Centered serenity from one of the greats.
Zen life and the art of mindfulness.
A well-respected teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, Rinpoche is recognized by many as a spiritual leader imparting a progressive combination of old Tibetan wisdom and 21st-century practicality. Richard Gere considers himself a student of the author, writing in the introduction that Rinpoche encourages followers to “discover, then rest in, the open truth of our natural essence, our original beingness.” This quote illustrates both the book’s pros and cons: Rinpoche’s insights will be a boon for veteran Buddhists, while uninitiated readers may be lost among the navel-gazing. To his credit, the author’s approach is both practical and philosophical as he dispenses transcendent guidance to those in what he terms as modern-day “bondage” to informational overload, job stress and complex agendas. Chapters on the author’s Nepalese upbringing and lineage set the appropriate foundation for the good work that’s been his calling since the age of eight. Rinpoche details a rich history of worldwide travel spent apprenticing with an array of Tibetan gurus and a rewarding lifetime enjoying the presence of followers eager to absorb the tenets of his self-nurturing belief systems. Proverbs, Tibetan interpretations, sage wisdom and anecdotes further exemplify the author’s themes of blissfulness and the unconditional inherence of “essence love.” Though best appreciated by the spiritually sophisticated, Rinpoche’s infectious spiritual energy, enthusiasm and insight will still prove relevant for anyone with an open mind and a willingness to project peace and goodness inward and outward.
Centered serenity from one of the greats.Pub Date: April 3, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-307-88820-4
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Crown Archetype
Review Posted Online: Feb. 5, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
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