Customer Reviews

Healing Emotions

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Dan Goleman has done it again. A highly readable book rooted in scientific research - just like his two books on Emotional Intelligence. Compared to other edited Mind and Life Conference books, this one describes the conversation in an extremely lively manner with explanations on Buddhist and scientific concepts presented as footnotes, and as a result making comprehension possible even with some abstract concepts unfamiliar to novice like me.

The enthusiasm shown by Dr. Goleman in the ability of mind over body can be found throughout the book (especially in the chapter presented by him where H.H. the Dalai Lama commented "You've just given me a lot of ammunition). This is probably due to his own knowledge and keen interest in the Eastern psychology and meditation.

The work Healing Emotions: Conversations with the Dalai Lama on Mindfulness, Emotions, and Health is from the 1990 Mind and Life Conference, sponsored by the Mind and Life Institute, an organization that fosters constructive dialogue between contemplatives and scientists with the intent to alleviate human suffering. The book recounts the proceedings of the conference, including presentations by specialists of Buddhism, religious studies, psychology, neuroscience, and medicine, as well as subsequent dialogue among the contributors. Under discussion are ethical and biological models for interpreting emotions and the relationships between meditation, medicine, and emotion, directed by the question of whether the mind can heal the body.

Like the other Mind and Life publications, this work is both fascinating and frustrating. The content is tantalizing, but tangents frequently interrupt the topic under discussion. Moreover, there is little introductory information and cohesive analysis is lacking as well. Both of these critiques can be expected though, as they are typical products of a conference environment. And in exchange for depth, the work provides breadth. By exploring a plethora of views, the dialogue makes this a great topical resource on emotion in religion and science. Furthermore, the text demonstrates not only the potential, but also the reality of the medical use of meditation, as well as the important role of emotions in health. Intriguing and even inspiring, readers from diverse backgrounds will find merit in this work.

This book is interesting and seems to have captured the attention of the person I gave it to as a gift. This is a very intelligent and gifted person so I think that speaks volumes as to the quality of this book.

This book is a series of conversations with the Dalai Lama on the topics of human sensitivities. parts of this book can be classified as excellent sna dothers the book drags and I wondered why I picked it up.

I needed this text for school. It was informative but you can see all the answere in the oldest text available, the Bible.