The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness [Hardcover]

Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche (Author), Eric Swanson (Author), Daniel Goleman (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 6, 2007

For millennia, Buddhists have enjoyed the limitless benefits of meditation. But how does it work? And why? The principles behind this ancient practice have long eluded some of the best minds in modern science. Until now.

In this groundbreaking work, world-renowned Buddhist teacher Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche invites us to join him in unlocking the secrets behind the practice of meditation. Working with neuroscientists at the Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, Yongey Mingyur provides clear insights into modern research indicating that systematic training in meditation can enhance activity in areas of the brain associated with happiness and compassion. He has also worked with physicists across the country to develop a fresh, scientifically based interpretation of the Buddhist understanding of the nature of reality.

With an infectious joy and insatiable curiosity, Yongey Mingyur weaves together the principles of Tibetan Buddhism, neuroscience, and quantum physics in a way that will forever change the way we understand the human experience. Using the basic meditation practices he provides, we can discover paths through everyday problems, transforming obstacles into opportunities to recognize the unlimited potential of our
own minds.

With a foreword by bestselling author Daniel Goleman, The Joy of Living is a stunning breakthrough, an illuminating vision of the science of Buddhism and a handbook for transforming our minds, bodies, and lives.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. This refreshing book is yet another sign that the next generation of Buddhism is creative, cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary. Born in 1975 in Nepal, the author is among the generation of Tibetan lamas trained outside of Tibet, and he's also a gifted meditator. His brain activity has been measured during meditation, earning him the enviable sobriquet of "happiest man on earth." He fuses scientific and spiritual considerations, explaining meditation as a physical as well as a spiritual process. Mingyur Rinpoche knows from experience that meditation can change the brain. He experienced panic attacks as a child that he was able to overcome through intensive meditation. If diligently practiced, meditation can affect the "neuronal gossip"—his imaginative rendering of brain cell communication—that keeps us stuck in unhappy behaviors. The meditation master offers a wide variety of techniques, counseling ease in practice to avoid boredom or aversion. Less is more; practice shorter periods more often, he says. His approach will be especially welcome for anyone frustrated by meditation or convinced they're "not doing it right." This book is a fresh breath from the meditation room, written with kindness, energy and wit. Three cheers for a cheerful contemplative. (Mar. 6)
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Review

“Compelling, readable, and informed.”
—Buddhadharma

“Rinpoche’s investigations into the science of happiness are woven into an accessible introduction to Buddhism”
—Tricycle

“There is real wisdom here. Fresh and clear. Mingyur Rinpoche has offered us what may well be an essential link between the Buddha and contemporary neuroscience and physics. He effortlessly makes connections between seemingly disparate and complex disciplines, and makes the journey sparkle. His voice is generous, intimate, and refreshingly personal. As he repeatedly reminds us, our experience of ourselves and our world is none other than an interactive projection of our mind; and most important, our minds can change. Our neurons can change structure and function, merely by observing the flow of our mental activity. Through repeated familiarity with positive mind states, such as love and compassion, and by transforming our limiting mental conceptualizing into vast freedom, we can achieve the already present basic mind of clarity and knowing—true happiness. Read this book.”
—Richard Gere

“An extraordinarily clear book on the whys and the hows of cultivating mindfulness effectively in our lives. It makes use of the idiom and exciting discoveries of modern science in ways that are easy to understand and entirely relevant to the meditation practices themselves.”
—Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Coming to Our Senses and vice-chair of the Mind and Life Institute

“The first of its kind . . . a truly compelling and infinitely practical fusion of Tibetan Buddhism and scientific ideas. Mingyur Rinpoche is a teacher for our time, uniquely gifted to bridge these two worlds.”
—Sogyal Rinpoche, author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying

“It is extraordinary to see the words lineage, compassion, spacetime foam, and limbic resonance all in the same book. . . . The Joy of Living is a personal, readable, and wonderfully warm and clear guide to changing the way we see ourselves and the world.”
—Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness

“Mingyur Rinpoche is a charismatic teacher with a heart and smile of gold. The clarity, humor, and wisdom of his stories and teachings are collected in this book, and it will always be with me as a most valued companion. This is one of those rare books where you meet the author and learn from his radiance.”
—Lou Reed

“A beautiful tapestry of Buddhist insight woven together with modern science, this book is a landmark in the development of a contemplative neuroscience . . . a must-read for anyone interested in the causes and consequences of happiness.”
—Richard J. Davidson, professor of psychology and psychiatry and Director, Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior at the University of Wisconsin–Madison

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harmony; 1st Printing edition (March 6, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307346250
• ISBN-13: 978-0307346254
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 1 x 9.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (87 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #213,609 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche is a rising star among the new generation of Tibetan Buddhist masters. With a rare ability to present the ancient wisdom of Tibet in a fresh, engaging manner, Rinpoche's profound teachings and playful sense of humor have endeared him to students around the world. His first book, The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness, debuted on the New York Times bestseller list and has been translated into over twenty languages. Rinpoche currently teaches throughout the world, with meditation centers on four continents. For more information on Mingyur Rinpoche's activities, see www.tergar.org.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

103 of 103 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Mind - East meets West, May 3, 2007

By 

John Chancellor "Mentor coach" (Spring Hill, TN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness (Hardcover)

We often hear and talk about the different way of thinking - Eastern or Western and left brain vs right brain. But rarely do we see a work that brings it all together in easy to understand language. The Joy of Living really does a great job of explaining how the mind works and how to make the mind work for you and what you want.

"The mind is the source of all expereince, and by changing the direction of the mind, we can change the quality of everything we experience. When you transform your mind, everything you experience is transformed."

The book is divided into three parts. Part one is "The Ground". To trully understand the benefits of meditation, you need to understand how the mind works and what we need to do to make it work for us. Here Yongey goes into great detail to explain the different parts of the brain and their function. He also enlightens the reader with the movement of scientific research concerning the mind and how the Eastern and Western thoughs are moving toward the same goal.

Part two is The Path. Here Yongey gives detailed instructions on the various methods of meditating. His explanations are very easy to understand and follow. Unlike many books I have read on meditation, he tries to make it simple and workable. He is not so much concerned with technique as he is with results.

Part three is The Fruits. This is simply a recap of the benefits to be gained from meditation.

Even if you never plan to do any formal meditation, there is a lot to be learned from this book. Basically we grow up thinking in dualistic terms - that is self vs others, mine vs theirs, having or not having. When we think this way, we are bound by limitations. This way of thinking is a habit and habits can be changed.

There are basically two concepts that cause the majority of our problems - attachment and aversion. We become attached to the way we want things to be and have an aversion to change. The lessons about reality and preception are extremely good.

Do not expect to read this book once and become enlightened. There are many concepts that will take time to sink in and become part of your way of thinking. It is a book that will need to be studied and the concepts put into practice to give you the ultimate - The Joy of Living.

63 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Meditation clarified and simplified, May 2, 2007

By 

David Humes (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness (Hardcover)

I have been a meditator since 1980. Many people ask me how to meditate or they tell me of their problems when they have "tried" to meditate (too many thoughts, too fidgety, couldn't concentrate, etc.). Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche has clarified it so well that from now on I'm simply going to recommend this book, The Joy of Living, to anyone wishing to learn how to meditate. I facilitate TheHappinessWorkshop (dot com) and teach Meditation 101 for beginners. I learned many new practical things from him in this excellent, clearly articulate and easy to understand book. I HIGHLY recommend it.

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In gratitude, March 10, 2007

By 

Melba K. Hannesson "Karma Chotso" (Miami, FL, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness (Hardcover)

As a teacher of Buddhism in America, I cannot thank Rinpoche and the brilliant Eric Swanson enough for this teaching. Finally there is something students can turn to when they find it difficult to have the faith that their practice of this path can result in the happiness the Buddhia taught could be found in one's own mind. It is also wonderfully helpful for non-Buddhists who simply want some benefits from meditation.

Many many thanks for all the work that went into the writing of this book and for all the wisdom it contains.