Rating: 
Summary: Couldnt find what I was looking for.
Review: Although presented as a discourse between science and the buddhist perspective of mind over emotions. The general feel of the books seems to be one sided. The book started off disussing the bios of the participants, and after which focuses on the EEG and function IMR scans of this monk while meditating. As interesting as this is, the book soon falls short of its expectations.The rest of the chapters describes scientists as well as monks who have presided over the discussion with their presentations.
It is dully structured as such
1) An introduction of the author presenting his studies
2) The actual topic and discovery as well as statistical and scientific facts that the presenter has
3) Some short questions by the Dalai Lama and the presenter answering those questions. Most of the time, with no apparent conclusion or being somewhat open ended. In summary, I find this book lacking in substance and one sided towards the scientific aspect of the discourse. Considering that the Dalai Lama only gives very little comments on what makes up the Buddhist perspective on these scientific presentations.
Rating: 
Summary: At last!
Review: As a long-time student of Alice A. Bailey I've been searching for a modern discussion on the danger of giving in to emotions. The Ageless Wisdom teaches that we should strive for equilibrium, succumbing neither to euphoria nor despair, walking the "middle way", of joy and Love, neither of which are considered emotions. This book is the perfect expression of those teachings. Equal time and respect are given to both the Western and the Buddhist philosophies as they offer their various points of view. The Buddhist tradition holds that overcoming the emotional nature is an imperative if ones seeks to become a truly spiritually oriented individual. Emotional reactions are based on past experience, and hold one prisoner in the past, when what we truly seek is the freedom to live fully in the present as we create the future out of today and not out of yesterday. The Western traditions are more personality oriented, the idea being that since we have emotions we should just go ahead and use them. This, in the Buddhist philosophy, is counterproductive, since the spiral on the emotional plane is always downward. One of the analogies is that using the emotion to help you get over an emotion is like trying to take a gem off the head of a cobra, best not attempted unless you're already a master at this sort of thing. Compassion, lovingkindness and happiness are demonstrated to be beyond emotion, a part of the connection between the two higher states of mind. This goes along beautifully with the Ageless Wisdom, where Mind and Soul are synonymous, and the emotional state is considered much more problematic. The Dalai Lama is a true scientist, seeking many points of view to get a clear picture of whatever topic the meeting addresses. This is the 7th in a series of books written about these seminars, and well worth the price. This one I won't be giving away! Namaste, Nancy Davison
Rating:
Summary: Excellent for Several Purposes
Review: Great analysis of emotions from the buddhist and western scientific perspective. Terrific explanation of the effect and importance of meditation. Very useful to non-meditators to understand emotions, and have choices about dealing with them. It is also very helpful to the beginning and advanced practioner who wants to deepen cognitive understanding.
Best of all it's not just about Tibetan Buddhism - I'm very glad to see that this generalized beyond the Tibetan practices and beliefs to be more about mindfulness and metta pratices and directly applicable to the vipassana tradition. This is not a "how-to" meditate, but a "WHY-TO"!
Rating:
Summary: I wish the "dialogue" had been a bit more rigorous
Review: How does a person overcome destructive emotions? This is the real and important question this book attempts to discuss on a religous, scientific, and philosophical basis. Goleman's account is surprisingly easy to read, and likewise the concepts are readily understandable. However, I was ultimately disappointed in the book. Here is why... Regarding destructive emotions, there is very little in the book, which refers to 'root causes' of those emotions. Rather there is an emphasis on controlling emotions. This approach attempts to deal with symptoms via practices intended to annihilate desire/craving (the dharma practice) The apparent contradiction is this -- parental love, pleasure seeking, and self-defense are all part of our emotional make up. Therefore, some emotions are good and some are bad. (few would disagree with this.) However, the dharma practice is a means of decreasing emotional desire in its entirety. If a distinction is to be made between the 'good' emotions and the 'bad' emotions then a value judgment is required. So, the question which never gets answered in the book is 'Within the Buddhist tradition what is the framework for making moral distinctions?' Ok, with that said, the most interesting part of the book is when Owen Flanagan (Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Human Interaction Laboratory at the University of California at San Francisco Medical School) discusses the differences between virtue ethics, utilitarian ethics, and Kantian ethics - in an attempt to show that some sort of value judgment needs to be made between emotions. (pages 63-68) Unfortunately, much of his discussion is never adequately responded to by anyone in attendance, including the Dalai Lama. The other key point, which never gets answered, is regarding the Buddhist term, which roughly translates, 'destructive emotions'. The term is, 'Klesha' also translated 'mental affliction'. Now, this is where it gets interesting. Is this 'mental affliction' a cause or a result? Does anxiety arise out of negative behavior or does anxiety cause negative behavior. If it is negative behavior that causes destructive emotions then instead of simply ignoring those emotions it seems best for a person to change the behavior that's causing the emotions. Unfortunately, this common sense answer isn't offered in the book. In short, a number of good and challenging points were asked of the Dalai Lama, but his answers to these questions were weak and somewhat evasive. Instead of pressing for a more adequate answer, those in attendance would simply go on to the next point. Part of a good dialog is asking honest questions and waiting for an honest answer. While there are good questions in the book, I didn't find satisfying answers to those questions. In fact, it doesn't seem that many of the points can be addressed w/in the Buddhist framework. That's disappointing.
Rating:
Summary: A stunning book!
Review: I am finishing a doctorate in clinical psychology and I cannot get enough of this book! I am slowly devouring it, page by delicious page, in moments stolen from my dissertation. The neuroscientists brought together with the Dalai Lama to discuss destructive emotions are brilliant, open, and on the cutting edge of a very exciting field. If you have any interest at all in affective neuroscience, this book will send your mind reeling in a million different directions. If you don't know anything at all about neuroscience but come at this topic from a Buddhist point of view, it will also be a delicious read. There is so much in this book, it is worth reading slowly so that you don't miss a thing! I have also sent this book as a gift to several friends, I like it that much.
Rating:
Summary: Coaching Emotional Intelligence Just Got A Little Easier
Review: I coach individuals in emotional intelligence, establish EQ cultures in businesses, and teach other coaches how to do this...and the bigee is anger. The misconceptions that it must either be repressed or expressed abound. I have clients all over the world. No one knows what to do with the anger and stress, and they all know they need to, to save their lives. "Anger kills, whether you let it all hang out or whether you keep it to yourself," says Redford Williams, who directs Duke University Medical Center's Behavioral Medicine Research Center. He's the author of the book by the same name. Now I have a great new backup for what my mind suspects and my heart knows -- there's another way to manage toxic emotions, enjoy life, enjoy other people and work, and stay well. It joins "Anger Kills," and "The Pleasure Prescription" on my bookshelf. It's a marvelous book!
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful, Bold, Innovative Book
Review: I have been practicing meditation for over thirty years and teaching for twenty eight years. My experience has made me much more familiar with the art of meditation than with the science of it. I found this book to be an extraordinary contribution, helping elucidate the tremendous importance of ancient meditative tools to modern life.
In a world where fear and grasping and anger and a sense of isolation from others seems to be predominating,this book, starting right with the title, Destructive Emotions, moved me, interested me, and made me think.
Having been at a similar conference with the Dalai Lama some years ago,I know how hard it is to capture the magic of this kind of encounter: the amazing openness of the Dalai Lama's mind; the pioneering sense of adventure on the part of scientists and educators as they explore meditation in the labs and translate its essence for a far-reaching audience; the depth of compassion that underlies this dialogue from all sides. I think Daniel has done a remarkable job. Because of the effort that has gone into it, I think this book could be of value whether you have meditated for decades or have not yet begun.
Rating: 
Summary: Can I get the Cliff Notes?
Review: I heard an interview on NPR and decided to get the book. Unfortunately, the writing is so self congratulatory and slow I could not get through the book. I found myself skipping very large parts of the book because they didn't give any useful information. Rather, 3/4ths of the book is comprised of inane bios of each and every participant. Parts were utterly fascinating, but you could write the same book in 50 pages, not 450 pages.
Rating:
Summary: Can I get the Cliff Notes?
Review: I heard an interview on NPR and decided to get the book. Unfortunately, the writing is so self congratulatory and slow I could not get through the book. I found myself skipping very large parts of the book because they didn't give any useful information. Rather, 3/4ths of the book is comprised of inane bios of each and every participant. Parts were utterly fascinating, but you could write the same book in 50 pages, not 450 pages.
Rating:
Summary: This is an extraordinary book
Review: I highly recommend this book. It is amazing in that it addresses one of the major hindrances from which all human beings suffer--destructive emotions. This crucial topic, at long last, brought together leading neuroscientists, psychologists, philosophers, and the Dalai Llama himself to discuss the human condition and how to better live with it. I found this book to be among the most insightful I have ever read, as it sets out to understand some of the most urgent questions of our time including the roots of human conflict and if humans truly have the potential for peace. I am sure that I will read it and re-read it for many years to come.
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