My Power To Change

In this debut collection of essays and meditations, the author presents ideas for holistic living and a possible path to growth and awareness.

Unlike many other self-improvement books, this one incorporates ideas from a multitude of disciplines, including science, positive psychology, and Buddhist spirituality. In it, the author posits that “energy” and “vibrations” rule the mind, and that the mind, in turn, creates the reality of one’s world. Richard, a former entertainment lawyer who abandoned his 20-year practice to engage in a life of Buddhist study, combines Eastern teachings with a practical knowledge of Western, commerce-driven life to produce an insightful book about waking oneself up to new ideas. He begins with a metaphor of water, explaining scientifically how the fluid can contain vibrations of negative or positive energy. He then moves into a study of the human mind and how perspective and perception drive human experience. Perhaps the book’s most valuable offerings are its initial 25 meditations on happiness and its 25 meditations on wisdom near the end. They include cogent mantras to which readers will likely often return for inspiration and support. In one key meditation, for example, the author writes, “Space is limitless. / There are no boundaries to time and space. / Together they make the playground for the mind. / The mind gives rise to all phenomena. / With our thoughts we make our world.” These short lines read like aphorisms and crystalize important messages regarding love, happiness, and faith. On the subject of happiness, for instance, the author draws from a contemporary body of positive psychology, pointing to intelligent studies about joy as a journey rather than an end. The book also unpacks the mystifying allure and complex subversion of happiness in a society that promotes consumption instead of spiritual and intellectual growth. Readers of self-improvement works will be pleased to find the well-stated ideas about mindfulness, awareness, and perspective in this short work.

A fluid, insightful read on the topics of self-improvement, spirituality, and fulfillment.