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Walk Like a Buddha
From the author of the bestselling Buddha Walks into a Bar…, tips for living with integrity, compassion, and happiness—from his popular Huffington Post advice column.
How can I be the person I want to be when I'm stuck in a job I hate? How is it possible to stay present in an era of nearly constant distractions? Can I pick someone up at a bar or club and still call myself spiritual?
This nitty-gritty guide to life for the spiritual-but-not-necessarily-religious uses Buddhist teachings to answer those burning questions and a host of others related to going out, relationships, work, and social action. Based on Lodro Rinzler's popular advice columns, Walk Like a Buddha offers wisdom that can be applied to just the sort of dilemmas that tend to arise for anyone making even a modest attempt to walk like a Buddha—that is, to live with honesty, wisdom, and compassion in the face of whatever life surprises you with.
How can I be the person I want to be when I'm stuck in a job I hate? How is it possible to stay present in an era of nearly constant distractions? Can I pick someone up at a bar or club and still call myself spiritual?
This nitty-gritty guide to life for the spiritual-but-not-necessarily-religious uses Buddhist teachings to answer those burning questions and a host of others related to going out, relationships, work, and social action. Based on Lodro Rinzler's popular advice columns, Walk Like a Buddha offers wisdom that can be applied to just the sort of dilemmas that tend to arise for anyone making even a modest attempt to walk like a Buddha—that is, to live with honesty, wisdom, and compassion in the face of whatever life surprises you with.
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First published October 15, 2013
118 people are currently reading
1936 people want to read
About the author
Lodro Rinzler
27 books198 followersLodro is a practitioner and teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist lineage. He began meditating as a child and sat retreats as a teenager, even going as far as attending a silent month-long retreat during which he shaved his head and took monastic robes and vows.
When he left for college he received two heirlooms from his parents. From his father, a mala which he had used to recite mantras. From his mother, her father’s flask. He utilized both greatly in the four years ahead. During that time Lodro became a Vajrayana student of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. He also established Buddhist House, an eighteen person dorm at Wesleyan University which hosts a large meditation room. He began teaching meditation at that time.
After leaving college he was recruited to the position of the Executive Director of the Boston Shambhala Center. He began leading numerous workshops at meditation centers and college campuses throughout the United States. Lodro served as the Head of Development for Shambhala internationally before founding the Institute for Compassionate Leadership.
His column, What Would Sid Do, appears regularly on the Huffington Post and the Interdependence Project and his writing has appeared in Shape Magazine, Real Simple Magazine, the Shambhala Sun, Buddhadharma, and the Good Men Project.
When he left for college he received two heirlooms from his parents. From his father, a mala which he had used to recite mantras. From his mother, her father’s flask. He utilized both greatly in the four years ahead. During that time Lodro became a Vajrayana student of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. He also established Buddhist House, an eighteen person dorm at Wesleyan University which hosts a large meditation room. He began teaching meditation at that time.
After leaving college he was recruited to the position of the Executive Director of the Boston Shambhala Center. He began leading numerous workshops at meditation centers and college campuses throughout the United States. Lodro served as the Head of Development for Shambhala internationally before founding the Institute for Compassionate Leadership.
His column, What Would Sid Do, appears regularly on the Huffington Post and the Interdependence Project and his writing has appeared in Shape Magazine, Real Simple Magazine, the Shambhala Sun, Buddhadharma, and the Good Men Project.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
February 9, 2018
With his goofy grin, bow-ties and pop-ishly titled books, I sometimes wonder if Lodro Rinzler is deliberately trying to make me roll my eyes and grunt. Am I supposed to take this goofball seriously? Uuuuuuurg! Then I pick up the book, read a few pages and sigh in resignation: yep, he might make the old grumpy punk in me seethe but it is undeniable that this guy isn't talking out of his ass. He knows his stuff, and he also knows how to articulate it in an approachable, and occasionally silly way, but dammit, I would have loved to have found books like this when I was fifteen years younger and just getting interested in Buddhism.
"Walk Like a Buddha" is a collection of answers Rinzler had written for his blog "What Would Sid Do?" (I know, I know!!! I'm cringing as I type this), where people asked him for a modern Buddhist perspective on daily (overwhelmingly Western and Generation Y) problems.
It is a good companion book to his first book "The Buddha Walks Into a Bar" (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), as it goes into more specific examples and more practical advice.
This is a great little book for beginners and people who are simply curious about what it means to bring Buddhist insight into daily life. The "Notes" section is also full of really great reading recommendations!
"Walk Like a Buddha" is a collection of answers Rinzler had written for his blog "What Would Sid Do?" (I know, I know!!! I'm cringing as I type this), where people asked him for a modern Buddhist perspective on daily (overwhelmingly Western and Generation Y) problems.
It is a good companion book to his first book "The Buddha Walks Into a Bar" (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), as it goes into more specific examples and more practical advice.
This is a great little book for beginners and people who are simply curious about what it means to bring Buddhist insight into daily life. The "Notes" section is also full of really great reading recommendations!
February 3, 2014
Oh, man oh man, oh yay! Listen. I have tried to read books by the Dalai Lama, et. al., but I just couldn't get through them. Not because I didn't appreciate the message - I appreciated AND agreed with most of it. But I think the problem is applying ideas to every day life, and "Walk Like a Buddha" totally bridges the gaps between philosophy, spirituality, and modernity. At the same time, Rinzler refuses to be instructional, repeating constantly that he does not have all the answers, and the key to Buddhism is figuring things out for yourself. He offers helpful hints for how to think about common negative situations.
I can see myself referring back to this again and again. The main thing for me was, again, the tone. Totally nonjudgmental and gentle. Would recommend this to anyone feeling a bit off-kilter to get them back on track. Really, that's the beauty of it - just reading it, even if you don't meditate or don't even really care to address any problems in your life right now - is reassuring, so A+.
I can see myself referring back to this again and again. The main thing for me was, again, the tone. Totally nonjudgmental and gentle. Would recommend this to anyone feeling a bit off-kilter to get them back on track. Really, that's the beauty of it - just reading it, even if you don't meditate or don't even really care to address any problems in your life right now - is reassuring, so A+.
July 22, 2014
This is a good book for 20 and 30 something's who feel like there's gotta be more to life. For entry level, part time, or non-Buddhists alike, Lodro explains different situations and scenarios in life, love, and work in a "what would Buddha do" format. All in all, we're all inherently good and peace is only a meditation away.
April 20, 2023
This is a nice book to read slowly and a little every day. It is about a buddhist who does a question and answer style for a range of topics. Rinzler has a great sense of humor and his responses are nonjudgemental. Reading it gives me peace and the message of bringing goodness to the world is a wonderful reminder to have.
January 19, 2019
على منوال كتب إيكهارت تولي Eckhart Tolle وكل الكتب التي تستغل رغبة الإنسان في استراحة محارب من حياة الزخم والعراك المستمر، وحاجته إلى حياة أكثر فاعلية وإنتاجية، هذا فصل آخر من الكتب التي لا تضيف شيئا، اللهم إلا تحفيز مرحلي ينقضي مفعوله فور أن ترمي الكتاب من يديك.
March 1, 2020
Loved it
I loved this book. I read it with a book club that I joined and we had a great discussion about the ideas within this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the overall message that everyone is basically good and kindness is all you need. I would highly recommend this to everyone.
I loved this book. I read it with a book club that I joined and we had a great discussion about the ideas within this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the overall message that everyone is basically good and kindness is all you need. I would highly recommend this to everyone.
February 11, 2019
This book was just ok for me. It was certainly insightful at times but after a while I felt like it was just repeating thoughts and kind of going through the motions. Useful but not outstanding.
January 31, 2021
I think that he offers some good advice about how to manage our hectic lives. I think the key is to always think about what your intention is and where you’re coming from and to be compassionate to other people.
April 14, 2014
"It was OK" is about all I can give it. I felt like the book kind of tried to be an advice column book and kind of tried to be integrated philosophy and did "meh" at both. Rather than having a coherent whole picture treatment of how to deal with difficulties, then getting into details, the author went right to details. I didn't realize that this was the author's second book, and perhaps I should have read that first to get what I was looking for. However, I just felt like the book's format didn't really allow the author to go into a lot of detail. A lot of the advice broke down to practicing compassion, being open and mindful, etc., but especially in questions that dealt with dealing with difficult people, I could constantly hear the "but what about when I do that and they do THIS?" that would be the next logical step. The author shied away several times from the topic of CONSEQUENCES of dealing with difficult people. Yes, it's great to practice compassion and be open and mindful, but when you do that and still have someone in your face/backstabbing you/not pulling their weight, etc, it doesn't really feel like a solution.
I suppose that for a philosophy book, the philosophy felt a bit piecemeal, and for an advice column book, the book discussed the same solutions over and over. Which...might be the Buddhist point here, but the issue of not just what the right action is but also how to deal with others' reactions to your right actions was almost wholly left untouched. And "meditate and be mindful and you'll Just Know the right thing to do" crept in there every now and then, which didn't really work for me.
That said, some sections of dealing with work were very insightful (especially dealing with email). I just wish that all things had gotten that concrete a treatment.
I suppose that for a philosophy book, the philosophy felt a bit piecemeal, and for an advice column book, the book discussed the same solutions over and over. Which...might be the Buddhist point here, but the issue of not just what the right action is but also how to deal with others' reactions to your right actions was almost wholly left untouched. And "meditate and be mindful and you'll Just Know the right thing to do" crept in there every now and then, which didn't really work for me.
That said, some sections of dealing with work were very insightful (especially dealing with email). I just wish that all things had gotten that concrete a treatment.
October 30, 2013
In short, I really loved this book. I went into the book being very skeptical. I have read a LOT of "hip" self-help, advice and Buddhism books lately so I was worried that this was going to adopt annoying slang like the others (I'm looking at you, Kris Carr and Danielle LaPorte), but it didn't. It stayed very traditional Buddhist. This is basically a wonderful primer for someone who is just getting into their meditation practice, but it's also wonderful for someone who has been doing this for years and just has very difficult questions to ask, such as what would the Buddha do if his first told him he was cheating on his girlfriend?
Not so easy figuring these things out when you're a Buddhist. How much can I drink? Can I drink at all? What if I want to punch people at work? What if I just hate everyone at work? What about abortion?
Everything is answered here and it's amazingly readable and not preachy at all. The ONLY thing I didn't like was towards the end when he started to go on and on about Obama and how wonderful he is because he worked on his re-election campaign. I thought this bit was very unnecessary and should have just been left out completely.
Not so easy figuring these things out when you're a Buddhist. How much can I drink? Can I drink at all? What if I want to punch people at work? What if I just hate everyone at work? What about abortion?
Everything is answered here and it's amazingly readable and not preachy at all. The ONLY thing I didn't like was towards the end when he started to go on and on about Obama and how wonderful he is because he worked on his re-election campaign. I thought this bit was very unnecessary and should have just been left out completely.
April 10, 2016
I like this guy:
I was first introduced to this author, Lodro Rinzler, by his book, “The Buddha Walks into a Bar,” and I really enjoyed his lightheartedness and since of humor. I didn’t spend anytime really looking into his background, but through his writing, I assumed he was a northeasterner by birth, who had an old soul, and I connected with him.
When Amazon suggested his book, “Walk Like a Buddha,” I didn’t hesitate for a moment. I purchased a used copy, as I often do, and once again, this guy just talks to me, so when I discovered he was in his thirties, I was shocked!
I’m still asking myself, how a kid his age can have such a deep and practical understanding of these Buddhist principles.
Sure there were parts of the book that were a bit repetitious, but I still felt he did a great job translating and communicating these time-tested Buddhist teachings to a western audience or culture. He has a knack of keeping things simple and practical, and I just love him for that.
Who knows, one of these days, I might have the pleasure of sitting down and having a cup of coffee with this guy.
I was first introduced to this author, Lodro Rinzler, by his book, “The Buddha Walks into a Bar,” and I really enjoyed his lightheartedness and since of humor. I didn’t spend anytime really looking into his background, but through his writing, I assumed he was a northeasterner by birth, who had an old soul, and I connected with him.
When Amazon suggested his book, “Walk Like a Buddha,” I didn’t hesitate for a moment. I purchased a used copy, as I often do, and once again, this guy just talks to me, so when I discovered he was in his thirties, I was shocked!
I’m still asking myself, how a kid his age can have such a deep and practical understanding of these Buddhist principles.
Sure there were parts of the book that were a bit repetitious, but I still felt he did a great job translating and communicating these time-tested Buddhist teachings to a western audience or culture. He has a knack of keeping things simple and practical, and I just love him for that.
Who knows, one of these days, I might have the pleasure of sitting down and having a cup of coffee with this guy.
July 26, 2015
Some of my friends practice Buddhism, and I wanted to get a peek into what it was all about. I have to say I was very impressed with what I read in this book.
The book basically answers questions asked by people regarding their dilemmas in day-to-day life and how Buddha, if he were alive today, would deal with them. What Would Buddha Do?
The book really makes a lot of sense and offers a philosophy to live your life to the fullest and be happy.
The shambhala meditation technique, which has been highlighted in this book, opens your mind. You become mindful of what is happening right NOW. It asks you to accept all that you are feeling, be it good or bad, as a reality.
I have started doing meditation. I hope for something magical to happen in due course of time.
The book basically answers questions asked by people regarding their dilemmas in day-to-day life and how Buddha, if he were alive today, would deal with them. What Would Buddha Do?
The book really makes a lot of sense and offers a philosophy to live your life to the fullest and be happy.
The shambhala meditation technique, which has been highlighted in this book, opens your mind. You become mindful of what is happening right NOW. It asks you to accept all that you are feeling, be it good or bad, as a reality.
I have started doing meditation. I hope for something magical to happen in due course of time.
April 17, 2014
I have loved Lodro's view of the buddhists way of life since his first book "Buddha walks into a bar" this one answers some tricky questions that might come along the journey... and has been quite helpful as a map for that journey.
December 17, 2013
I really was expecting more out of this book. I thought I'd get some smiles at least. But it's all just straight advice column type answers with globs of philosophy thrown in. There were a few bits of interesting philosophy, but it really didn't help me with my sucky boss. Too bad.
May 4, 2014
Awesome! I'm just getting into a Buddhism mindset and starting to play with the idea of meditation and this is such a great beginner book! Love it - I'll for sure pick up his other books
January 24, 2016
Engaging though felt like it was a lot of similar content compared to all of his other books.
May 27, 2018
I loved how this book made Buddhism more relatable to modern-day. This book help me see no one is perfect but everyone is good.
June 24, 2024
"Walk Like a Buddha" by Lodro Rinzler is an absolute gem of a book that brings the ancient wisdom of Buddhism into the hustle and bustle of modern life with a delightful twist. Rinzler’s approach is refreshingly informal and downright fun, making the profound teachings accessible to everyone, whether you're a seasoned practitioner or a curious newcomer.
With his witty anecdotes and relatable advice, Rinzler invites us to explore mindfulness and compassion in the most unexpected places – from navigating the complexities of social media to dealing with the stress of everyday work life. His humor shines through, turning deep spiritual lessons into practical tips that feel more like chatting with a wise and hilarious friend than reading a self-help guide.
The book’s strength lies in its ability to balance humor with sincerity, offering insights that stick with you long after you’ve put it down. Rinzler doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff, but he handles it with such grace and levity that you can’t help but feel uplifted and inspired.
"Walk Like a Buddha" is perfect for anyone looking to infuse a bit of joy and mindfulness into their daily routine. It’s a reminder that spirituality doesn’t have to be solemn or serious – it can be as light-hearted and lively as a good laugh with friends. So, if you're ready to embrace life with a little more mindfulness and a lot more fun, this book is a must-read!
With his witty anecdotes and relatable advice, Rinzler invites us to explore mindfulness and compassion in the most unexpected places – from navigating the complexities of social media to dealing with the stress of everyday work life. His humor shines through, turning deep spiritual lessons into practical tips that feel more like chatting with a wise and hilarious friend than reading a self-help guide.
The book’s strength lies in its ability to balance humor with sincerity, offering insights that stick with you long after you’ve put it down. Rinzler doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff, but he handles it with such grace and levity that you can’t help but feel uplifted and inspired.
"Walk Like a Buddha" is perfect for anyone looking to infuse a bit of joy and mindfulness into their daily routine. It’s a reminder that spirituality doesn’t have to be solemn or serious – it can be as light-hearted and lively as a good laugh with friends. So, if you're ready to embrace life with a little more mindfulness and a lot more fun, this book is a must-read!
December 4, 2018
Lodro Rinzler, Budista, maestro de meditación y columnista en el Huffington Post nos da a través de este libro su guía de consejos para llevar una vida espiritual sin necesariamente estar siguiendo una religión en particular, basándose en el principio de que todos somos esencialmente buenos y que podemos aportar al bien común.
Reseña completa aquí
- Romántica de closet
Reseña completa aquí
- Romántica de closet
March 7, 2023
DNF @ 15%. I found this book to be incredibly boring. From what I heard, which granted is not a lot of it, it was mostly the author finding many different way to explain how much he liked and was good at mediating. Which is great for him, but fairly boring to listen to. Perhaps because I listened to the audiobook I found this pretty boring? I’m not sure. But I think there are more interesting books on meditation out there.
February 9, 2017
I stumbled upon this book after reading an article on HuffPost.
I tend not to prefer reading a religious book, the article shown none of the like. But actually this is religious book, and surprisingly I am very Okay with it. In fact I am quite inspired.
I've been to number of guided meditation session, on and offline. Just now I realize, from this book, what is the reason behind watching your breath, the importance of being present.
I love the broad reference he has in dealing with the questions (and although some readers don't like how the book is structured by questions, I do like it). In fact, of all mindfulness, compassion book I've read, I would say this is one of the best. It is like graduating to a whole new level.
Cheers!!
I tend not to prefer reading a religious book, the article shown none of the like. But actually this is religious book, and surprisingly I am very Okay with it. In fact I am quite inspired.
I've been to number of guided meditation session, on and offline. Just now I realize, from this book, what is the reason behind watching your breath, the importance of being present.
I love the broad reference he has in dealing with the questions (and although some readers don't like how the book is structured by questions, I do like it). In fact, of all mindfulness, compassion book I've read, I would say this is one of the best. It is like graduating to a whole new level.
Cheers!!
June 19, 2018
An easy to understand guide on many buddhist beliefs and how to guide your everyday life. I appreciated the reminders and sound reasoning for navigating life. Makes a lot of my meditation practice grounded when I sometimes feel like I'm getting too theological or moralistic with thoughts about friends and family. Helped me relax about my daily actions.
May 18, 2021
Want to be a Buddist or not idk recommend this book simple because it present certain situations we all have been in one or the other and how we should approach them, the book wasn't difficult but easy to understand and also mention our attachment to certain beliefs which can be problematic.
Good read useful information.
Good read useful information.
July 14, 2022
This book started off strong, down to Earth, and focused on answering modern questions through the lens of esoteric practice. However, the last leg of the book was dreadfully redundant! Saying the same thing is many different ways yet, it was refreshing. Overall, this is an excellent place to start understanding some Buddhist principles from a contemporary viewpoint.
May 31, 2018
An incredible book that explains the tenets of Buddhism as it applies to the modern world. I found the book validating, comforting, and extremely helpful. I have applied the concepts a lot in the last few weeks and feel more content already.
September 19, 2018
Great book with practical advice to keep calm, cool, and collected during life's more trying and challenging times. I am not Buddhist, but I find some of their teachings relaxing and suitable for handling difficult situations.
December 19, 2022
The author gives a modern take on how the Buddha would address our modern day problems. A bit humorous but very insightful, it helps you realize that Buddhism is more than just meditation and that we can take a positive, Buddhist spin on all sorts of modern-day annoyances and issues.
January 5, 2026
Read several books on mindfulness and meditation but this book is rooted in practicality and existential issues of the 21st century. I especially liked 6 principles of communications and 4 gates of speech
July 17, 2017
The Q&A format of this one took me a little longer to dig through... but I still left with a lot of gems.
September 1, 2017
Rinzler explains Buddhism concepts in a modern world, which makes this book very relevant to our lives today.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews