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Rating: 
Summary: Get It - Give It - Live it
Review: AN OPEN HEART is based on the Dalai Lama's 1999 US lectures and is an accessible, grounded and important look at how to live ethically and with compassion in a sometimes chaotic and psychotic world. The Dalai Lama's insight, wisdom, and guidelines for 'centered' living and meditation make this a great gift. It's perfect for bedside reading as a nice way to drift off to sleep, and it also makes a great springboard for further Buddhist study. It has the potential to change lives.
Rating:
Summary: Jewel of Wisdom.
Review: Despite the Buddhist overtones, the practices and wisdom written in this book is universal. It tells us the way to live a fuller life and gives meaning to everyday actions. The Dalai Lama is a powerful communicator who has an intricate world view. I agree on his analysis of the problems that we face and his solutions. He claims that he is just as anyone of us without anything special of miraculous but his words are the rare words of a man who knows much more about life than most people. I recommend this book to anyone who wishes to recover inner peace through the Buddhist way, though not necessarily through Buddhism.
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Summary: Great Subject Matter ¿ Hard Read
Review: Great Subject Matter - Hard ReadI dig the Dalai Lama so much - even seeing his smiling face on the cover of this book fills me with joy and brings a smile to my face - I just find him so hard to read. The content and subject matter is great. There is so much in this book and it's always a moving experience reading the Dalai Lama's words The focal point is about opening your heart and practicing compassion in your everyday life - and calm abiding. This is a great book, warm and comforting - my only complaint is that it is difficult to read.
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Summary: Dalai Lama
Review: I had absolutely no idea what Buddhists stand for so I bought and read this simple but very informative book. I actually enjoyed the Dalai Lama's writing a lot but didn't necessarily
agree on so many of their beliefs.I'm pretty sure you'll feel the same way too when you come to a page where his holiness writes that "we" can meditate even while we're driving! I am still shocked as you can imagine and can't seem to find a reason
why his holiness would recommend something like that.
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Summary: On Peace, Inner, and External
Review: In my humble belief, this book might have been more appropriately titled, "On Peace: A Guide to Inner and External Happiness." As we go about our somewhat materialistic lives, its important and helpful to consider what it is we desire. As we embark in the passion of work, play or friendship, its important to consider what we are doing on this earth. Such answers are provided by this book. It is a compilation of the speeches and lessons taught by the Dalai Lama on his three day visit to New York City culminating in a speech given at Central Park to a crowd of 200,000 people. This book is less about compassion and more about finding an inner meaning to your life. Loosely interpreted, it is about finding peace, a peace which arrives from the happiness of your actions, and a happiness which arrives from assisting others rid themselves of suffering. I believe Buddism, and this book particularly argue that there is no material self but rather only soul. It serves as an important guide both in a broad and specific sense of how to meditate, open your heart, and perhaps most of all, open your mind. The Dalai Lama speaks of global issues and the way in which one can internalize those issues so as to project compassion both inward and outward. The value of his teachings and this book are twofold. Just by reading this book, you will instantly recognize a path to self improvement, and upon reflection, meditation and most importantly practice, you will reap the eternal benefits of a life dedicated to the betterment of yourself and ultimately mankind. This glowing review was written a day after having completed the book, and I hope to stand by it, a year, and even a decade or more from now. In the meantime, I hope to read it again, and I hope to impart its wisdom onto my soul and onto the soul of those around me.
Rating:
Summary: On Peace, Inner, and External
Review: In my humble belief, this book might have been more appropriately titled, "On Peace: A Guide to Inner and External Happiness." As we go about our somewhat materialistic lives, its important and helpful to consider what it is we desire. As we embark in the passion of work, play or friendship, its important to consider what we are doing on this earth. Such answers are provided by this book. It is a compilation of the speeches and lessons taught by the Dalai Lama on his three day visit to New York City culminating in a speech given at Central Park to a crowd of 200,000 people. This book is less about compassion and more about finding an inner meaning to your life. Loosely interpreted, it is about finding peace, a peace which arrives from the happiness of your actions, and a happiness which arrives from assisting others rid themselves of suffering. I believe Buddism, and this book particularly argue that there is no material self but rather only soul. It serves as an important guide both in a broad and specific sense of how to meditate, open your heart, and perhaps most of all, open your mind. The Dalai Lama speaks of global issues and the way in which one can internalize those issues so as to project compassion both inward and outward. The value of his teachings and this book are twofold. Just by reading this book, you will instantly recognize a path to self improvement, and upon reflection, meditation and most importantly practice, you will reap the eternal benefits of a life dedicated to the betterment of yourself and ultimately mankind. This glowing review was written a day after having completed the book, and I hope to stand by it, a year, and even a decade or more from now. In the meantime, I hope to read it again, and I hope to impart its wisdom onto my soul and onto the soul of those around me.
Rating:
Summary: Tibetan Buddhism at it's finest
Review: Kosovar, another reviewer, apparently does not realize the meaning of what meditation is. In a Buddhist perspective, it means simply concentration. To drive in concentration is not dangerous, but advisable. It is true, however, that people often are NOT at all concentrating on the moment when driving; many of us seem to lack an element of real concentration in all of our daily tasks. How was the book? It was wonderful, HH The Dalai Lama is such a great teacher. Where Tibetan Buddhism from an academic standpoint can become very dogmatized and esoteric, The Dalai is able to present us with the core of what is taught. Not which Buddha did this when or where, but practical advice on this life. In "An Open Heart", he provides a great introduction to anyone interested in Buddhism. Nobody often knows what tradition of Buddhism they will take when first reading into it all, and The Dalai Lama is the most popular writer on the subject to date. I think it's wonderful, thank goodness it's not someone like Taisen Deshimaru that is popular, someone who didn't understand the Dharma so well. That would be dangerous. The Dalai one can trust, a good read and informative as well. May you have many Dharma dreams to come my friends! Enjoy:)
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Summary: Comments from the Spiritual Reviewer
Review: The goal of An Open Heart is to give the reader a basic understanding of Buddhism and to show how Buddhist practice can lead to a more compassionate and wise life. Many of the problems encountered in life are self-created. This leads to endless cycles of suffering, misery, and disappointment. The first step towards liberation from this painful cyucle is to commit and devote self to the practice of compassion in a very deliberate and systematic way. There's a really good reason why books by the Dalai Lama are so popular. He presents himself as an equal., He conducts himself as a servant of humanity. And his explanation of Buddhist concepts is logical, intelligent, and persuasive. However, the Dalai Lama's most alluring quality is his personal willingness to "walk the talk." This book is a demonstration of his deeply personal commitment to lessening the suffering of the world. This book received a score of 8.250 on a scale of 1(low) to 10 (high) from the spiritual reviewer. A score of 8 or higher designates the book as "a classic."
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