Triffst du Buddha an der Bar: ... gib ihm einen aus. Dharma, Karma und das pralle Leben

by Lodro Rinzler, Rainer Scholz (Translator)

Dies ist praktischer Buddhismus für junge Menschen, die die sichere Fahrrinne von Ausbildung und Studium verlassen und in ein unsicheres Arbeitsleben eintreten, ein Buch für eine Generation, die spirituell ist, aber nicht religiös; die die Welt verändern will, aber um Chancen kämpfen muss; die gern mal ein Bier trinkt, Sex hat und deren soziale Kontakte über Facebook und Twitter hinausgehen.

Wäre Lodro Rinzler, 29, nicht Autor und buddhistischer Lehrer der Shambala Tradition geworden, würde er heute Comics schreiben. Er unterrichtet Meditation und Buddhismus an Colleges und in Meditationszentren und wurde zum Executive Director des Bostoner Shambala Center berufen. Sein Blog in der Huffi ngton Post, What would Sid do, hat Kultstatus. Rinzler lebt in New York City mit seiner Partnerin Victoria, Hund Tillie und Kater Justin Bieber.

Genres: Buddhism, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Philosophy, Self Help, Religion, Audiobook

291 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Lodro 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.

Reviews

[For The Love of Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a fantastic book and I want to share it with you. I was wandering around Barnes and Noble (I know, big surprise, right?) when I ventured into the "Eastern Spirituality" section to look at books on Buddhism when I encountered this title for the upteenth time. This time I decided I had better buy it and see what it was all about. After all, the title is enough to grab you all on its own and the author's introduction to the contents only reinforced it.


It begins by saying this isn't your grandmother's book. It is for you, assuming that you like to have a beer once in a while and you like having sex. Not many books on Buddhism begin this way so my mind automatically went to, Hmmmm...this seems just unorthodox enough that it may surprise me and that it did.


I've read many books on the subject of Buddhist teachings from Thich Naht Hanh, to His Holiness The Dalai Lama, and more and yet I've never encountered a book on Buddhism that dropped the occasional "F" bomb until now. This book has enough humor to keep me smiling but it is also infused with serious teachings on Buddhist meditation and Dharma to help guide you into practicing living life a little differently than how you have been. The author, a bow-tie wearing guy named Lodro Rinzler, teaches the Shambala teachings of the four dignities (the tiger, snow lion, garuda, and dragon) and he discusses the qualities of each dignity in terms of how to apply them to your life. Life consists of your "9 to5" as he calls it, your money situation, your family, your sex life, and so on. There isn't an aspect that he doesn't touch upon as he writes about the value of these teachings and he does so in plain easy-to-understand language. Don't get me wrong, he does use the occasional sanskrit words often used in Buddhist Dharma teachings; like shamatha, samsara, and so forth, but fortunately he does explain what all of those mean. The book is well written and the practical advice is valuable to me. I do highly recommend it to anyone looking for a little guidance in their lives without it becoming overtly spiritual or religious. Consider it as more of a psychological and emotional help guide that just happens to uses Buddhist philosophy as a teaching tool. The contents and wisdom of the book can become valuable to you as well if you are open to it.

[Gabrielle (Reading Rampage) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I really liked the idea behind it: how to apply Buddhist teachings to daily life situations. How to live your life with more compassion and more mindfulness. It is, after all, a philosophy of action! I thought the cheeky title was a nice touch: I'm always a little weary of people who write books about Buddhism and meditation and who take themselves way too seriously, and Rinzler seemed to have the necessary self-deprecating touch to make his book appealing. He writes from the Shambhala Buddhist perspective, and I am more interested in Soto Zen, but my first teachers were from that lineage, so there were a lot of familiar terms and ideas in there.

Rinzler's books is composed of four parts, which he related to four animals (some real ones and some mythical ones) that have important symbolism in the Shambhala tradition: the tiger, the snow lion, the garuda and the dragon, otherwise known as the Four Dignities. Each part is about how to embody their respective qualities in your daily life and practice. He gives plenty of examples people in their twenties and early thirties can relate to and that show how practicing meditation can have a very direct impact on your life.

I admit that I feel like rolling my eyes every time people refer to Buddha as "Sid" (as a shortcut for Siddhartha Gautama) to sound hip. I think it's kind of a silly thing to do, but if that's what it takes to get some people interested in the teachings, go ahead and be all edgy. I get that trying to sound cool and nerdy is a way to get a certain demographic interested, but sometimes, it's a bit much. I also wonder how long the attention span of the target demographic really is, but that's another story. That might actually explain why he repeats himself quite a bit...

I also feel like a lot of the practical advice Rinzler gives is related to dating... I suppose I was pretty focused on dating in my early twenties, so again, keeping in mind the demographic this book is written for, that makes sense: it is an area of life people struggle with tremendously, and I'm sure dating apps and hook-up culture don't help...

I do think this would be a great little book for beginners, people curious about Buddhism who are looking for practical advice on how to integrate the teachings into their mundane daily routine and who don't want to feel guilty about dating and drinking (which there's nothing wrong with unless you took monastic vows). Hopefully, people who read this then go on to read other books that are a little bit less trendy and superficial. But if you've been studying and practicing for a few years, you won't find much new information in there.

Cute and often silly, but hopefully a "gateway" book to more profound works, like Suzuki, Warner and al. 3 and a half stars for the nice try; rounded up because it doesn't hurt to be reminded of some of the basic stuff from time to time!

[Bodhidasa · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are few engaging, relevant and 'hip' books on Buddhism. This is one of them. I've been buying copies and handing them out like free shampoo samples to all my under 35 year old friends (not that they need to wash their hair, mind you). These friends who enjoy games, furtive (or not so furtive) love-making and the odd drink, just don't connect with 'Definitional Dharma' as I call it - lots of Pali, sanskrit and commentary with a fair slew of lists of how to be 'good', whatever that is.

Whilst The Buddha Walks Into A Bar is firmly in the niche Buddhist genre of 'Smile and be happy, you are infinitely pure' (As popularised by Pema Chodron et al), it is not wooly and vague. He knows his stuff. Rinzler writes with mutual warmth for both living a passionate life and for the Dharma as taught in his particular iteration of the Vajrayana.

I was inspired by the structure of the Four Divinities and how he attached (or uncovered) the basic Buddhist teachings of Attention, Compassion, Non-Attachment and the playful, confident wisdom of Emptiness. That said, the book is relatively short on honest confession or take-home practices that some readers might need to connect with his messages.

The Buddha Walks Into a Bar is an imaginative and fresh reconstruction of core Buddhist teachers that speaks genuinely to Youth, no matter how old you are.

[Wendy Yu · Rating 3 out of 5]

It does not bode well for my entrance into Buddhism that towards the end I could not really keep track of the lessons from a book with this title. Maybe I need to step down and get a "Dummies" book.

1. Qualities of the Tiger
Discernment (not looking away from your ATM balance)
Gentleness
Precision

2. Qualities of the Snow Lion
The snow lion does not get hooked by being dragged down by her emotions, remaining vibrant, energetic and youthful. She uses compassion, virtue and the 6 paramitas as tools:
Generosity
Discipline
Patience
Joyous Exertion
Meditation
Prajna (superior knowledge)

3. Qualities of the Outrageous Garuda
He flies above the world. He accepts whatever comes up in his life and rolls with whatever winds come his way
He offers his heart all, and feels no "me-ness".
He acknowledges impermanence, groundlessness (i.e. flies above turmoil), equanimity (i.e. attitude of freedom and openness, not hope or fear)

4. Qualities of the Dragon
She sees situations clearly and responds accordingly.
She has a sense of humor and delight
She has a genuine presence
Magical magneticism.

General bits:
Experience every aspect of the world as sacred
In every situation small or big (choosing what clothes to wear, putting away dishes), ask how would the dignities act?
Forgive your mistakes and trust in your basic goodness
Cultivate "bodhichitta": compassionate heart, the feeling of having a soft spot, being touched
Practice the 4 exhilarations daily: eating/sleeping/meditation/exercise
Create sacred environments and take care of yourself, in order to uplift ourselves
Do not adopt the attitude of "me" against the "world"
A personal mandala is the core around which you build your life -- choose wisely. The American default is "getting ahead in life."
All activities should be done with intention.

[Jonathon Hagger · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice introduction for persons interested in learning about the foundation stones of Buddhism. It’s insights easy access and to apply to everyday life. However there is a feeling of hollowness if you are a person wanting to develop a deeper spiritual understanding of the religion.

[Sunny · Rating 1 out of 5]

I judged this book by its cover... and I judged wrongly.

Look at that cover. See how cleverly Buddha is hiding on the liquor shelves? Doesn't that seem like it will be a whimsical little book? Like E.T. hiding in the stuffed animals whimsical? I whipped out my phone, snapped a pic of the cover of this book and its counter-part Walk Like a Buddha: Even if Your Boss Sucks, Your Ex Is Torturing You, and You're Hungover Again, and sent the picture to my husband as a Christmas present recommendation. (Ah, I am sensing the irony, the terrible, hysterical irony in this.) He was a very good husband and bought me exactly what I asked for. But, I had misjudged this book entirely. This book was directed towards:

Men.
Early Adulthood.
Single.
Living in an apartment.
Alone.

As I do not fall into aaaaaaaaany of these categories, allow me to demonstrate my experience with reading the book.

Chapter one started out well. The narrator was witty, and funny, and I was sorta interested in spending the evening reading what he was writing about. And he started out talking about some very basic Buddhism stuff, which is really good reminder stuff, since I don't know nothin' from nothin' 'bout no Buddhism. And then the narrator's voice made a subtle shift to start sounding like Charlie Brown's teacher. You know. WOH-WOH-WOOOOH-WOH. And then he went much further east than I am familar with, and started describing the tiger's personality, and WOH-WOH-WOOOOH-WOH and then WOH-WOH-WOOOOH-WOH. But then, when the chapter WOH-WOH-WOOOOH-WOH finally ended, he moved on to the characteristics of the snow lion, which REALLY WOH-WOH-WOOOOH-WOH and I wasn't sure if I WOH-WOH-WOOOOH-WOH was going WOH-WOH-WOOOOH-WOH to finish WOH-WOH-WOOOOH-WOH the book. And, then he started talking about this Garuda character. And, since I had no bloody idea who the hell Garuda was, I googled him, and found THIS GUY!



DO. YOU. SEE? He has a bird head. And human arms. And wings. And he pretty much flies all the time. He never lands. Ever. Which, I thought (1) is kinda cool and (2) I sure as hell don't EVER want to meet Garuda for real for real.

But, then he moved on to the "The Authenticity of the Dragon" and WOH-WOH-WOOOOH-WOH that's when he finally, completely lost me. And, I tried. I really did. And, I feel really bad for owning a nice copy of the next book, when it will now probably never make it to the top of my 'To Read' pile. I wonder if Barnes & Noble will take it back for store credit without a receipt?

[Kristin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is trying too hard to appeal to young people. It seems like the author is trying desperately to be cool which often feels condescending and out of touch.

At one point early on the author refers to a former relationship as a "hot chick on [his] arm". I found it hard to take anything he said after that very seriously.

I hope Rinzler will choose to mediate on the path of Right Speech before his next lecture on compassion.

[Hengameh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I’ve figured out what’s missing in this book. The content is decent, though at times the author can come across as somewhat grandiose. Many of the descriptions feel dreamlike, and the suggestions are often vague. However, the main issue is the organization. By the time I reached the last chapter, I had forgotten what the tiger was doing in the earlier ones. The book is currently structured with long chapters dedicated to each dignity (tiger, snow lion, garuda, dragon), with suggestions for incorporating their spirit into various aspects of life. I think it would have better to start with a brief introductory chapter on all four dignities, followed by a longer chapter that offers concrete, actionable suggestions from all of them for different areas of life.

[D.S. West · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast and largely superficial read, but my first brush with Shambhala Buddhism (how many are there now?!). This isn't my first Buddhist reading, and at times I grew frustrated with Rinzler's fast pace and elementary approach to the material. On the other hand, I'm still a n00b. Overall, this text was helpful and, my pretensions aside, precisely the right kind of text with which one such as myself can sharpen his or her teeth on before tackling more in-depth readings on a body of religious/philosophical study that dates back before Jesus' grandfather was a zygote.

The structure of the book, focusing on and ascending through the four dignities of Shambhala--tiger, snow lion, garuda (bird/man), and dragon, if I can be excused the hauteur of testing my generally lame memorial faculties--did a good job of enforcing the core concepts amid the writer's light and at times unchallenging tone.

Oh! My girlfriend is putting up laundry and appears to prefer that I engage her in conversation rather than write a review no one will read for a book I only sort-of enjoyed. Per Lodro Rinzler's advice, this is an opportunity for me to be mindful of my innate buddha-nature and engage in some boddhichitta. One must be like the proud and graceful snow lion, else one might end up single with one's dirty clothing bunched in a corner...

[Kayla Grzech · Rating 5 out of 5]

While it can get redundant, I still feel that this book was a wonderful guide and a great introduction to Buddhism. He covers his bases here and keeps a good balance between giving some anecdotal, "modern," examples as details and yet keeping the themes open, flexible, and accommodating. I appreciated the easy way he laid out the thought process in exploring the ideas and concepts. One other review commented that the book talks a lot about being "good," but never quite gets at what that means. I tend to think that's the purpose of it, however. Defining goodness isn't the point- the point is learning how to access your own inner wisdom. He is proving his own belief in the innate wisdom and goodness of all people by having faith that you will find yours. He doesn't need to describe goodness- we all already know what it is.

[Brian Griffith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book of Buddhist teaching that breathes New York culture. Rinzler seems seriously at home, being his casual-talking, verbose, night-life-loving self. He applies mindfulness practice to drinking, dating, New Year parties, home decoration. It's really quite challenging when you think of it. For a lot of the book he's conveying teachings from his Kagyu lineage teachers such as Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, and these parts are like sitting in a teaching retreat. Then Rinzler gets going on how he experiences these things in his life. It's slightly repetitive, but that too is quite natural.

[Becca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the opening section helpful, but otherwise it shares some off-putting cornerstones that I've rejected in other ideologies: if something bad happens and you have a hard time dealing/understanding, it's a reflection of a lack of spiritual progress, instead of a very normal and natural reaction/response to living in a far-from-perfect world.

[Mare · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 :)

[Alain Burrese · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed “The Buddha Walks Into A Bar... A Guide To Life For A New Generation” by Lodro Rinzler. I came across the book at the perfect time. I'd gotten away from meditation and spiritual pursuits due to the complexities of life that we all face. Ironically, it is just those complexities and the hustle and bustle of our fast paced society that makes meditating all that more important.

Rinzler, who is a meditation practitioner and teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist lineage, has written an engaging guide that speaks to the current generation. It is wise and practical, as well as relevant to those of us living in today's world. While based in his form of Tibetan Buddhism, one does not have to practice this form of Buddhism, or Buddhism at all, to benefit from the teachings in this book. However, I'll admit that because I enjoy Buddhist and Taoist teachings, it helped my enjoyment of this guide. At times the author also uses the term warrior in his teachings, and it is most likely due to my study and pursuit of the Asian martial arts, and living and training in Asia, that my spiritual studies have also drifted to Buddhist and Taoist sources, so that also helped me connect with and enjoy this book. It also helps me apply the teachings to my own life and teachings.

The book helps take ancient lessons of the tiger, snow lion, garuda, and dragon taught for centuries and apply them to modern day living. But it is not a traditional book on these topics. Right from the start you know this. The Introduction starts, “This isn't your grandmother's book on meditation. It's for you. That is, assuming you like to have a beer once in a while, enjoy sex, have figured out that your parents are crazy, or get frustrated at work.” And again, you don't have to become a Buddhist to put some of these Buddhist teachings to work in your life.

I think the most important thing about this book is that it stimulated me to get back to meditation practice and to reconnect with my spiritual side as I still continue to tackle the daily events that stress all of out at one time or another. If you are a spiritual seeker and maybe need a little boost in the meditation department or some guidance on your spiritual journey, this book is a great read to do just that.

[Angelique · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great read that brings the principals of Buddhism into your everyday life - your REAL life. Rinzler talks about how, by examining motives behind actions, you can live more mindfully without necessarily having to give up some of the vices we all enjoy. Using the four dignities, he shows how we can embody their characteristics to help us achieve a happier and more fulfilling life. I great read for anyone, not just those in their 20's (I'm 41 and I liked it!)

[Nima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hasznos a könyv, de ez nem lesz mindjárt egyértelmű, főleg azoknak nem, akik hozzám hasonlóan élvezik, hogy elveszhetnek a saját fejükben, a gondolataik között. Viszont sokszor tök feleslegesen pörgünk ugyanazokon a problémákon, és ha megfogadjuk Rinzler tanácsait, ha használjuk a technikáját, a feleslegesen eltöltött idő minimalizálható. És nem kerül semmibe, meditálhatunk a buszra várva is a padon, vagy a múzeumban egy kép előtt, senkinek nem fog feltűnni, hogy nem úgy vagyunk jelen, ahogy egyébként szoktunk. Meg hát végülis jelen vagyunk, csak nem fókuszálunk semmire.
Az egésznek a kulcsa az önismeret és az őszinteség.

A könyv reflektál az újabban divatba jött minimál életvezetésre (lagom, hygge, lykke, ikigai, sisu), próbál segíteni, hogy azt a rengeteg felesleges tárgyat, elvárást, vágyat ne csak fizikailag, hanem szellemileg is csökkentsük, amitől minden nap hajsza lesz az életünk.
Bár az alcím a fiatalokhoz szól, én nem szűkíteném le a korhatárt (főleg, hogy a franc se tudja, én beleesnék-e a "fiatal"-ba), ezt bármikor, bármilyen életkorban el lehet kezdeni, és nem kell hozzá buddhistának sem lenni. De az is tény, hogy a net, és a rohanó világ miatt a fiatalok az úgymond veszélyeztetettek, még ha nem is feltétlen érzik rossznak azt a rengeteg ingert és befolyásoló tényezőt, ami körülveszi őket, és ami még két generációval korábban sem volt jelen a hétköznapokban. A könyvben található gyakorlatokkal, tanácsokkal visszatalálhatunk önmagunkhoz, azokhoz a dolgokhoz, amik valóban fontosak (és ebbe a netes like-ok nem tartoznak bele, ezt tudomásul kell venni), és egy sokkal teljesebb, kézzelfoghatóbb életet tudunk élni. Sok-sok fejezetet fogok újraolvasni még, már előre tudom, mert elsőre nem lehet mindent befogadni, főleg, ha gyakorolni is akarjuk.

[Renae · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Buddha Walks into a Bar... presents Tibetan Buddhism at its optimistic best--a life of practice, moderation and basic goodness. It shares the approach of Stephen Batchelor (Buddhism Without Beliefs), checking dogma at the door and remaining nearly silent on the concepts of karma and reincarnation. This is Buddhism for western skeptics and religious castaways, but the overall feel is that West must come to East, from a generous helping of Sanskrit terminology to the anthropomorphic silliness of the "four dignities". It is not an uncomfortable read, and you will certainly encounter some common sense and practical wisdom, but at times it will feel like you are reading the animal horoscopes on the paper menu as you wait for the waitress to bring you your Moo Shoo Pork. Read it if you're already into this sort of thing, and you will not be disappointed. If this is your first foray into Buddhist philosophy, you might want to start elsewhere.

[Sam Klemens · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was interesting and it was a nice introduction to Buddhism. Honestly though I had a hard time getting through it because I already knew so much of the information. Not through Buddhism but through living a good life and reading by the barge-load. It turned into something like this: wow another philosophy I've held for two years is actually a Buddhist philosophy. And so on to the point that I started to skim sections.

For a person brand new to good life philosophies this would be an excellent place to start. For me it was kind of bland. I took away one very useful and memorable piece of advice and some smaller side pieces of lifestyle development but not enough to really justify the time I spent on the book.

Finally I thought it was rather author centered, especially the last third of the book. It was personal stories and I thought it was shallow and paltry. Not what I look for in my reading.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this in anticipation of attending a workshop taught by the author. While there are plenty of good ideas and wisdom in this book--it's hard not to agree with most aspects of the dharma, at least for me--it was presented in a way that wasn't for me. This book is definitely geared more towards a younger person who is new to Buddhism and Shambhala. I'm no expert, but I've read enough that this book was pretty redundant, and he had few new insights or information to add to an already huge gamut of Shambhala dharma books. We'll see how the workshop turns out.

[Sarah Kulig · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is nonsense. Full of sexism, privilege and just total assumptions of what life is like for all millennials. I agree with other reviews--stick with writers who actually cite their sources in a useful way and explore texts that are primary if you really want to dive into something as gigantic as Buddhism.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aspire to be like the Tiger, Snow Lion, Garuda, Dragon and ...Honey Badger? Yep. Extremely readable, excellent introduction to Vajrayana Buddhism for the neophyte under 35.

[Sarah Cullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most meaningful book I have ever read. Thank you, thank you, thank you Lordo Rinzler.

[James Tomasino · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh. This one didn't have anything particularly novel. The watered down buddhism for westerners approach is filled with platitudes and canned techniques. The whole thing felt like an infomercial.

[Emlgy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have not yet mastered the art of breaking up with a book, but this one brought me one step closer.

[Hitesh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yawnnnnn

[Linda Vituma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Atkārtošana zināšanu māte - vairāk nekā ierasti tēlains izklāsts, kas ļauj budisma pamatnostādnēm ievibrēties dzīvē. Kā pa atslēgas caurumu ielūrēju Mahajānas budisma tradīcijā. Interesanta tā cēlo dzīvnieku padarīšana šim virzienam:
- Garuda (gudrība),
- Pūķis (maigais spēks)
- Sniega lauva (bezbaiļu prieks)
- Tīģeris (pārliecība)

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I earmarked every other page in this book to refer back to. I think this provides great practical advice for the modern day Boddhisatva.

[Emilie Weasley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok but a bit boring

(normally would be a 3 stars in regards to my own rating, but I'm trying to be more smart about my ratings)

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Buddhism for the rest of us**

If you’re curious and intrigued by the concepts of Buddhism and how they can work in “everyday” life, this may just be the book for you. Think of it as a “Buddhism-for–the-rest-of-us” guide to life.

The book is highly readable and applicable. The author does an impressive job presenting the essence of Buddhism in a down-to-earth and easy-to-try-for-yourself way. His realism and humor shed light on the journey to enlightenment:
“We have a long path ahead of us, and as we travel this path, our mistakes should be embraced and our discipline applied further. We can learn from the masters of the past and not become dissuaded from the path just because we are still schmucks a few months down the road. While we may still be schmucks, we are much kinder and more mindful schmucks than we used to be, and that’s a start.” (pp. 53-54)

But, his humor by no means dilutes the teachings of the book. He effectively presents an overview of Buddhism and provides a guide for letting go of our attachments (expectations, fears, hopes, and “should-be’s”) and accepting reality (with all its inherent impermanence and groundlessness). He shows how the keys to making this shift are tapping into our own innate wisdom and connecting to the basic goodness of ourselves and others—and we need not be super heroes/Buddhists to do so:
“We all can be Basic Goodness Man or Basic Goodness Woman. We all have the potential to unlock our heart and mind, and access these pure aspects of ourselves. Everyone in the world has the ability to slow down, connect to their heart, and be more accepting of whatever life brings them. You don’t have to be bitten by a radioactive spider or exposed to gamma radiation to do that. You can simply be who you already are; you can be a fully genuine person.” (p. 193)

The book provides clear guidelines for translating the theoretical concepts of Buddhism into everyday life. If you take these principles to heart and try them out in your daily life, then you’ll likely be nodding your head by the time you encounter these closing words of the book:

“Now you can rest in that space of equanimity. You have cultivated contentment in your daily life, joy in helping others and an understanding of the nature of reality itself...The teachings are no longer theoretical, but are instead based in a new intimacy with your own basic goodness. You have developed confidence in your innate wisdom, and you allow it to shine forth and touch others…It is not philosophy at this point; it is applying the experiential understanding of your own goodness. It is manifesting an authentic presence wherever you go. It is seeing the world as sacred, and appreciating the magic of ordinary moments.” (pp. 206-207)

After reading this book, you’ll also have a pretty good idea of what the Buddha does after he walks into that bar. (And, the punch line is not “he says ouch.”)

[Juergen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book, but in the end I just found it much too distracting. The author comes from the Shambhala tradition and espouses a lot of Chogyam Trungpa-isms as well as Vajrayana mysticism. While it was initially entertaining to read about Snow Leopards and Garudas, I finally gave up trying to use these ideas to enhance my own understanding. I did highlight a considerable number of passages, so I'll have to come back to this in the future to see if it makes more sense.

I'm also not too hot on Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche's "crazy wisdom" teachings, which the author seems to accept with little reservation. Perhaps he should really meditate on why one of the Buddhist precepts is to abstain from the use of intoxicants and not so readily accept an interpretation as being against the "misuse" of it.