Beach Chair Meditation (Awakening the Buddha Within)

This simple meditation is one of my favorite things from Awakening the Buddha Within: Eight Steps to Enlightenment: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World by Lama Surya Das.

Beach Chair Meditation
Lean back in a comfy beach chair
or chaise lounge, with legs outstretched
and totally relax.
Let go of body and mind;
let go, and let goodness
do it.

At poolside, or on your patio or porch;
in a garden
or on the beach;
raise your gaze,
open your eyes and heart and mind.
Elevate the scope of global,
three-hundred-and-sixty-degree panoramic awareness.

Simply relax
and watch the rolling waves
of sea or river,
or the clouds pass by
while the mind unfurls,
as the soul unfolds
and the infinite sky opens up
revealing the joy of meditation.

The Mirror of Mindfulness (Awakening the Buddha Within)

I really liked this simple statement on mindfulness from Awakening the Buddha Within: Eight Steps to Enlightenment: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World by Lama Surya Das.

The Mirror of Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the root of the Dharma.
Mindfulness is the body of practice.
Mindfulness is the fortress of the mind.
Lack of mindfulness will allow the negative forces to overcome you.
Lack of mindfulness is the creator of evil deeds.
Without mindfulness and presene of mind,
Nothing can be accomplished.
Lack of mindfulness piles up shit.
Without mindfulness you sleep in an ocean of piss.
Without mindfulness you are like a heartless zombie, a walking corpse.

Four Heartitudes (Awakening the Heart Within)

I really liked this simple chant for meditation from Awakening the Buddha Within: Eight Steps to Enlightenment: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World by Lama Surya Das.

Four Heartitudes
May all beings have happiness and the cause of happiness.
May all beings remain free from suffering and the cause of suffering.
May all beings come to remain unseparated from the sacred joy and happiness that is totally free from sorrow.
May all beings come to rest in the boundless and all-inclusive equanimity that is beyond attachment and aversion.

And this one:

We rejoice in the good fortune of all. We rejoice in the virtuous good deeds and accomplishments of others. We put an end to covetousness and jealousy. We forgive and accept others, and put an end to feelings of ill will and enmity. Blessings to the world. Blessings to ourselves.

The Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas (Awakening the Buddhist Heart)

I couldn't resist sharing The Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattva from Awakening The Buddhist Heart: Integrating Love, Meaning, and Connection into Every Part of Your Life by Lama Surya Das.

In the book, Das includes a short commentary and questions for self-examination which I have not included below.

The commentaries and questions are very helpful for bringing this practices into everyday life so I might share them another time.

1. Since we are fortunate enough to be alive and to be blessed with human bodies and intelligence, let's take advantage of this opportunity to free ourselves and others from suffering. Listen to the teachings. Reflect on what you have heard. Meditate, meditate, meditate.
   The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
2. In life, the strongest feelings are often generated by those we love and those who make us angry. We can become s preoccupied with these reactive feelings and our emotional concerns that we lose sight of what’s right and wrong. We could instead cultivate an attitude of nonattachment to our feelings and be prepared to lessen the grip of our worldly preoccupations.
   The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
3. When we withdraw from excessive worldly stimulation and learn to put a priority on simplicity and solitude, our concentration, clarity, and wisdom increases as does our confidence in Dharma and truth we’ve learned.
   The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
4. This life is transient and impermanent. All the goods we’ve accumulated and relationships we’ve enjoyed will change or come to an end. The mind is like a temporary guest in our bodily house; it will some day pass beyond. Learn to think of the larger picture beyond this one life-time.
   The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
5. If we spend our time with those who don’t understand, encourage, and value our spiritual concerns, we will lose interest in truth and Dharma. As a result, we will meditate and prayer less; we lose sight of our vow to practice love and compassion for all others. Don’t surround yourself with people who don’t support your spiritual aspirations.
   The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
6. Good teachers and spiritual friends helps us solve our problems and maintain our loving intentions. Cherish these kindred spirits, friends and mentors
   The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
7. How can you expect the successful wheelers and dealers of this world to help you when themselves are mired in worldly woes? Instead, look for refuge and support in what’s real and reliable.
   The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
8. The Buddha said that our suffering and confusion is the result of our negative actions. Understand this and turn away from all behaviours that are harmful to self and others. Use all your strength to resist any tendency to cause harm to anyone.
   The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
9. The worldly pleasures we pursue in the course of our lives can vanish in an instant, like dew on the tip of a blade of grass. There is greater satisfaction and lasting bliss to be found walking the spiritual path and awakening the Buddha within.
   The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
10. How can we think only of ourselves when others are suffering? Recognise this suffering and generate the awakened heart-mind of Bodhicitta for the benefit of all.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
11. Selfish thoughts and desires will ultimately fail us. Replace these concerns with compassion for all others and the greater good. This will lead us to freedom and awakening.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
12. Cultivate a nonattachment for worldly goods that is so strong that even if someone takes away everything you won, you will still feel compassion and pray for his prosperity and well-being.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
13. If we should know someone who threatens us or tries to case us serious bodily harm, we should feel compassion for this person and show mercy by genuinely wishing that he suffers no further because of his or her deluded and misguided state.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
14. Even if someone slanders and criticizes us, spreading cruel rumors that some people may even believe, speak of that person with kindness. When you speak of him to others, praise his virtues.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
15. Even if someone insults and criticizes us in front of others, describing our flaws to anyone who will listen, instead of feeling anger, consider that person like a spiritual friend and advisor. Listen quietly and show respect; we can always learn from honest criticism.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
16. If someone we have nurtured and cared for as one would a cherished child becomes resentful, angry and hurtful, we should become even kinder and more giving; we should be understanding.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
17. If someone is contemptuous or treats you without respect – even if that person is not your intellectual or spiritual equal – repay them with honor as you would an admired teacher.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
18. No matter how dire your emotional, physical or financial condition, stay true to your practice, your inner principles, and your intentions. Continue to walk the path of awakening for yourself and all beings.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
19. Success and fame can be detrimental to spiritual development. No matter how much wealth you accumulate or how much you are praised and admired, don’t be swept away by worldly achievements or lose sight of what is real. Stay connected to who you are and what really matters.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
20. Anger is an inner problem. When you feel anger, don’t just strike out at others. Instead turn inward and call upon your resources of awareness, love and compassion to heal yourself first.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
21. The more we pursue our desires, the more our desires grow; it’s like drinking saltwater. We find freedom by letting go of our tendencies to become obsessed and addicted to situations that will ultimately prove unsatisfying.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
22. Recognize that life is dreamlike and illusory, and that truth is beyond concepts, existence, or solid separate individuality. See what is; move away from a dualistic perception of reality.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
23. Don’t be fooled by appearances, style, or form. The loveliest objects can be insubstantial and fleeting as the rainbows of summer. Let go of your impulsive, knee-jerk attractions to things that don’t last.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
24. All of us face problems and suffering. Recognise the illusory nature of all things; regard even difficulties and tragedies as fleeting and dreamlike.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
25. If we truly want enlightenment, we must be prepared to give of ourselves and all that we own without any thought of personal merit or gain. Cultivate an abundant, generous heart.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
26. If we lack ethics, virtue and morality in our own lives, how can we help others? Practice self-discipline and moderation, vowing to be moral and ethical in everything you do.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
27. Our worthwhile intentions are continually challenged by the negative and destructive situations we encounter. In the most trying circumstances, let go of anger and resentment. Instead cultivate patience toward all.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
28. Many seek to reach enlightenment for themselves alone; even they walk the path as though their hair is on fire and only their effort will put out the flames of their spiritual emergency. Think, therefore, of how much more energy is required to strive for enlightenment for the benefit of all who suffer. This goal requires total commitment, courage, and diligent effort.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
29. In order to penetrate the nature of reality and achieve real insight and deeper understanding, we need training and grounding in mental stability and focused attention. Mere spiritual highs are not sufficient to liberate and awaken our mind, or to achieve the result of “the heart’s true release.”
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
30. The perfections of generosity, virtue, patience, effort, and meditative absorption alone will not bring us to enlightenment without the cultivation of wisdom.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
31. We need always to continue to look inward and make consistent efforts to examine our faults in order to root our and let go of our own confusion and delusion. This requires a sincere ongoing commitment to awakening from the sleep of illusion. Ideally we should embody the Dharma, not just pay lip service.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
32. Don’t speak ill of others and don’t criticize fellow seekers. The only faults we should mention are our own.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
33. Sometimes our most intense emotions and arguments occur with family and good friends – those with who we are most intimate. It can be difficult to study and reflect on Dharma or meditate when all of our energy is engaged in domestic disputes. Avoid the strong attachments and emotions that these situations encourage.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
34. Unkind words can cause great harm. When we are angry and speak harshly to others, we lose our spiritual footing. We create pain, causing someone else’s mind to become disturbed and upset. Give up abusing others with harsh language.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
35. It’s all too easy to fall into the unconscious ways of acting and thinking. Mindfulness helps us more closely observe ourselves and thus keep our tendencies to form negative habits in check.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
36. In summation: Whatever we do, whatever we think, wherever we go, whatever the circumstances, we need to look inward to examine our minds. The work of a Bodhisattva requires mindful, attentive awareness.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.
37. Dedicate our practice for the good of all. Share the benefits with everyone. Include all in your heart and prayers. Recognize the interconnectedness of all and make no distinction between beings; we are all equal in the spirit.
    The Sons and Daughters of the Buddhas all follow this practice.

Awakening the Buddhist Heart

Awakening The Buddhist Heart: Integrating Love, Meaning, and Connection into Every Part of Your Life by Lama Surya Das was such a quick read (much faster than Awakening the Buddha Within).

I liked this book and found it inspiring but felt it lacked the serious Buddhist teachings of Surya's first book.

In fact, whereas I felt there were so many parts of Awakening the Buddha Within that I wanted to save for future reference, I only felt that way about the Appendix of Awakening The Buddhist Heart -- The Bodhicitta Practices of an Awakened Heart (Thogme Zango's Thirty-seven Practices of a Bodhisattva).

Awakening the Buddha Within: Eight Steps to Enlightenment: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World by Lama Surya Das

I am about finished reading Awakening the Buddha Within: Eight Steps to Enlightenment: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World by Lama Surya Das.

I highly recommend this simple, well-written book that brings Tibetan Buddhism to the masses.

Will write more after I finish the book

Click here to view the table of contents and here to read an excerpt.

Mind and Life: Discussions with the Dalai Lama on the Nature of Reality

As I've mentioned before, I'm subscribed to the Mind & Life Institute mailing list, and through this list I just received an email about a new book:

We are pleased to announce the publication of a new book that captures the rich exchange between scientists and Buddhist contemplatives during a Mind and Life Institute Dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. When a group of noted scientists including Nobel physicist Steven Chu and biologist Eric Lander discussed the nature of matter, life and everything from particle physics to the evolution and nature of consciousness with the Dalai Lama at his home in Dharamsala, their dialogue was recorded for posterity.

The book that grew out of this meeting of minds is Mind and Life: Discussions with the Dalai Lama on the Nature of Reality by Pier Luigi Luisi and Zara Houshmand. Recently released by Columbia University Press, the book has already received an appreciative review by the journal Nature, which notes that Luisi, "does a fine job of capturing the ebb and flow of debate and the delicate dynamics of cross-cultural interaction ... The book is stimulating whatever your field of expertise, because it is likely to offer a way of looking at the world that you had not tried."

You can read the book review in Nature at: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v456/n7219/full/456170a.html

In case you don't already know, for over a decade, a small group of scientists and philosophers (and practitioners of many faiths, all members of the Mind and Life Institute) have met about once a year to explore the intersection between science and the spirit. This book came out of one of those conferences.

Don't think I will purchase this book, at least not yet, but I would like to learn more about it.

I understand that in addition to interviews with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, included in this book are also interviews with Matthieu Ricard and Richard Gere. I'm not too interested in the interviews with Gere but The Monk & the Philosopher: Father & Son Discuss the Meaning of Life by Jean-Francois Revel & Matthieu Ricard (which I read in 2004) is one of my favorite books. Of the Dalai Lama's books, I've read The Heart of the Buddha’s Path and just a few others and I would love to read more from him.

Nicholas Wolterstorff Lecture

Loyola College seems to be booking lots of first rate speakers lately!

Nicholas Wolterstorff, the Noah Porter Professor Emeritus of Philosophical Theology at Yale University, will present "Justice: Rights and Wrongs" at Loyola College on Wednesday, October 1 at 5 pm as part of Loyola's "Commitment to Justice" lecture series.

Wolterstorff will speak about his new book, Justice: Rights and Wrongs, in which he (per the Loyola College of Maryland press release) "develops a theory of rights and of justice and examines a remarkable span of ideas—from ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, through canon law of the twelfth century, the Enlightenment, and up to the present.  He offers a rich and compelling philosophical account of justice and helps overcome today’s divide between religious discourse and human rights."

Wolterstorff is a graduate of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MIchigan and earned a Ph.D. in philosophy from Harvard University in 1956. He has published more than 15 books, including:

• Art in Action: Toward a Christian Aesthetic
• Divine Discourse: Philosophical Reflections on the Claim that God Speaks
• Educating for Life: Reflections on Christian Teaching and Learning
• Educating for Shalom: Essays on Christian Higher Education
• Faith and Rationality: Reason & Belief in God
• John Locke and the Ethics of Belief
• Lament for a Son
• Religion in the Public Square: The Place of Religious Convictions in Political Debate
• Reason Within the Bounds of Religion
• Thomas Reid and the Story of Epistemology
• Until Justice and Peace Embrace: The Kuyper Lectures for 1981 Delivered at the Free University of Amsterdam

The event, which is free and open to the public, takes place in McGuire Hall on the second floor of the Andrew White Student Center on the College’s North Charles Street campus. The Andrew White Student Center is off of the east-west street just before the overpass just north of Coldspring Boulevard, east of Charles Street and West of Milbrook Road and next to the DeChiaro College Center.

Click here to view the table of contents of Justice: Rights and Wrongs or click here to download an excerpt in PDF format.

Being with Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Fearlessness in the Presence of Death by Joan Halifax

I'm subscribed to the Mind and Life Institute mailing list and just heard about a new book by board member Roshi Joan Halifax about death and dying: Being with Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Fearlessness in the Presence of Death by Joan Halifax.

Here's the summary of the book from last week's email:

In this long-awaited book of inspiring and practical teachings, Buddhist teacher Joan Halifax offers the fruits of her many years of work with dying people. Inspired by traditional Buddhist teachings, her work is a source of wisdom for all those who are charged with a dying person's care, facing their own death, or wishing to explore and contemplate the transformative power of the dying process. Halifax offers lessons from dying people and caregivers, as well as guided meditations to help readers contemplate death without fear, develop a commitment to helping others, and transform suffering and resistance into courage. She says, "Why wait until we are actually dying to explore what it may mean to die with awareness?"

A world-renowned pioneer in care of the dying, Joan Halifax founded the Project on Being with Dying, which helps dying people to face death with courage, and trains professional and family caregivers in compassionate and ethical end-of-life care.

It sounds like a terrific book -- Buddhism teaches that death is just a part of life so I've never been terrified or saddened by the idea of dying and I hope this book will teach non-Buddhist readers this valuable concept.

Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath by Michael Paul Mason

Earlier this week I finished reading Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath by Michael Paul Mason (click here to read all my entries about this book).

I was surprised by Mason's references to Tibetan Buddhism and Zen Buddhism.

In the chapter titled Wood of the Suicides, Mason shares the tragic story of expressing his belief that suicide is okay with his friend John who subsequently hung himself.To cope with the suicide of his friend John, Mason visits a Buddhist monastery in upstate New York.

And on page 125 through 127, Mason summarizes the three death bardos described in the Tibetan Book of the Dead and on page 213 introduces some of the Zen koans complied by the Chinese monk Mumon in The Gateless Gate.

Mason uses his discussion of Zen koans to illustrate the power of mindfulness training through guided meditations as a treatment for brain injury patients.

He even uses a haiku -- a kind of traditional Japanese poetry (俳句) -- in his Introduction (page 6):

In this world
We walk on the roof of hell
Gazing at the flowers. *

While I appreciate reading these Buddhist and Eastern ideas, I felt they were out of place in this book.

Also, while The Hospital in the Desert, the Chapter on Balad Hospital in Iraq, was interesting I felt that it too seemed out of place and perhaps could be the start of another book entirely.

I was also disappointed by the depressing and severe tone of this book and I much preferred the hopeful tone and the hard science of Norman Doidge's The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph From the Frontiers of Brain Science.

Both books use stories of real life brain injury cases and while Head Cases uses them to paint a bleak picture of traumatic brain injury (TBI) without teaching readers much science, The Brain That Changes Itself inspires readers with the astonishing findings of neuroplasticity research.

As I recall, Mason dedicates just one page to neuroplasticity (page 169) and manages to make it sound unscientific.

My recommendation? Stick to Oliver Sacks and Norman Doidge's The Brain That Changes Itself. If you read Head Cases, be prepared for depressing hopeless stories; to be expected, I suppose, from a man who must feel constant frustration at the poor treatment available to patients with traumatic brain injuries.

* In case you're curious about the original Japanese text by Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶), I looked it up:

世の中は
地獄の上の
花見かな

And here's the romanization (also not included in the book):

Yo no naka wa
Jigoku no ue no
Hanami kana

The Buddha from Brooklyn by Martha Sherrill

Last month I read The Buddha from Brooklyn by Martha Sherrill and out of curiosity this morning I read some of the reviews posted on Amazon.com.

Some reviews confirm the accuracy of Sherrill's portrayal of the Poolesville, MD Center (one poor woman even writes that she is about to purchase the book since her husband of 2.5 years has left her at Jetsunma's recommendation) while others are sympathetic to "Jetsunma."

I found this review by Teddy Baines (Oregon), who writes that he has been a Tibetan Buddhist for ten years, particularly interesting as it brought forth unfamiliar ideas:

1. Mandarava, the consort of Guru Rinpoche's, was slandered and derided to the point that she was imprisoned and sentenced to death. The two main criticisms levelled at Mandarava were that she was despoiling the Dharma and that she was a whore. Jetsunma is recognised by many high Lamas as an emanation of Mandarava. It is no surprise then that the same patterns are recurring. Indeed Holiness Penor Rinpoche predicted this at her enthronement.

2. Martha Sherril is aligned with neo-christian journalists who simply cannot accept the reality of incarnate lamas. To them any incarnate lama has to be a fake. Sherril was heavily pressured by two journalists in particular to turn the book, which was initially positive, into a negative expose. Also, Sherrill has limited exposure to Vajrayana and so has fallen victim to doubt. Doubt is one of two principle causes for human rebirth and so is a major factor in all of our make-up. Doubt will cause even the most perfect teacher to be seen as a villain. Need I remind you there is also a very nasty book about the Dalai Lama and a number of books about the high Kagyu Lamas involved in the 'Two Karmapas' affair. There are also slanderous books about Kalu Rinpoche and Trungpa. NO SLANDER OF ANY LAMA, OR ANY ORDINARY PERSON FOR THAT MATTER, IS EVER OK.

3. Very few of the truly great masters of the past would be accepted by us today. Jetsunma is mild mannered compared to Tilopa or any of the great Dakinis such as Niguma. Guru Rinpoche, the founder of Vajrayana, engaged in activity we would all frown one - promiscuity being the main one. The great saint Milarepa even killed someone. Also, what about the reverred saint Drukpa Kunley, who stole, advocated incest, engaged in drunkenness and promiscuity, including the sodomy of a demon?? Clearly Jetsunma's behaviour, if indeed the book is factual, which no-one here seems to question, is well within the boundaries of what in Vajrayana is considered enlightened behaviour.

4. The very, very high Lamas provoke moral outrage and controversy. All the Tibetan Lamas who have been asked about this, such as Holiness Ngawang Tenzin, the Dorje Lopon of Bhutan, who has no lineage connection to Jetsunma or the Palyul and who is the most reverred monk in Bhutan, has said that Jetsunma must be a very accomplished Lama indeed to provoke this stuff. He also said that she had guided her students perfectly.

5. It is a breach of one's Samyaya with one's own root Guru to disparage anyone else's root Guru. So to disparage Jetsunma means you make your own Lama's life shorter and damage your own wellbeing. Also it is quite simply a breach of our committment not to engage in gossip and harsh speech.

6. Martha Sherril works in a field not known for its truthfulness nor its committment to accuracy. Sherril breached a fundamental journalistic ethic by NOT giving Jetsunma right of redress and NOT interviewing current students about what past students were saying. This, if nothing else, is unethical and flawed journalism.

Click here to read all the reviews on Amazon.com and click here to read my other entries about this strange book.

The Buddha from Brooklyn by Martha Sherrill

This week, I've been reading Martha Sherrill's The Buddha from Brooklyn.

I borrowed the hardcover version which does not include the subtitle from the paperback version (cover shown here): A Tale of Spiritual Seduction.

Last night, I finished The Buddha from Brooklyn and the subtitle seems appropriate.

When I picked up the book I was hopeful that this would be an inspirational story of a Jewish-Italian girl from Brooklyn, NY who'd had a rough childhood in Miami, FL, had a tough young-adult life that led to two divorces but was somehow all along practicing Buddhism.

The Buddha from Brooklyn was an interesting book but not in the way I had hoped.

Forty-something year old "Jetsunma" left her third husband for her female personal trainer who became one of her students and later a nun, then became involved with one of her twenty-six year old students who became a monk (the sangha -- the community -- paid for their honeymoon to Hawaii), and then married one of her twenty-three year old students!

She gave herself the title "Jetsunma" though in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition titles are given to lamas and are usually downplayed and the sangha voted to give her a $100,000 annual salary (half of the temple budget).

Monks and nuns must pay rent at "Jetsunma's" temple center Kunzang Palyul Chöling (traditionally temples support the monks and nuns not the other way around)!

And that's not even half of the scandal!

I hate to use this word but it sounds like a cult and not a Tibetan Buddhist monastery.

The Buddha from Brooklyn by Martha Sherrill - Part I

I've been reading The Buddha from Brooklyn by Martha Sherrill.

If you haven't heard of it I'm not surprised.

It tells the story of Jetsunma Ahkön Norbu Lhamo (aka Alyce Louise Zeoli aka Alyce Cassara aka Catharine Burroughs), recognized by Holiness Penor Rinpoche (Throne holder of the Palyul Lineage and former Supreme Head of the Nyingma, the oldest school of Tibetan Buddhism) as the reincarnation of Ahkön Lhamo who cofounded the Palyul lineage with her brother Kunzang Sherab in the 17th century.

She is also recognized by Orgyen Kusum Lingpa as an emanation of White Tara and of Lhacham Mandarawa, the Indian spiritual consort of Padmasambhava, the tantric master who established the Buddha's teaching in Tibet.

She is the first Western woman to be recognized and enthroned by Tibetan lamas as a tulku (an enlightened teacher who reincarnates in whatever form can most benefit all beings) who enjoys manicures, has married four times, and has three children.

Kunzang Palyul Chöling (KPC), the Buddhist center that Jestsunma runs, is on 65 acres in in Poolesville, MD and includes walking trails, meditation gardens, a peace park with wonderful walking trails, meditation benches, gardens and 28 consecrated stupas.

I've only read Part I so far and don't know what to think so far. How can someone who has been divorced so many times be considered an enlightened being?

I'll write more as I get further into this The Buddha from Brooklyn.

Click here to read an excerpt from Random House.

Authentic Happiness and finding Meaning in Life

I finished reading Martin E. P. Seligman's Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment a few days ago and have written about positive psychology, the main concepts of this book, how authentic happiness and positive psychology can help you have a better marriage, and how to apply positive psychology to childrearing.

But I also want to share with you Seligman's discussion of finding meaning and purpose in life.

First, Seligman mentions receiving an advance copy of Robert Wright's Nonzero: The Logic Of Human Destiny.

Click here to view the table of contents and to read excerpts on the author's website and click here to read a review of Nonzero in the NYTimes Book Review.

Nonzero uses game theory to develop a philosophy of history answering the question, what is the purpose in evolution? Wright believes as Seligman writes, "We are, at this moment, living through the end of the storm before the calm. The Internet, globalization, and the absence of nuclear war are not happenstance. They are almost inevitable products of a species selected for more win-win scenarios. The species stands at an inflection point after which the human future will be much be much happier than the human past."

Nonzero a follow-up to Wright's The Moral Animal: Why We Are, the Way We Are: The New Science of Evolutionary Psychology (named one of the 12 best books of 1994 by NYTimes Book Review), which I bought recently at a local library book sale.

But back to Authentic Happiness. Seligman proposes that negative emotion evolved to help us in win-loss situations and that positive emotions have evolved to motivate and guide us through win-win situations. Of negative emotion, Seligman writes,

When we are in deadly competition, when it is eat or be eaten, fear or anxiety are our motivators and our guides. When we are struggling to avoid loss or to repel trespass, sadness and anger are our motivators and our guides. When we feel a negative emotion, it is a signal that we are in a win-loss game. Such emotions set up an action repertoire that fights, flees, or gives up. These emotions also activate a mindset that is analytical and narrows our focus so nothing but the problem at hand is present.

I don't know if I agree with the analytical part but the rest makes sense to me. Of positive emotion, Seligman writes,

When we are in a situation in which everyone might benefit - courting, hunting together, raising children, cooperating, planting seeds, teaching and learning - joy, good cheer, contentment, and happiness motivate us and guide our actions. Positive emotions are part of a sensory system that alerts to us the presence of a potential win-win. They also set up an action repertoire and a mindset that broadens and builds abiding intellectual and social resources. Positive emotions, in short, build the cathedrals of our lives.

Seligman concludes Authentic Happiness with his belief that evolution may be bringing us to God who is not supernatural or the creator of the universe, but one who acquires omnipotence, omniscience, and goodness through the natural progression of win-win. It is our responsibility to further this progress.

You are vouchsafes the choice of what course to take in life. You can choose a life that forwards these aims, to a greater or lesser degree. Or you can, quite easily, choose a life that has nothing to do with these aims. You can even choose a life that actively impedes them. You can choose a life built around increasing knowledge: learning, teaching, educating children, science, literature, journalism, and so many more opportunities. You can choose a life built around increasing power through technology, engineering, construction, health services, or manufacturing. Or you can choose a life built around increasing goodness through the law, policing, firefighting, religion, ethics, politics, national service, or charity.

But ultimately finding meaning in life means to find happiness by using your signature strengths everyday in the main realms of living and to forward knowledge, power, or goodness.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a better life. Can't wait to learn more about positive psychology!

Seligman's Authentic Happiness: Parts I & II

I've read Parts I (Positive Emotion) & II (Strengths & Virtue) of Martin E. P. Seligman's Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment and I love it!

As I mentioned earlier, the basic concepts are not new to me but it's how Seligman uses science and research that makes this book worth reading!

Here are some of the book's main ideas:

Based on analysis of some two hundred virtue catalogs -- including Aristotle and Plato, Thomas Aquinas and Augustine, the Old Testament, Confucius, Buddha, Lao-Tzu, Bushido (the samurai code), the Koran, Benjamin Franklin, and the Upanishads -- the world's cultures share twenty-four strengths that can be categorized into six core virtues:

Wisdom and knowledge

• Curiosity/Interest in the world
• Love of learning
• Judgment/Critical Thinking/Open-Mindedness
• Ingenuity/Originality/Practical Intelligence/Street Smarts
• Social intelligence/Personal Intelligence/Emotional Intelligence
• Perspective

Courage

• Valor and Bravery
• Perseverance/Industry/Diligence
• Integrity/Genuineness/Honesty

Love and humanity

• Kindness and Generosity
• Loving and allowing oneself to be loved

Justice

• Citizenship/Duty/Teamwork/Loyalty
• Fairness and Equity
• Leadership

Temperance

• Self-control
• Prudence/Discretion/Caution
• Humility and Modesty

Spirituality and transcendence:

• Appreciation of beauty and excellence
• Gratitude
• Hope/Optimism/Future-Mindedness
• Spirituality/Sense of Purpose/Faith/Religiousness
• Forgiveness and Mercy
• Playfulness and Humor
• Zest/Passion/Enthusiasm

Seligman believes that we each possess several signature strengths and that using your signature strengths every day in your life will bring abundant gratification (distinct from pleasures) and authentic happiness.

Seligman defines pleasures as "delights that have clear sensory and strong emotional components, what philosophers call 'raw feels': ecstasy, thrills, orgasm, delight, mirth, exuberance, and comfort" and gratifications as "activities we very much like doing...[that] engage us fully, we become immersed and absorbed in them, and we lose self-consciousness...[and] they last longer...they involve quite a lot of thinking and interpretation, they do not habituate easily and they are undergirded by our strengths and virtues."

The pleasures can be categorized as follows:

• high-intensity: rapture, bliss, ecstasy, thrill, hilarity, euphoria, kick, buzz, elation, and excitement
• moderate-intensity: ebullience, sparkle, vigor, glee, mirth, gladness, good cheer, enthusiasm, attraction, and fun
• low-intensity: comfort, harmony, amusement, satiation, and relaxation

Based on his research, Seligman teaches readers to enhance pleasure by:

• preventing habituation - space out pleasurable activities so that they happen just frequently enough to keep making you happy, and even better "arrange it so that the people you live with or otherwise see frequently surprise each other with 'presents' of pleasure." An unexpected cup of coffee, her favorite artist's new album when she arrives home, a simple note of gratitude and appreciation.
• savoring pleasures - "basking (receiving praise and congratulations), thanksgiving (expressing gratitude for blessings), marveling (losing the self in the wonder of the moment), and luxuriating (indulging the senses."
• mindful attention to the present - meditation helps with this one

Authentic happiness, Seligman's research indicates, has social, intellectual and physical benefits such as increased creativity, improved memory, boosted, productivity, better health and longevity.

Sounds good to me :)

My favorite part of Authentic Happiness so far is this Buddhist story about mindfulness:

After three years of study, the novice monk arrives at the dwelling of his teacher. He enters the room, bursting with ideas about knotty issues of Buddhist metaphysics and well-prepared for the deep questions that await him in his examination.

“I have but one question”, his teacher intones."I am ready, master," he replies.

“In the doorway, you have just passed through, were the flowers to the left or to the right of the umbrella?”

The novice retires, abashed for three more years of study.

I'm very excited to learn more about positive psychology!