Customer Reviews

The Pleasure Prescription: To Love, to Work, to Play -- Life in the Balance

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The Oceanic culture is a beautiful philosophy and a beautiful way of life. I think of my gentle son who loved the Pacific Rim so much and manifested so many of their values. It's a truly loving culture, and love, Pearsall points out, is not a feeling, but a way of treating someone that takes infinite patience and practice to learn and to develop. "Only the very patient should marry," he says, "for it takes a very long time to learn to love someone." Marriage to the Polynesians is forever and one test of a pleasurable relationship is that it makes your family and your world a better place. Pearsall's thoughts on anger were especially welcome. Somehow I always "knew" that expressing anger was not the answer to anything, having been assaulted and sickened by outbursts from others, but rather it puts out a negative forcefield for everyone involved that spreads like ripples in a stream. His Myths about Anger should be read by all. Full of kind words and aloha, this book will warm your soul and give you the courage to live the way your heart and soul know they should in a world that hasn't accepted it yet. Be you, be well, be in lokahi (unity), be the first. I deeply recommend this book. Don't be fooled by the simplicity. The philosophy will take up residence in your heart, which needs it badly.

I whole-heartedly recommend this book to people who feel they are close to or wanting to discover their connection to (society, life and) the universe. If you are in conflict with Western values and finding Eastern philosphy enhancing but not complete then you may find the best (final?) answers here. I feel I have, and am now empowered with by the healthiest version of "me". This is a realistic approach to life and an amazing comprehension of living. This book bound all my tangled and unkempt parts together so quickly and seemlessly that I owe my friend Bruce for dropping it in my face and also Stephanie for giving me reason to read this book. I wish them the best. I put the Pleasure Prescription to work from the first time I opened it and I belive it will continue to work it's way into every aspect of my life. I will work at it happily now. All the honesty, natural unity and wonderful clear thoughts expressed in this book may change you. If you are ready. If you believe in balance. The key ideas: patience, connection, pleasantness, modesty and tenderness do blend with everyday love, work and play. Best thanks to Paul Pearsall. Aloha!

As an EQ coach, I am always looking for good books that illustrate the principles of emotional intelligence, and this is one of the books that is my Bible. Pearsall is a psychoneuroimmunologist (emotions effect our immune systems) and his book is loaded with research. One thing I loved was his long treatent of ANGER -- now if that doesn't make people sick! He says "Don't express it, don't suppress it, CONFESS it." It may take a while for this to sink in with you (especially since psychology did for years, and still does to some extent, encourage that you express your anger), but think about it. It works. We are not ourselves when angry, we are not at our best, we are not able to think ... and we might as well confess it. His treatment of anger alone is worth the price of the book. He has a list of MYTHS about anger, and I bet you believe in at least half of them.

Every morning I do what I call "Spiritual Reading," attempting to ground my day with viewpoints clearly from the spiritual, yet practical realm. Dr. Pearsall, in The Pleasure Prescription, provided over three months, many basic truths for me to contemplate and incorporate into my life. I read only a few pages or a small section a day, but tried to dwell on his
recipe for a more sane and healthful life for these trying times in which we live. The book was originally published ten years ago, but still rings true. Pearsall's references to research on which he based his findings is fascinating and very thorough. I liked the book so much I bought a copy for one of our adult children for this past Christmas. I'll re-read the book again someday, it's that good! I can truly say it's a book that changed my life!

*****
I read this book on my recent vacation to Hawaii, and it defined my trip and made it memorable. "The Pleasure Prescription" by Paul Pearsall contrasts the "Oceanic" way with Western ways and Eastern thought. He describes a third or alternative way, which is Living Aloha. The book is a bible on How to Live Aloha. It is not the same old recycled self-help information you'll read in other books, but a beautiful system based upon Hawaiian spiritual principles and research in psychoneuroimmunology---the interactions between the brain, mind, body, and the immune system.

I did not find any of the information dated, although the book was published in 1996; rather, it is timely and fresh. Dr. Pearsall literally teaches you how to Live Aloha, covering the following five principles:
Ahonui - which is patience expressed with perseverance, living in the now, mindfulness
Lokahi - which is unity or connection, expressed harmoniously, behaving in a constant state of accord with the world, both natural and spiritual
'Olu'Olu - which is agreement, expressed with pleasantness, bliss
Ha'aha'a - which is humility expressed with modesty, silencing the self, saving the soul
Akahai - which is kindness, expressed with tenderness

The book is practical, and contains self-assessment tests and exercises that can be done. It is enjoyable to read, and makes you feel good! The spirituality described can complement any belief system or religious system, as they are useful principles common to most systems of ethics (for example, kindness). It is very Hawaiian, embodying the "how to" part of living aloha---it's great to have bumper stickers saying "Live Aloha", but how do you do that? This book shows you how.

If you are unfamiliar with Living Aloha, but are just unhappy or stressed out or tired, and want some refreshment, I would recommend this book also. There is a bit of Hawaiian terminology, but the author provides a glossary, and it's not necessary to remember the Hawaiian words, but to just practice what you read.

Highly recommended.
*****

I read this book a while back, when it first came out in print, and I still have the tattered copy on my bookshelf. This book is an awesome insight into a new way of thinking about life.

I have read this book a few times and I even purchased it as a gift for a couple of others. If you're looking to relax, find some joy in life, and attain true balance, this is your guide.