In Radically Happy, a meditating Silicon Valley entrepreneur teams up with a young, insightful, and traditionally educated Tibetan Rinpoche. Together they present a path to radical happiness—a sense of well-being that you can access anytime but especially when life is challenging. Using mindfulness techniques and accessible meditations, personal stories and scientific studies, you’ll get to know your own mind and experience how a slight shift in your perspective can create a radical shift in your life.
Phakchok Rinpoche is a premier example of a new generation of Tibetan Buddhist masters. He combines the most profound aspects of traditional wisdom teachings with his pithy, humorous observations of their ongoing relevance to the incredibly fast pace of modern urban life.
Born in 1981 to a family recognized for their generations of spiritual accomplishment, Rinpoche was recognized as the seventh Phakchok Rinpoche and incarnation of a great teacher and meditation master. Receiving ordination from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Rinpoche received a thorough education and training in Buddhist philosophy and meditation, studying with some of the most accomplished masters of modern times, his main teachers being his grandfather Kyabje Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche.
Rinpoche completed his education at the Dzongsar Institute of Advanced Buddhist Studies in Bir, India, where he received the Khenpo title. He is able to playfully combine the scholarly tradition of his studies with the experiential tradition of his main teachers in order to give his students the necessary tools to discover the wisdom and compassion that lies beneath our habitual ways of seeing ourselves and the world around us.
Now, Rinpoche travels the world, teaching in Buddhist centers, universities, and monasteries from Asia to the United States, from South America to Europe.
more information about Rinpoche's teachings can be found at samyeinstitute.org
A beautiful book. Rooted in deep knowledge and expertly crafted, this book is a delight to read and look at. With lively examples and easy to follow exercises, it guides us through a journey of exploration to discover the roots of happiness - and how to take the found short cuts in our every day lives. The vibrant illustrations make the experience really luscious!
Themen wie im Moment leben, präsent sein und damit auch Meditation interessieren mich schon eine ganze Weile. In meinem Urlaub in Asien wurde ich dann mit ganz anderen Kulturen und Religionen konfrontiert und danach stand für mich fest, dass ich mehr über Buddhismus, Dankbarkeit und Meditation lernen möchte. All diese Themen findet man in diesem Buch und es ist wirklich schön umgesetzt. Kleine Anekdoten aus dem Leben der Autoren wechseln sich ab mit Übungen zu Meditation, Achtsamkeit und alles rund ums "radikale Glück". "Radikal glücklich sein bedeutet ein lebenslanges, begeistertes Engagement für unseren Geist, unser Herz und unsere Welt." Dabei haben mir die Geschichten aus dem Leben der Autoren besonders gut gefallen, da sie immer etwas aufdecken, an das man sonst nicht gedacht hätte oder verdeutlichen, wie unser Verhalten bestimmte Dinge beeinflussen. So rege ich mich beispielsweise beim Autofahren nicht mehr auf und achte insgesamt mehr auf meine eigenen Gedanken. Ich hätte mir noch mehr solcher Passagen gewünscht, de es meine Lieblingsteile im Buch waren. Auch die vielen Übungen finde ich ansprechend, allerdings sind es sehr viele, was mich etwas überfordert hat. Dies ist kein Buch, das man mal eben schnell durchliest, sondern man muss sich Zeit dafür nehmen um auch die Übungen in den Alltag integrieren zu können. Ich persönlich als Anfänger der Meditation finde eine geleitete Meditation (also beispielsweise Podcasts oder mit einer App/YouTube Video) immer noch einfacher. Trotzdem fand ich die Übungen als Anregungen spannend und werde auf einige in der Zukunft wieder zurückkommen. Ich finde es schwer eine Zielgruppe für dieses Buch zu nennen. Einerseits finde ich, dass es auch für Anfänger geeignet ist und man definitiv viel daraus mitnimmt, andererseits glaube ich sind die Übungen etwas besser für Menschen mit ein klein wenig Erfahrung geeignet. Also vielleicht probiert ihr mal ein paar gesteuerte Meditations- und Mindsetübungen aus und wenn ihr dann noch tiefer in die Materie eintauchen wollt, lest dieses Buch. Auch ich hatte davor schon ein paar verschiedene Meditationen ausprobiert und fand das definitiv hilfreich.
Ein sehr gut strukturiertes Buch, dass viele Denkanstöße liefert, man aber noch nicht direkt nach dem Lesen bewerten kann. All die Übungen können einen zuerst überfordern, aber man muss ja nicht alles auf einmal anfangen, sondern kann sich Sachen markieren und für die Zukunft merken. Außerdem finde ich es toll, dass das Buch auch von innen so schön gestaltet ist und so gut wie jede Seite bunt ist.
I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway. I am not a huge self help person but have found a lot of merit in the mindfulness trend of the past several years. I feel like "finishing" this book is a misnomer. This book has SO MUCH in it with regards to exercises that you truly should take months to work through each exercise. I was also happy to read this and not have it conflict with my spiritual beliefs, despite the fact that this book is written from a very Buddhist worldview.
Far from a flash-in-the-pan self help book, this is an amazing manual I plan to return to again and again throughout life. For years I knew meditation was going to be a good thing for me, but no one was ever able to explain it and instruct it in a practical way, from all the necessary angles, quite like this book does. It has made a big impression on me.
Interestingly the question of breathing seems less prominent here than in other discourse on meditation I've come across (instructors, Headspace etc), which is quite freeing. While the book gives detail and different angles from which to think about meditation and how to do it, it also is very good at boiling everything down to memorable bite-sized things which sum up the essence of the practice and which you can take away as personal reminders (such as "always deal with all thoughts the same way" (I’m paraphrasing)).
The fact it's authored by both a westerner and an easterner is very valuable too and makes it all the more resonant and relatable. It was able to relate to the angry primary school boy in me who wanted to fight someone in the yard, but also to the modern adult in me who is trying to deal with the weird and mostly abstract pressures of adjusting to my environment and to maintain some harmony with the people around me and not freak out all the time.
I have to say I more or less ignored the part where it encourages the wishing of "all people to be free of pain and suffering" (again paraphrasing) and the incorporation of this into the meditation practice. I drew the line there, because I felt I was being told what to think rather than how to think at that point, and it didn't mesh with me. I think it hit a philosophical nerve in me that I am still grappling with, no thanks to Nietzsche etc. But that's fine. I think it's still important to recognise the 'interconnected nature of reality', as the book counsels us to, and to embrace the idea of us as individuals fitting into a much greater web of life that goes on with or without us, but that we can also influence.
This book is very humbling. It may check our individualism which may have become rampant. Or maybe a better way to put it is that it checks our ego, or takes the self out of the equation. It exposes the worshipping of your own suffering as the cheap pastime it is.
This is one of the most important books for me that I have come across in the last few years, and very unexpectedly so. I usually read novels. But I couldn't recommend it highly enough as an entry point to meditation, which seems to be a gateway (if anything is) to the ancient mysteries of consciousness. It is the first and probably last self help book I will ever read. I wouldn't even call it a self help book, it's a modern, accessible and quite artistic expression of what I am starting to realise is probably the most worthwhile human activity there is.
I received this book as an advanced reader's copy. We are always on the lookout for our self-help happiness section and I particularly like the color combinations that were chosen to border and illustrate each concept Phakchok Rinpoche explained in her novel. I am always a huge fan of books that concentrate on happiness of its pure form and offer advice and tips to become happier with our lives. A wonderful read that is sure to find its place in our non-fiction section and we are proud to give this book 5 stars!
Radically Happy is a well written book full of great information and exercises to bring meditation into our complicated lives. With two very different teachers writing this book, they blended their ideas perfect.
Phakchok Rinpoche and Erric Solomon teamed up to provide insights and exercises that can help us (the readers) discover that being radically happy is a lifelong process with our mind, heart, and world; a process of uncovering what we already possess and have always possessed.
Wonderfully written, helpful personal experiences, and easily accessible exercises that guides us to open, spacious awareness.
Got a little woo-woo by the end, but worth the read, if only for the chapter on "relaxing the clinging." Well, that, and also welcoming annoying people as though they are versions of oneself. Clearly, I've got some growing to do.
I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway. This is not a book to read once and put away. This book will probably stay on my nightstand and be looked at constantly for reminders and tips on meditation and cultivating a happier life. I am very interested in the idea of meditation and truly being able to control your mind so that it is filled with happiness and positivity. This book is more of a workbook in ways and I feel like I will be using it frequently. Very beautiful aesthetically and interesting.
Beautifully illustrated, easy to follow, and extremely encouraging! Radically Happy is a dream come true for anyone looking to begin practicing meditation or for those hoping to better understand the benefits of the practice. The anecdotes are full of lighthearted humor and the authors are incredibly relatable and down to earth. It is a fantastic casual read, intended to be taken step by step. Incorporating the exercises provided in the book is a peaceful process, strongly recommended for anyone looking to find bliss in the everyday.
This book says nothing new. But it does say it in a different, more accessible, “user-friendly” way. In this book, Phakchok Rinproche and Erric Solomon tell the reader what causes unhappiness and how to become truly happy. Unhappiness is really caused by the mind judging and planning and rattling on and on. Afterall, it is not an incident that makes us unhappy or happy, but our perception of it. These authors give us meditations that will help us to better control the mind and live in the present moment, which will result in happiness. They demonstrate the validity of their approaches with personal stories and scientific evidence. The pages are bright and colorful with splashes of color. All of this can be found in a nicely-bound volume. This is perfect for a gift or as a step in your own personal development.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
Radically Happy (2018) is a practical yet personal guide to achieving true happiness.
In it, timeless Eastern wisdom meets modern Western practicality as it teaches the keys to happiness according to a Tibetan Buddhist monk and a former Silicon Valley technologist.
Packed with scientific insights and meditation exercises, it provides a toolkit for achieving a genuine, lasting sense of well-being.
Radical Happiness is a natural byproduct of 2 other forms of happiness: basic happiness, which comes from being able to focus on the present moment. and interconnected happiness, which is a result of having warm relationships with other people. Each of these forms of happiness can be cultivated through meditation exercises, which help you break free of your negative habits, emotions, and thoughts.
This treasure had everything I needed. It was clear from beginning to end, all the information was paired with helpful examples, and there were exercises for each advancing stage of meditation to practice. I can't emphasize the importance of what I learned from reading this! I'd recommend it to everyone.
¡Gran libro! Una bellísima introducción a la meditación y sabiduría budista, sin términos filosóficos ni religiosos. Es un libro divertido y con una mirada amable. Lleno de invitaciones a la práctica y de instrucciones para conocer y maravillarnos con la propia mente
Начало было очень впечатляющим. В духе, вот теперь-то мы научим вас быть счастливыми! Я обрадовался. Но я прочитал 57% книги и понял, что вся книга про одно: займитесь медитацией. Просто разными словами. Я совершенно согласен и уже года три пытаюсь начать, но я никак не могу находить время. Обычно меня отвлекают. В общем, я надеялся, что на этот раз мне дадут волшебный пендаль, но не вышло. Возможно, стоило дочитать, но теперь я не узнаю.
Вот основные советы, с которыми я согласен, но они закончились в первой четверти книги: - Не оценивайте себя (и свою жизнь, не завидуйте, не сравнивайте и тд) - Желайте всем счастья (относитесь к другим так, как хотите, чтобы относились к вам) - Концентрируйтесь на моменте (не думайте 1000 мыслей в день, не отвлекайтесь на фуфел, наблюдайте и сосредоточьтесь на чем-то) - Медитируйте (всегда и везде)
Знаете, в книгах бывает проходит одна мысль, одно предложение, которого тебе хватает, чтобы запомнить его и пронести с собой, потому что оно произвело на тебя нужное впечатление. Такие мысли вдохновляют людей.
Например, в «Скотном дворе» поправка к правилам — "Все животные равны, но некоторые животные равнее прочих" — стоила прочтения всей книги. Это прямо отпечатывается и хотя лежит, вроде, на поверхности, но ты понимаешь как в нашей жизни это часто всплывает. Вот здесь я такого не нашел.
“Happiness is love. Full Stop.” That is the conclusion of George Vaillant, the director of a 75 year study conducted by Harvard University that followed 268 men over the course of their lives. Valliant summarized the study’s conclusion as the “warmth of relationships throughout life have the greatest positive impact on ‘life satisfaction.'” page 118
Wanna be Radically Happy? Well a meditation master and a Silicon Valley bro team up here to let you in on the way. This book is beautifully illustrated. I’ve enjoyed just flipping through it again to write my thoughts.
If you know about meditation and mindfulness, much of this will cover familiar ground. But there is also more about interconnectedness and ways to make it all work in your life. They also included lots of studies, one of which was also mentioned in the fiction book, Happiness Falls. They did cover some of the same ground!
I like reading these types of mindfulness books because, at least for a bit, I do a better job on staying in the moment and loving myself and others proudly and loudly.
I think this is worth a look if you want some introspection and aspire to be a better person.
This book presents several of the most profound Buddhist insights and practices in a handy, concise, and completely secular way. It's as if the authors intended to relay traditional pith instructions to the modern, critical thinking, but open-minded reader, in a fresh, clear, and easy to digest way without losing any of those instructions' authenticity or depth.
The book is also visually beautiful and chock-full of personal stories both serious and humorous that help the reader connect with the material. And it's filled with easy-to-follow meditation exercises. New practitioners will find this an accessible foray into mind-training, and seasoned practitioners will recognize meditation training instructions couched in completely fresh and contemporary language.
Full Disclosure: I am a student of Phakchok Rinpoche and also the narrator of the audiobook.
I often get asked for a recommendation on a book on meditation. Nowadays bookstores are filled with tons of meditation books. I’ve never quite found the perfect book to recommend, specially to a beginner. Well, this is it. ☺️ This little gem is just what the doctor ordered. Clear, concise, and so easy to understand. Phakchok Rinpoche & Erric Solomon have done a marvelous job in compiling a roadmap for one to begin a meditation practice and discover, radical happiness. Radical because it defies our assumptions that happiness is to be found elsewhere other than our own mind. Extremely helpful for a beginner as well as the “seasoned” practitioner. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A lot of good tips. I was expecting something other than meditation exercises, given the "ancient wisdom + technology-based driven" blurbs, but I feel like it was strictly a meditation book and a bit too much for a beginner like myself. I felt overwhelmed. I had borrowed this from the library so didn't have time to do 'Exercise 2 every day for a week before moving on to the next exercise' as suggested, but I have incorporated a few of the exercises into my daily routines. Overall not a bad read for someone wanting to have better control of their mind and thoughts.
This book made me feel like the "☺" emoji. For the authors, the secret to being radically happy is to be radically grateful of the collective choices that brought you to where you are today.
I felt warm and fuzzy after reading this book--like I just want to let everyone know that I love them.
Recently, I have been saying "I love you" a lot to my friends. I know they're surprised because I don't say that often. Baka mamamatay na ako? Hmm.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This book is not my cup of tea—it was a book club choice. It’s just a glorified “how to meditate” book, so if that’s what you’re looking for, all good. But if you’re going to subtitle a book “a user’s guide to the mind”, I expect some actual neural, cognitive, and/or behavioral science. Nope, just personal anecdotes and analogies plus meditation exercises. Really, this would have made a better daily calendar than a book.
I’m not the kind of person who often re-visit books I’ve read twice, but I have a hunch that I’ll be flipping through the pages long after I’ve finished this book. Certainly a well recommended book if you wish to dive deeper on consciousness of your own self. Not to mention that the illustration on the pages are very refreshing that at times I’ll just stick to stare!
If you want meditation or be aware, this book is for you. I will hold on to this book always to help me through my mindfulness journey! Has exercises and plans to help you through it. Alittle bit of comedy as well. Highlight key points! It will help you. Love love this book. Thank you to my boyfriend for getting it for me. It is a huge game changer.
Great manual covering meditation and mindfulness. There are two distinct voices, a monk and a silicon valley tech head offering pratical advice and solid exercises to establish a meditation practice.
Il libro è breve e va dritto al punto, anche se non è subito chiaro che parli di meditazione. È un po' difficile essere troppo coinvolti nella parte centrale sulla gratitudine, ma in generale è un buon libro per avviarsi alla meditazione