Dancing with Life: Buddhist Insights for Finding Meaning and Joy in the Face of Suffering [Hardcover]

Phillip Moffitt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 15, 2008

  Why do we suffer? Is there a purpose to our pain? Noting that human beings have wrestled with such questions for thousands of years, Phillip Moffitt has found answers for his own life in Buddhist philosophy and meditation. Reflecting on his own journey from Esquire magazine editor-in-chief to Buddhist meditation teacher, Moffitt provides a fresh perspective on the Buddha's ancient wisdom, showing how to move from suffering to new awareness and unanticipated joy.

  In this deeply spiritual book that is sure to become a Buddhist classic, Moffitt explores the twelve insights that underlie the Buddha's core teaching--the Four Noble Truths--and uses these often neglected ideas to guide readers to a more meaningful relationship to suffering. Moffitt write: "These twelve insights teach you to dance with both the joy and pain, finding peace in a balanced mind and calm spirit. As the most specific, practical life instructions I have ever encountered, they serve as an invaluable tool for anyone who seeks a life filled with meaning and well-being." Practicing these twelve insights, as Moffitt suggests, will help readers experience life's difficulties without being filled with stress and anguish, and they will enhance their moments of happiness.

  With engaging writing and a strong message of self-empowerment, Dancing with Life offers a prescriptive path for finding joy and peace that will appeal to meditation students and readers of "Dharma Wisdom," Moffitt's column in Yoga Journal, as well as anyone searching for a more authentic life.

FREE Online Study Materials are available to accompany the book and assist you in deepening your understanding and practice of the Four Noble Truths. Receive a free on line Study Guide or Teacher Guide and Free Weekly Teachings & Reflections based on the material from the book. 
These are available at dancingwithlife.org

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Phillip Moffitt walked away from his highly successful post as chief executive and editor-in-chief of Esquire magazine in 1987 to live the inner life. Founder and president of the Life Balance Institute, a nonprofit organization devoted to the study and practice of spiritual values in daily life, Moffitt teaches vipassana meditation at retreat centers around the country and holds a weekly meditation class in Marin County, California. He is an award-winning essayist and is a regular contributor to Yoga Journal. He lives in the San Francisco Bay area.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books; First Edition edition (April 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594863539
• ISBN-13: 978-1594863530
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #67,820 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

In 1987 Phillip Moffitt walked away from his highly successful post as chief executive and editor-in-chief of "Esquire" magazine to focus on his inner life. After leaving "Esquire," Phillip spent most of his time studying Theravada Buddhism and practicing vipassana (insight meditation). He also became interested in the mind-body connection and studied yoga, Jungian psychology, aikido, and somatic healing techniques. After he had been practicing vipassana for seven years, Phillip was invited by Jack Kornfield, the founder of Spirit Rock Meditation Center, to participate in Spirit Rock's three-year teacher training. In 1998 after completing his teacher training, Phillip established the Marin Sangha in San Rafael, Calif. In addition to teaching the Marin Sangha, Phillip travels throughout the U.S. and Canada leading silent meditation retreats and is co-guiding teacher at Spirit Rock. Phillip's primary teachers are Ajahn Sumedho and Sri Swami Balyogi Premvarni.

Between 1999 and 2006, Phillip wrote a regular column for "Yoga Journal" called "Dharma Wisdom." And in 2008 he published his first book about living the dharma in daily life, "Dancing with Life: Buddhist Insights for Finding Meaning and Joy in the Face of Suffering."

In addition to devoting himself to teaching the dharma, Phillip also does what he calls "Life Balance" work, a process he developed for helping others find more meaning and a greater sense of well-being in their lives. In 1991 he founded the Life Balance Institute (www.lifebalanceinstitute.com).

You can access Phillip's teachings at www.dharmawisdom.org.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

74 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Different Kind of Dharma Book, June 16, 2008

By 

William H. Coffin (Berkeley, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dancing with Life: Buddhist Insights for Finding Meaning and Joy in the Face of Suffering (Hardcover)

Most of the Dharma books that I've read fall into two categories: lightweight new-age fluff or heavily-footnoted scholarship. This book avoids both extremes. It's very compactly written, with no apparent filler. (If anything, I think he is too brief in touching on some important points.) I find the title of the book to be a bit unfortunate, but it's actually appropriate to the subject matter.

The book is structured around the Four Noble Truths, and as a long-time Buddhist (with a strong predilection for scholarly detail) I thought that it couldn't teach me anything new. It did, though, and on a number of levels. You might think you know all about the 4NT, but this version from the Samyutta Nikaya really adds a new dimension, and is directly applicable to one's practice.

In short, I give this book a pretty-much unqualified rave. A few stylistic weaknesses and an overuse of italics, but in content it's deeply inspiring and immediately useful.

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dancing with Life is a Grand Slam World Series Home Run for this genre of literature., May 1, 2008

By 

Fred Mitouer - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dancing with Life: Buddhist Insights for Finding Meaning and Joy in the Face of Suffering (Hardcover)

Phillip Moffit has articulated the core teachings of the Buddha in accessible and down to earth ways that relate soulfully and imaginatively to daily life. The teachings are affirming; and one cannot help but feel empowered and befriended by Phillip's nurturing voice and courageous stance.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, April 29, 2008

By 

Ann Pendley - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dancing with Life: Buddhist Insights for Finding Meaning and Joy in the Face of Suffering (Hardcover)

Perhaps the best Dharma book I've read. Like all gifted teachers, Phillip presents complex ideas in a way that makes them easy to grasp - regardless of one's level of practice. The book is readable, and the concepts can be readily applied to daily life. Dancing with Life is a great teaching tool too - one that I'll use for years to come.