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Born-Again Buddhist: My Path to Living Mindfully and Compassionately with Mood Disorders
In his previous memoirs (“Chinese Playground” and “Born to Lose”), Bill Lee detailed his violent upbringing in the Chinatown underworld and his forty-year gambling addiction and recovery. He disclosed that he suffers from mood disorders, including PTSD and manic depression.
In this book, Lee describes, how after decades of treatment involving different modalities of psychotherapy and being prescribed powerful psychotropic medications, he discovered a more-effective protocol for treating his mood disorder symptoms. This occurred after he adopted a spiritual practice, which he refers to as his magga, a Pali word meaning a path to the cessation of suffering. By integrating mindfulness meditation and other Buddhist practices with psychotherapy, Lee noticed that his mood became more stable, he gained firmer control of his thoughts and emotions, and he experienced less anxiety. He also developed a powerful coping mechanism. According to Lee, the frequencies of his nightmares, flashbacks, and ruminations lessened considerably—some had ceased altogether. He also “released” his road rage.
Inspired by the teachings of Pema Chödrön and Thich Nhat Hanh, Lee shares with readers how Buddhist concepts, such as interconnectivity—along with his meditation practice consisting of mindfulness as well as Tonglen—empowered his inner child to cultivate compassion for others as well as for himself. This awakening extended beyond empathy and forgiveness; it inspired Lee to alter his perception of those who had harmed him—from mortal enemies to being part of his spiritual community.
Written with honesty, humility, and courage, Born Again Buddhist is a celebration of one man’s spiritual path and how it has transformed his life.
In this book, Lee describes, how after decades of treatment involving different modalities of psychotherapy and being prescribed powerful psychotropic medications, he discovered a more-effective protocol for treating his mood disorder symptoms. This occurred after he adopted a spiritual practice, which he refers to as his magga, a Pali word meaning a path to the cessation of suffering. By integrating mindfulness meditation and other Buddhist practices with psychotherapy, Lee noticed that his mood became more stable, he gained firmer control of his thoughts and emotions, and he experienced less anxiety. He also developed a powerful coping mechanism. According to Lee, the frequencies of his nightmares, flashbacks, and ruminations lessened considerably—some had ceased altogether. He also “released” his road rage.
Inspired by the teachings of Pema Chödrön and Thich Nhat Hanh, Lee shares with readers how Buddhist concepts, such as interconnectivity—along with his meditation practice consisting of mindfulness as well as Tonglen—empowered his inner child to cultivate compassion for others as well as for himself. This awakening extended beyond empathy and forgiveness; it inspired Lee to alter his perception of those who had harmed him—from mortal enemies to being part of his spiritual community.
Written with honesty, humility, and courage, Born Again Buddhist is a celebration of one man’s spiritual path and how it has transformed his life.
107 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 29, 2014
2 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Bill Lee
4 books11 followersBill Lee is a second-generation Chinese American who grew up in the underworld of San Francisco Chinatown. He witnessed his first shooting at age eight, and became involved in numerous street gangs, including the gang responsible for the Golden Dragon Massacre. Bill graduated with honors in Psychology from San Francisco State University and spent most of his career as a consultant retained by top executives in Silicon Valley. He was employed at ESL, a TRW subsidiary, when a gunman massacred seven of his coworkers. Bill was a key member of the crisis response team, who worked with police and counselors to assist trapped employees, victims, and their respective families. His personal account of the Chinatown gang wars as well as the Golden Dragon and ESL massacres are detailed in "Chinese Playground," which is available in digital format, including Kindle.
Lee's latest book, "Born-Again Buddhist: My Path to Living Mindfully and Compassionately with Mood Disorders" (April 2014) has just been released on Amazon.com. In it, he shares with readers how, as a practicing Buddhist, he integrated mindfulness meditation and other Buddhist practices with psychotherapy to effectively treat his mood disorders, including manic depression, post-traumatic stress, rage, and addiction.
Lee is also the author of "Born to Lose: Memoirs of a Compulsive Gambler," which describes his 40-year gambling addiction and recovery. The book's publisher is Hazelden and it is available in both paperback and digital format.
Additional Information:
• Have written for the San Francisco Chronicle, AsianWeek, and professional journals. Have been featured on the History Channel, A&E Television, FOX network, Spike TV, PBS, Radio Television Hong Kong, and national public radio.
• 30+ years of experience in corporate employment, executive/technical search consulting, corporate intelligence; assisting with re-organizations as well as mergers/acquisitions. Have successfully supported top executives, including Steve Jobs and Eric Schmidt.
• Operated Career Insights, assisting clients in composing effective résumés and developing successful job search strategies
• Have counseled serious offenders at the San Francisco Juvenile Justice Center (formerly the Youth Guidance Center)
Lee's latest book, "Born-Again Buddhist: My Path to Living Mindfully and Compassionately with Mood Disorders" (April 2014) has just been released on Amazon.com. In it, he shares with readers how, as a practicing Buddhist, he integrated mindfulness meditation and other Buddhist practices with psychotherapy to effectively treat his mood disorders, including manic depression, post-traumatic stress, rage, and addiction.
Lee is also the author of "Born to Lose: Memoirs of a Compulsive Gambler," which describes his 40-year gambling addiction and recovery. The book's publisher is Hazelden and it is available in both paperback and digital format.
Additional Information:
• Have written for the San Francisco Chronicle, AsianWeek, and professional journals. Have been featured on the History Channel, A&E Television, FOX network, Spike TV, PBS, Radio Television Hong Kong, and national public radio.
• 30+ years of experience in corporate employment, executive/technical search consulting, corporate intelligence; assisting with re-organizations as well as mergers/acquisitions. Have successfully supported top executives, including Steve Jobs and Eric Schmidt.
• Operated Career Insights, assisting clients in composing effective résumés and developing successful job search strategies
• Have counseled serious offenders at the San Francisco Juvenile Justice Center (formerly the Youth Guidance Center)
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May 4, 2014
I normally do not read self-help, motivational books. I leave that to my husband. However, having received this book, I figured what do I have to lose. I was extremely happy to discover that Born-Again Buddhist was a very interesting read. Author Bill Lee did surprise me with his background—the sad childhood he had and his gang life. But I guess that was part of what made this book intriguing. Those who are in the mental health field will enjoy reading this refreshing story. Then again, I feel that whoever picks this book up will not regret it.
Displaying 1 of 1 review