THE ART OF HAPPINESS - HHDL & H. C. CUTLER

RATING: B+ 

This is not the first time that I have read this particular book; in fact, it is my third or fourth read through. The first time I ever heard of it was wayyyyyy back in the mid 00's before I had read anything Buddhist-related at all. A friend of mine mentioned the book in a blog or email - or somewhere - and it stirred up my curiosity. I could not locate the book at the local library, but picked up another 'art of' book from HHDL. This actual book was within the first 10 Buddhist-related books that I ever read, however.

Much more recently, I moved overseas from my previous well-stocked library to a village without any Buddhist literature at all. I began to buy in a few books. This book was one of these, as I knew it was worth a re-read several times.

One thing that stood out in my current read-thru was the question of 'what is the purpose of life' being twisted into the question 'what makes life meaningful'. I have never ever asked the first, but have asked the second on multiple times over the past 44-5 years. It has only been over the past 2-3 years that I have actually found the answer from personal experience.

Another outstanding point is the final meditation - starting on page 262 - this meditation is something that came too easy to bother with previously - but, due to a change of lifestyle, continent, family situation, etc, I have lost touch with the ability to just live that way all the time - so this meditation reminds me to take at least some time out of the day to try to shut the c-word up in that head of mine.

The Kundalini Yoga Cookbook by Ek Ong Kar Singh and Jacqueline Koay

RATING: B-

It may be odd to add a cookbook to a reading list - but I have genuinely read the book right through - not skipping any recipes- even those with beetroot in - though I would NEVER try those!

I have taken this book out from the library several times in the single year that I have lived locally - it is their best book! I have not only learned 3-4 new, exciting and healthy recipes, but a bunch of others that I was able to 'adapt'.

I find it jolly useful for encouraging my mind to invent new ideas in the kitchen and also a relief to find a single book that covers such a wide range of foods that I can eat. Most cookbooks, vegetarian or not, tell me to use a blender or a microwave - THIS beauty tells me to use my hands! I love it! I want a copy for Christmas.....anybody?

Stephen Fry in America by Stephen Fry

RATING D

I found the title exciting, the fact he was going to cover all of the states exciting, and the fact he was supposedly going to meet 'real life' style Americans rather than celebs exciting - but the book itself was dull.

I quite often had to skip a paragraph or two that covered fishing or hunting style items and found the book lacking in both scope of coverage and interest. I probably learned one or two minor facts from reading it, but not a lot - and I did not appreciate the guy's attitude much. I found him rather 'cough behind the hand' for my liking and do not think he brought out the real American lifestyle at all - not if my real life American friends are anything to go by.

Awakening the mind - HHDL & Nagarjuna

RATING:A
This is the prayer booklet I got when attending HHDL’s teachings last December - I recently re-read it.  Each time I read the text, I find new matters to explore. It is also a useful source for prayers, as well as giving Nagarjuna’s text itself. I would recommend reading the free material given when attending HHDL’s teachings, as they not only remind you of a special event but the text you need to focus on and review.

Hidden Spring - Sandy Boucher

RATING: C-
A very different approach to cancer than I would take if it came into my body! Firstly, there is nothing and noone on this planet that could persuade me to agree to chemotherapy & I would only accept natural cures. Secondly, I would make greater use of the time-out from life and not worry at all in regard to trying to hold a career. Finally, with my personal view, I would be more concentrative on preparing for my next life than retaining this one. However, as this is the ‘normal’ way of dealing with cancer, and my way is not, I would recommend it as reading material to someone suffering.

Whatta lotta Sandys! (No Sandes or Sand-dees though!)

OPENING THE SPIRITUAL HEART ~ MICHAEL KEWLEY

RATING: C+

This book would have been much more helpful at the start of my Buddhism practice - 4 years ago. Currently, I have found short cuts and easy routes for a number of the ‘you must do it this way’ structured formats, so would not follow it correctly.

I object to being told that ‘everyone’ and ‘all minds’ work/think in a certain way - mine doesn’t work/think the way they ‘all‘ do…! However, for a starter or a ‘regular’ western-minded person, this would be a very good 5-week course to follow.

The Wise Heart - Jack Kornfield

RATING: B+
One of two Western Buddhist writers I remain unsure of - I read one book that meant very little to me, but here comes a second that I can understand very well. With me, I prefer Buddhist books that can expand my understanding somewhat, whilst clarifying matters I have already half-learned - and this book does just that!

I especially noted page 37-8, these writings are something I can relate to. In fact, as a whole, Buddhist psychology is far more comprehensible than western world psychology - it actually makes sense! (Maybe I was born with Buddhist brains!)

I found the words of page 68 especially wise, and starting at page 103 reads good. Page 119 was also helpful to me. As I progressed -slowly - through the book, I found a lot of helpful matter - either to consider or reconsider. I found a new practice to follow described in the elemental analysis, and I found pages 301-2 to contain a useful practice. Another useful item is the jnana listing on page 320.

Some beautiful words on the last few pages stand out for me to focus on over the next few days -
“May I/you learn to see  the arising and passing of all things  with equanimity and balance
May I/you be open and balanced and peaceful

TIBETAN MEDITATION by TARTHANG TULKU

RATING B-
Free to pop into the town library, this is one of the half dozen books that I carried home with me.  If I had no time limit, I would have benefitted more from reading it - however I have only three weeks in which to read 6 books - so 'rushed' through. I could get them out on repeat loan, but I have just had 2 new books arrive and bought two from the library book sale in person and another two from the online book sale....

This book is a great coverage of Tibetan meditation. Although I have followed several Buddhist styles, Tibetan Buddhism is my main focus and if I had read this book 1-2 years ago, I would have benefitted even more than reading it now - at a time when some of this is already practiced in person and ingrained. It is a very good book if you are starting out with an interest in meditation, especially if you lean towards Buddhism or Tibetan matters. I would definitely reccomend it.

THE DEEPER WOUND ~ DEEPAK CHOPRA

RATING C-

I wasn't sure what this book was about til I read it - but I thought it might be helpful to me with ideas on how to fix my father's downer, considering it is supposed to deal with fear and suffering...

There was not much of use to my purpose, but I could relate to days 16, 31, 53, and 67 for myself. (I did not find much use in the latter days suggestions, as these went against my Buddhist principles.)

SIXTY SONGS OF MILAREPA - introduced by Bhikku Khantipalo

RATING: A-
Number 15 - "to find one serious Buddhist in a hundred is difficult" I have found this to be true also - People say I have understood so much so soon, and some of my friends call me 'nun in a house' as a teasing on my preoccupation with Buddhist study and practice - and when I talk to others who practice, I find many who JUST meditate or chant and do not actually grow and learn from their study and practice. In one way I am glad i do not attend a temple or Buddhist Center - as I would find it hard to introduce myself, as I cannot explain my status.

Number 35 -  ‘diligence is my royal precious horse, which bears the kleshas to non-ego land.’ I find this very beautiful wording. It is something written at my level in an interesting way.

I also find number 50 helpful - ‘keeping watch’ on trouble-starting moments and recalling NOT to act wrongly is something I need to do more often and recalling their illusory nature may be one clue as to how to make it easier to do so.

Numbers 54 and 59 are two my favorites.

I like reading different takes on the same topics - as this helps my own practice, so reading Milarepa‘s words helps me fine-tune my life.

RAPID PROGRESS VISUALLY YOGA BY MARAN GRAPHICS

RATING: D+
A lot of 'basic' Yoga stuff - but nothing new for me. I had read all of this stuff before and was not very impressed with anything other than the Asanas covered. Several of these were new to me and gave me blogging material for www.yogatap.com.

If you are new to Yoga, this is a book I would highly reccommend - it covers all the basics for the western world student. It is a great reference for Asanas and introduction to the other aspects of Yoga practice - however, I prefer something more complex and challenging - texts, details on a specific style, or instruction from a specific teacher, for eg.

GOING BUDDHIST by PETER J CONRADI

RATING: D+

Despite being a messy mess of a book - not exactly about Buddhism nor an autobiography but a combination of the two - yet neither really - there were several key points discussed that gave me material to consider and differing views on facts I already knew. 

There is no real storyline, nor do the chapters progress very sensibly, but it was a book I had not yet read slightly connected to Buddhism. I was not really left impressed, but prefer to have read it than not. I would reccommend it to someone loosely interested in Buddhism and people who follow Buddhism - but not for those wanting to progress their own studies and delve into the texts and serious hard work of a personal practice.

WIDENING THE CIRCLE OF LOVE - DALAI LAMA

RATING: B

I have read multiple books written by HHDL, some of which have been extremely helpful to my progression and understanding of Buddhism, whilst others explain teachings and facts in a different way and so concrete what is a bit mushy.

This book reads either as a course of practice to follow or as a collection of helpful ideas. Having read the book on loan from the lbirary, I am using it for the latter - if I ever got myself a copy, I would use it as an actual study course to practice from.

Some of the information in the book was helpful to me at this precise time, as it gave me ideas of ways to approach problems that are arising for my father - but I have yet to encourage him to read the book himself, or to let me read some of it to him - which I know would benefit him in his current concerns. I have just taken some ideas and explained them in the same way as HHDL. I hope to reread this book sometime in the futurte, when I have more time, and practice in full - raher than in pieces, as I currently seem to be started on several of the steps rather than fully competent at any.

Buddha - Deepak Chopra

RATING: B-

The first book that I have completed since starting my blog was one I was unsure about reading to begin with. Due to popping into a different library whilst visiting my hospitalized father recently, I collected an armful of books to read as I now had plenty of time free in which to read and a lot of new stock from which to select.

Leaving this one til the last, I proceded to read through the rest of my stock and then picked it up.My hesitation was due to the fact that it was not a non-fiction book and was a novel version of the story. Despite my reluctance, I did enjoy reading the book and although I would question some of the content on its truth, many points were brought to the surface that I had not formerly considered.

I have read multiple accounts of the life story of the Buddha, of which this is just one of two that come under the fiction genre. Although I generally prefer pure fact, I found the ideas lying behind the text explained a different viewpoint of the Buddha's life that I found both interesting and helpful.  

Introduction

I have been trying to find a webspace where I can share the books that I read with friends and the general public - but continually come up against small problems. At my website forum, I am limited to a certain amount of titles I can discuss for example, whilst at 'We Read' they cannot find half the books that I read on their 'Amazon only' list. I therefore decided to create a new blog...

I have read since youth, passing through various interests to my current habits. These days, I generally read 75% Buddhism, 20% Yoga, and 5% other non-fiction. I may dabble in a few of the less-chunky classics, read through books I myself have written, pick up the odd library book on travel and read the occasional oddity from my teenage bookshelves, though.

I am hoping to write the title, author, my opinion or rating and a brief description of what I liked or disliked about each book, which books I found to be helpful or boring, etc. I am also hoping to hold general discussions with friends and members of the public who have read a book if anyone wishes via comments.