i often tell you what books i am reading and how or why i am enjoying them. it is a rare, rare thing for me to make a book recommendation. it is my sincere hope this will have meaning for you.
Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche has written what is, very likely, the most profoundly insightful book on the nature of mind, thought, and the art and science of finding peace and equanimity that i have ever read.
i am, in fact, still reading it. but it has already rocked my brain in its casing. hence this recommendation. here is the link at amazon:
The Joy of Living: Unlocking the secret and science of happiness
a comprehensive look at not only buddhist thought, but at how the sciences of neurology, psychology, and physiology relate to identifying and supporting the nature and operation of mind. actually, it is a rather compelling treatment of the intriguing and insightful parallels between buddhist thought and these rather technical sciences.
a deep read, it manages not to talk over the head (not that i would ever expect a book written by a buddhist rinpoche to do so). but, to compare for a moment… Hanh’s ‘Art of Power’ was a teaching disguised as a book, whereas Minyur’s ‘The Joy of Living’ is like a friend sitting with you at tea, relating some amazing and evocative information that you just know is going to have your head spinning with thoughts and eurekas for weeks to come.
if you are in any manner intrigued by or interested in how the mind works, how to truly become self-aware and how to utilize the lessons found in the ‘hard sciences’ to do so (while receiving the information in a format that is easy to understand and non-intimidating or challenging to consider), this is definitely the book to read.
i am lightly awed with it thusfar myself. perhaps more than lightly, as i interrupted my reading to come post this. heh.
hope your day goes well.