An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion in Everyday Life

COMPASSION--SYMPATHY FOR THE suffering of others and the desire to free them from it--is wrestled with in all spiritual traditions. Yet how does one actually become a compassionate person? What are the mechanisms by which a selfish heart is transformed into a generous heart?

When His Holiness the Dalai Lama came to New York City in 1999, he spoke simply and powerfully on the everyday Buddhist practice of compassion. Weaving together the contents of three sacred texts-- one by the eighth-century Indian master Kamalashila, another by the fourteenth-century Tibetan Togmay Sangpo, and a third by the eleventh-century sage Langri Tangpa--His Holiness showed that the path to compassion is a series of meditations. An Open Heart lays out this course of meditation, from the simplest to the most challenging, describing the mental training techniques that will enable anyone of any faith to change their minds and open their hearts. In this book the path begins with simple and clear ruminations on the advantages of a virtuous life and moves on to practices that can temper destructive and impulsive emotions. Such practices can be undertaken at odd moments of the day, at once transforming the aimless or anxious mind into a disciplined and open mind. Gradually, the book introduces the more challenging and sustained meditation practices. In these meditations the deepest and most profound insights of Buddhist practice become part of one's way of knowing and experiencing the world.

An Open Heart is a clear and simple introduction to the Buddhist path to enlightenment, by its greatest teacher, His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

"Just as musicians train their hands, athletes their reflexes and techniques, linguists their ears, scholars their perceptions, so we direct our minds and hearts." And so with his characteristic deftness, His Holiness the Dalai Lama here builds bridges from the realities of everyday life to sublimely spiritual pursuits. This compilation, based on teachings delivered by His Holiness in New York in 2001, is founded upon a weaving of two ancient Buddhist texts. These are made accessible here in part by Vreeland's skillful editing and in part by the unflagging style of the Dalai Lama, who continues to spread his message of loving compassion beyond the borders of Buddhism. Readers who savored his The Art of Happiness and Ethics for the New Millennium will likely be ready to take these next steps into practical approaches for everyday living that are supremely grounded in Buddhist philosophy, but extend an open heart to all types of believers and nonbelievers as well. While not a manual in the traditional Western sense of highly sequenced steps, this book is a treasury of teachings that point clearly to a better way to live. Exquisite, perfectly matched photographs round out such chapters as "The Desire for Happiness," "Karma," "Compassion," "Calm Abiding" and "Wisdom." Many books today receive the Dalai Lama's blessing, but this one issues a special invitation to receive ancient wisdom through the mind and heart of a modern spiritual master. (Sept. 25)Forecast: Although it's unlikely to achieve the million-plus copy status of The Art of Happiness, this book (based on lectures that were directed to an American audience) is poised for bestsellerdom. National advertising and extensive media appearances by Vreeland will help with promotion, as will a fall excerpt in Spirituality & Health magazine. This is a main selection of the One Spirit Book Club.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Lessons in compassion and in Buddhism; with a 300,000-copy first printing.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.