WOW- everyone should read this. It is a discussion on the ten principles of Buddhist philosophy & psychology. "Buddhism isn't a "religion" it's a way of thinking". Cultivate your consciousness! The quotes and simplicity are life-changing, and the book will TEACH you how to process information and emotions in a healthy, constructive way. Probably in the Top 3 best books EVER.

Most of the Buddhist and meditation books I've read are either appallingly written, dull as ditchwater though good for insomnia, and with too much Sanskrit mumbo jumbo, or they keep you stuck at the beginner level. Jack Kornfield holds a western PhD in psychology, is a practising psychotherapist, has lived as a monk for years in Asian monasteries, and works with several editors and multiple drafts to create a book that is highly readable, to the point, in plain English, and uplifting. Like the (...

I really enjoyed the principles, descriptions, practices and east to west comparatives. That being said.....I had a lot of trouble working my way through this book. There were a lot of stories introduced awkwardly throughout the book. Some were choppy transitions into them and others were very off topic. I'm sure a lot of them were inserted to give everyday perspective to the teachings but they ended up giving a very mechanical feel to the book and had me forcing a good chunk of the reading.The

A wonderful book with such depth weaving together western psychology and Buddhist psychology with lots of practical application and exercises to help the reader join the journey, practice the understanding as you read. Only got a bit tired of some of the examples which often happens for me in a book like this where the author wants to put examples in to flesh out the concepts and understanding. But the down side forme is they seem too good to be true as you read a life transformation in a paragr...

A wonderful book. I'm not much of a Buddhist, but that doesn't matter. These are teachings of wisdom and love. Kornfield is an authentic voice of true compassion. You sense that from the start. He holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and this book is an excellent study on the nature of heart and mind. One of the cool things is the range of references from Michael Ventura and Dipama Barua among others. I used a highlighter and read the book slowly. When you find the right teacher learning is a j

This was probably not the best book for me to choose as I switch from being curious about Buddhism to actively investigating it as a path I might want to follow, as it goes deep into the how Buddhism heals the troubled mind and skims the fundamentals. I still got a lot from it, possibly because I have a small background in Jungian psychology (I had no idea they shared so much) and also because Kornfield has so much experience in the are of Insightful Meditation that he's pretty much got an easy

Nothing new for people who have read a lot of Eastern religion or Western psychology. I also went to a workshop in Seattle by the author and I was not impressed with his constant references to his meetings with the Dalai Lama and the Pope. This might be interesting to someone who has not read or studied much Eastern religion.

Kornfield does a great job of demystifying Buddhism. In a wonderfully down-to-earth style, he gives real world specifics on living fully.I am neither Buddhist nor religious at all, nor plan to be - but love his easygoing style & how he links it up practically to real life happy harmonious living.

One of the most comprehensive and well-founded guides to a freer, better awareness Please note that I put the original German text at the end of this review. Just if you might be interested.Kornfield is a bridge builder, creator of Buddhist practice principles applicable to the Western way of life and, as icing on the cake, a good writer as well. In this, arguably one of the best, most non-dogmatic and sincerely honest work, the reader transforms. As the pages move farther, it grows into a more

What a remarkable book! I receieved it as a surprise Christmas present from a very dear friend, & it's been so enlightening for me. It's not a book to rush through - I found reading roughly one chapter per week was perfect, reflecting on each one's contents as I went along.Jack Kornfield recovered from a violence-filled childhood to go on his own personal journey, eventually becoming a Buddhist master after many years of learning & teaching, & here he imparts his own wisdom to us - providing rea...

This book made me cry. After almost 400 pages, I'm left with so many heartfelt stories of pain and transformation through the power of mindfulness. Probably his best book for how to sit through pain and confusion and how to shift your mind and heart positively towards a more open and loving way of being. Couldn't put it down.

Although a bit longer than it needs to be, this well-written book cross-references Buddhist philosophy with traditional Western pyschoanlaysis. Other books do this too, but Kornfield is a better than average writer. He uses many examples from his own patients' stories to illustrate the principles. It's a lot of things most self-aware people know already, but it never hurts to re-visit them again.

This is a good book about Buddhist psychology and mindfulness. Mindfulness means being aware, being grateful, being courageous, being free, and changing. Mindfulness leads to compassion and love. There are some good thoughts in this book. Here are some of my favorites:"See the inner nobility and beauty of all human beings (p. 12).""Whether practiced in a forest monastery or in the West, Buddhist psychology beings by deliberately cultivating respect, starting with ourselves (p. 18).""Aim to see a...

This book is amazing for anyone that wants to get into mindfulness. It took me a while reading it, because it is a book that changes you as you read it. I feel I became a wiser person during the process of reading it. Around the firsts chapters I even went to visit Spirit Rock for a meditation course. I'm grateful that I found this book at the Wisdom 2.0 Conference in San Francisco.

To say that this book is inspiring would be an understaement. it is not only that but it serves as a clear practical guide to introducing the basic tenets of Buddhist practice and psychology into daily life. After 4 years of intense study and practice this book has provided the key that will allow me to integrate so much of what I have learned into my daily life. It is timely and it will form the structure of my practice for the next few months. I am very grateful to this great teacher for his e...

My wife suggested I read this, or listen to it, because she found the audiobook on YouTube. She said it was practical, that Jack Kornfield spoon-fed the complexity of Zen for the Western mind, through a psychological lens. I found all this true. That is, as much as I could retain. Reading trumps listening when it comes to holding onto something. But then Buddhist say you have to let go of attachments. I’m not ready to do that just yet. The first thing I did after finishing this was click back to...

Did you ever find yourself drawn to a culture or spiritual belief that was outside your cultural and social experience, so drawn, in fact, that it was more like you had experienced it all before. Theravada Buddhism has been like that for me, but lack of understanding and my western, scientific orientation has made it impossible to fully embrace. This book written by Jack Kornfield who embraced in the late 60's the spiritual wisdom of Asia while the rest of us where embracing the uniquely western...

Every once and a while you come across a book that you know has changed you and you will reference back to for the rest of your life. For me, that was this book. During the last 3 months of reading this book, I feel like I've re-learned how to approach my mind and body. I am constantly joking with my wife that, "Buddhism is hard!", but it's true. I don't consider myself a Buddhist, but the principles of Buddhism speak to much of what I believe about myself and the world. This book is an excellen...

This book is great food for thought, and is a reminder that compassion (especially toward oneself) is the most honest and productive way to find a path through the enormous piles of manure that life (and other people) heap on us. It is proving to be a quite effective salve for my wounds.I don't believe in organized religion or a lot of cosmic mumbo-jumbo, and I have a very loosely organized code of morality. It takes in pieces of the Hippocratic oath; "I will remember that I remain a member of s...

I have read up through Chapter 11, The Ancient Unconscious, thus far. it’s going back to the library in a couple of days, then I’ll continue on when my turn in the hold queue comes up again. I’m reading only a chapter each day that I read, so I have time to “ inwardly digest” it.Update June 2020This library book has been languishing on my Kindle for weeks. I'm only up to Chapter 13 now, and I simply cannot interest myself to read any more currently. Perhaps I will come back to this at a future d...