Rating: 
Summary: An open heart is an awakened mind.
Review: "Our spiritual journey is a long one," the Dalai Lama writes in this compilation of dharma teachings delivered in New York in 1999. "We must choose our path with care, ensuring that it encompasses all those methods that lead us to our goal. At times the journey is steep. We must know how to pace ourselves down to the snail's path of profound contemplation while also ensuring that we do not forget our neighbor's problem or that of the fish swimming in the polluted oceans many thousands of miles away" (p. 54). In this book, His Holiness shows us how to open our hearts and cultivate compassion toward all beings. He begins his book with an introduction he first delivered to more than 200,000 people in Central Park, during which he expressed his views on the "importance of respecting our neighbors, our compatriots, our fellow nations, and all of humanity. He shared his way of transforming pride into humilty and anger into love. He expressed his concern for the divide between rich and poor. He ended by leading a prayer for all beings to find happiness" (p. xv)."It is my hope," the Dalai Lama says, "that the reader of this small book will take away a basic understanding of Buddhism and some of the key methods by which Buddhist practitioners have cultivated compassion and wisdom in their lives" (p. 29). Throughout his book, His Holiness urges us to recognize that the nature of worldly life is suffering. "I therefore believe that cultivating a correct understanding of the way things are is critical to our quest for happiness" (p. 34), he writes. He teaches us how to cultivate loving kindness, compassion, and equanimity, and how to transform negative, "afflictive" emotions--attachment, hatred, pride, and greed, for example--into compassion through "analytical" and "settled" meditation practices. "Meditation is the process whereby we gain control over the mind and guide it in a more virtuous direction," he explains. "Meditation may be thought of as a technique by which we diminish the force of old habits and develop new ones. We thereby protect ourselves from engaging in actions of mind, word or deed that lead to our suffering" (p. 46). These clear, engaging teachings demonstrate that "an open heart is an open mind. A change of heart is a change of mind" (p. 84). They also provide a good introduction to the Buddhist path by a trusted spiritual advisor, and they are accessible to readers of different religious backgrounds. They demonstrate how an understanding of "the miserable nature of life" can lead us to an appreciation of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha--the Three Jewels in which Buddhists seek shelter. For those readers interested in living life with an open heart, I would also recommend Pema Chodron's recent book, THE PLACES THAT SCARE YOU (2001). G. Merritt
Rating:
Summary: An open heart is an awakened mind.
Review: "Our spiritual journey is a long one," the Dalai Lama writes in this compilation of dharma teachings delivered in New York in 1999. "We must choose our path with care, ensuring that it encompasses all those methods that lead us to our goal. At times the journey is steep. We must know how to pace ourselves down to the snail's path of profound contemplation while also ensuring that we do not forget our neighbor's problem or that of the fish swimming in the polluted oceans many thousands of miles away" (p. 54). In this book, His Holiness shows us how to open our hearts and cultivate compassion toward all beings. He begins his book with an introduction he first delivered to more than 200,000 people in Central Park, during which he expressed his views on the "importance of respecting our neighbors, our compatriots, our fellow nations, and all of humanity. He shared his way of transforming pride into humilty and anger into love. He expressed his concern for the divide between rich and poor. He ended by leading a prayer for all beings to find happiness" (p. xv). "It is my hope," the Dalai Lama says, "that the reader of this small book will take away a basic understanding of Buddhism and some of the key methods by which Buddhist practitioners have cultivated compassion and wisdom in their lives" (p. 29). Throughout his book, His Holiness urges us to recognize that the nature of worldly life is suffering. "I therefore believe that cultivating a correct understanding of the way things are is critical to our quest for happiness" (p. 34), he writes. He teaches us how to cultivate loving kindness, compassion, and equanimity, and how to transform negative, "afflictive" emotions--attachment, hatred, pride, and greed, for example--into compassion through "analytical" and "settled" meditation practices. "Meditation is the process whereby we gain control over the mind and guide it in a more virtuous direction," he explains. "Meditation may be thought of as a technique by which we diminish the force of old habits and develop new ones. We thereby protect ourselves from engaging in actions of mind, word or deed that lead to our suffering" (p. 46). These clear, engaging teachings demonstrate that "an open heart is an open mind. A change of heart is a change of mind" (p. 84). They also provide a good introduction to the Buddhist path by a trusted spiritual advisor, and they are accessible to readers of different religious backgrounds. They demonstrate how an understanding of "the miserable nature of life" can lead us to an appreciation of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha--the Three Jewels in which Buddhists seek shelter. For those readers interested in living life with an open heart, I would also recommend Pema Chodron's recent book, THE PLACES THAT SCARE YOU (2001). G. Merritt
Rating:
Summary: Truth!
Review: Freedom of religion, as practiced in the United States of America, is an awful and illogical liberty. In our quest to be inoffensive, we act as if multiple, mutually exclusive, truth claims can all be valid at the same time, and religious preference is merely a matter of personal taste. As a consequence of our corporate irresponsibility, many are left free to follow lies and the path to eternal corruption. I am a conservative Christian, who believes that the only path to truth lies through God's grace as presented to us in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, whom Christians confess to be the Messiah. I, personally, believe that Buddhists and followers of non-Christian religions are wrong. BUT... My personal faith claims do not undermine the wisdom of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama's teachings on meditation and compassion. In his little book, the Dalai Lama lays out for us a path to a more inhabitable planet. Demonstrating that he fully comprehends the flawed, sinful nature of all people, His Holiness goes on to show us how all creatures can live together in a more peaceful world. He gives us a practical method by which to change ourselves for the good of all. AND... He even warmed this grumpy, old Lutheran's heart. Read the book.
Rating:
Summary: Truth!
Review: Freedom of religion, as practiced in the United States of America, is an awful and illogical liberty. In our quest to be inoffensive, we act as if multiple, mutually exclusive, truth claims can all be valid at the same time, and religious preference is merely a matter of personal taste. As a consequence of our corporate irresponsibility, many are left free to follow lies and the path to eternal corruption. I am a conservative Christian, who believes that the only path to truth lies through God's grace as presented to us in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, whom Christians confess to be the Messiah. I, personally, believe that Buddhists and followers of non-Christian religions are wrong. BUT... My personal faith claims do not undermine the wisdom of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama's teachings on meditation and compassion. In his little book, the Dalai Lama lays out for us a path to a more inhabitable planet. Demonstrating that he fully comprehends the flawed, sinful nature of all people, His Holiness goes on to show us how all creatures can live together in a more peaceful world. He gives us a practical method by which to change ourselves for the good of all. AND... He even warmed this grumpy, old Lutheran's heart. Read the book.
Rating: 
Summary: An idealistic basis for practice
Review: His Holiness the Dalai Lama may not succeed in getting justice for Tibet in his lifetime. He is, however, a recognized world leader with a tremendous following. When he gave a public talk in the east meadow of New York's Central Park in 1999, a crowd of 200,000 turned out. This book begins with that talk, in which he endorses a spiritual ethics based on one spiritual truth we all share: that human beings are often unhappy, and that we all aspire to be happy. The chapters that follow are good introductory lectures to a Buddhist technique (which does not require, in fact discourages, any departure from another faith). He sticks closely to the subject matter, and uses stories and humor only to help illustrate the more abstract teachings. A strong 'dharma candy' he uses to inspire us is this happiness. That surely draws many people to the dharma: a hope for improvement, in ourselves or our situation; a sense of incompleteness. Now you, too, can frustrate your oppressors by keeping your equilibrium and your smile. There are dangers in taking such an idealistic approach, but by the end, even those goals that brought us to the cushion are kindly brought into the light and examined for what they are.
Rating:
Summary: Accessible Wisdom! ....in a compact format
Review: I found this book to be very true to its title. It short and sweetly explains how to open your heart to more compassion in your everyday life. Accessible wisdom for people of many religious backgrounds. I do not think that it can (for most people) stand alone as a textbook on compassion, but as an avid reader of Buddhist/Taoist/Hindu/Christian texts I feel that it has helped me to focus my thoughts on compassion in a very real way. I would recommend it to ANYONE seeking to open their heart to others, but I would also recommend that you not stop with this one text.
So far, I have enjoyed all books that I've read by His Holiness The Dalai Lama and I think "How to Practice" would make a good companion(it is also short and sweet, however it does center around Buddhism).
Rating:
Summary: Pathway to a Better Life and a Better World
Review: I'm not a Buddhist scholar, nor am I a Christian theologian. This book puts forth a tremendously powerful approach to dealing with interpersonal, as well as international, problems. The Buddhist teachings on compassion are numerous and complex. However, this book provides a clear discussion of the benefits of compassion and the use of specific meditation techniques to foster it. It seems that these teachings integrate well with Christian, Islamic and other religious frameworks. If more religious fundamentalists took these teachings to heart, terrorism would wither and die of neglect.
Rating:
Summary: Pathway to a Better Life and a Better World
Review: I'm not a Buddhist scholar, nor am I a Christian theologian. This book puts forth a tremendously powerful approach to dealing with interpersonal, as well as international, problems. The Buddhist teachings on compassion are numerous and complex. However, this book provides a clear discussion of the benefits of compassion and the use of specific meditation techniques to foster it. It seems that these teachings integrate well with Christian, Islamic and other religious frameworks. If more religious fundamentalists took these teachings to heart, terrorism would wither and die of neglect.
Rating:
Summary: The Dalai Lama in New York City
Review: In 1999, the Dalai Lama gave two teachings in New York City. The Dalai Lama gave the first teaching (which constitutes the Introduction to this book) in Central Park on August 15, 1999 to a gathering of 200,000 people. He gave the second teaching as a series of lectures to an audience of 3,000 people in Manhattan's Beacon Theater. The individual lecture and the series of lectures each capture something essential about the Dalai Lama's teaching and his manner of presenting it. The Central Park lecture appears designed for a large, lay audience of diverse backgrounds and religious interests. It presupposes no particular knowledge of or interest in Buddhism. In the lecture, the Dalai Lama speaks simply and eloquently about the desire of all people to secure happiness. He talks about how this goal can be achieved, with time and effort, by understanding and curbing our desires for material things, by recognizing the essential equality of human nature and human drives everywhere, and by generating compassion. There is topical material included in this lecture on matters such as protecting the environment, the noise and bustle of New York City, and the sometimes drastic consequences of fanaticism and nationalism. The series of lectures, in contrast to the Central Park lecture, is specifically Buddhist in character. The Dalai Lama tells us that the lectures are based in large part on two Buddhist tests: the "Middle-Length States of Meditation", by an eight-century Indian writer, Kamalashila, and "The Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas" by a fourteenth century Tibetan, Togmay Sangpo. In very short succinct chapters, the Dalai Lama's lectures explain the heart of Buddhist practice for a Western audience. They discuss the origin of suffering and unhappiness in our emotions, desires, and angers which color in turn the ways we perceive the world and make us unhappy. The Dalai Lama presents and discusses meditation and reflection as making a beginning toward breaking out of the unhappy character of impulsive, emotion-driven existence. By learning about ourselves, by trying to understand the "emptiness" of reality, and by generating compassion for others, we achieve equanamity and happiness for ourselves. It is the mark of the Dalai Lama's wisdom that he is able to explain deep and difficult teachings in a lucid, inspiring manner. The teachings themselves are difficult to grasp and difficult to implement. The Dalai Lama emphasizes that it will do little good simply to read a book and then forget about it. The teachings need to be thought about and put into practice. Each person must work from where he or she is and strive to make progress. Thus this book consists of a single lecture for those who may have little exposure to or interest in the Dalai Lama's teachings and a more detailed treatment for those with further background and interest. Either way, the book may light a spark in the receptive reader's heart.
Rating:
Summary: Meaningful Spiritual Guidance for Today's Troubled Times
Review: Sometimes adding a new spiritual perspective can help deepen one's understanding of one's own spiritual tradition and beliefs. Certainly, that was my experience in reading this heart-warming book. The book is structured into a series of brief essays, based on three days of teaching that the Dalai Lama did in New York City during 1999. The essays separated in time and space some very profound thoughts, in ways that made them easier to grasp. This is a book that you will want to reread many times, especially when you find your mind troubled or your compassion at a low ebb. The Dalai Lama expresses a timeless Buddhist perspective here, but in an inclusive way. "We are all the same, mentally and emotionally." Our other differences are minor, and unimportant. In thinking about the current war on terrorism, I was struck by his observation that "In harming our enemy, we are harmed." "Dialogue is the only appropriate method [for resolving disputes]." What harm are we doing now in this war to innocent people, to ourselves, to unborn generations, and to the environment of the world we inhabit? The Dalai Lama explains that "In Buddhism compassion is . . . the wish that all beings be free of their suffering." Interestingly, he points out that "If we have a positive mental attitude, then even when surrounded by hostility, we shall not lack inner peace." Have we looked enough within in mentally and physically responding to the attacks of September 11th? The book contains many worthy thoughts about how to create a "better balance between material preoccupations and inner spiritual growth." An Open Heart will probably be most meaningful to those who are very interested in spiritual questions (of whatever religious persuasion or philosophy) and who pray or meditate regularly. If you are externally oriented, you may not find that the words and thoughts resonate within you. As a person who prays and meditates several times a day, I found his expressions of ways to improve the benefits of conscious (or analytical) meditation and settled meditation very interesting and helpful. I especially liked his invocation for how to be more humble. "We can always find some quality in someone else where we are outshone." And "reflect upon the kindness of others" upon which we all depend. He advises beginning with strangers as a conscious object of compassionate meditation, so that we can strengthen our empathy with those we feel most distant towards. As we get better at this empathizing, we can move on to building compassion for those we dislike or fear. I was pleased to see that we are encouraged to practice the right things, and to focus away from the speed of our progress. Whether or not you agree with the concept of reincarnation as expressed here, this book can certainly help guide you to greater spiritual peace, more ethical actions, and achieving greater wisdom. I found it particularly freeing and fulfilling to think about creating a life dedicated to "the sake of all sentient beings" as part of my focus. May your heart, mind, and spirit constantly grow in openness and caring!
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