey into the true meaning of love in all its forms. You will we see a picture of the type of love you feel reflected in the pages. You will also see images of love you will want to emulate in their fullest forms. "What is Love?" is a true combination of Buddhist wisdom and real-life experience. Taro Gold's books are well worth collecting and make the perfect gifts for any occasion. They are universal in their appeal and always bring moments of enlightenment to your life.
~TheRebeccaReview.com Also look for: Open Your Mind, Open Your Life (miniature and larger edition) by Taro Gold The Tao of Mom: The Wisdom of Mothers from East to West
Rating:
Summary: Inspirational and spiritual insights into the ways of love
Review: A splendid addition to any personal Buddhist Studies reference collection or reading list, What Is Love?: A Simple Buddhist Guide To Romantic Happiness is a compact-sized collections of inspirational and spiritual insights into the ways of love and reflecting the wisdom of a Buddhist perspective. Famous Buddhist quotes and proverbs such as "You may search the universe for someone more worthy of your love and affection than you are yourself, but such a person does not exist" are interlaced with author Taro Gold's insight into the human condition, in this impressively uplifting, and enlightening little book.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite relationship book
Review: After enjoying Taro Gold's other books for the past few years, I was eager to read this new one about love. I was pleasantly surprised to find that in this book, the author not only gives us a unique and inspiring (and sometimes funny) collection of quotes regarding love from various sources of wisdom around the world, but most of the book is a narrative by the author. The fresh insights I have gained from the Buddhist view of love are invaluable and can be easily applied to everyday issues immediately. My wife and I have both enjoyed reading this book and are already seeing the benefits of incorporating its advice into our lives.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: After reading Taro Gold's book 'Open Your Mind, Open Your Life' and loving it, I've been waiting for him to put out some new stuff. I saw him at a book signing this month and received a signed copy of this new title. It's probably the best relationship book I've ever read. Simple, straightforward, and light. This author's style is great for times when you don't want to read something too heavy and you just wanna get to the point.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful and enlightening book about knowing true love
Review: Having been through many relationships in my life, some better and some worse than others, I have yet to find a person with whom I have had true and lasting love. I have read countless books and articles about love and relationships and made great progress understanding my relationships with various counselors. Yet this book, probably the most simple and direct of them all, has done the most for me of anything previous. All of the things I needed to know about loving myself first, being the person I want to attract, and mastering my life condition and my thoughts -- all of this I was so close to understanding before, and now it is perfectly clear to me. I am truly feeling happier than I have ever felt in my life, and I know I will be ready to join my life partner when the timing is right for both of us now. This book is a godsend and I am giving copies of it to everyone I know.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful and enlightening book about knowing true love
Review: Having been through many relationships in my life, some better and some worse than others, I have yet to find a person with whom I have had true and lasting love. I have read countless books and articles about love and relationships and made great progress understanding my relationships with various counselors. Yet this book, probably the most simple and direct of them all, has done the most for me of anything previous. All of the things I needed to know about loving myself first, being the person I want to attract, and mastering my life condition and my thoughts -- all of this I was so close to understanding before, and now it is perfectly clear to me. I am truly feeling happier than I have ever felt in my life, and I know I will be ready to join my life partner when the timing is right for both of us now. This book is a godsend and I am giving copies of it to everyone I know.
Rating:
Summary: Uplifting wisdom for the ages
Review: I bought this for myself and found that when I was having a challenging day I would read it to change my mood and lift my spirits. I found myself reading it over and over again. I ended up writing a few of my favorite tidbits on pieces of paper and leaving them around my house to remind me of the more important things in life. I'm buying this book for the third time to give as a gift to friends. It really is one of the best I have found and is light enough to read anytime and take anywhere.
If you are looking for something to add a little wisdom and self confidence to your life this is it.
Rating:
Summary: My new favorite relationship book
Review: I read this whole book through from cover to cover and loved every page, then gave it to my husband to read. He read it the next day and we've been talking about it every day for the past week. It has really helped us to see ourselves differently, to take responsiblity for our actions and feelings, and promise to help each other be happier by first becoming happy ourselves.
Rating: 
Summary: Romantic????
Review: I'm not so sure about the romantic part in the title but it is a wonderful little book on filling your life with love. I was hoping for more advice on the romantic aspect which I did find in The Romantic's Guide by Michael Webb (highly recommended).
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