The Misleading Mind: How We Create Our Own Problems and How Buddhist Psychology Can Help Us Solve Them [Paperback]

Karuna Cayton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 6, 2012

Buddhism asserts that we each have the potential to free ourselves from the prison of our problems. As practiced for more than twenty-six hundred years, the process involves working with, rather than against, our depression, anxiety, and compulsions. We do this by recognizing the habitual ways our minds perceive and react — the way they mislead. The lively exercises and inspiring real-world examples Cayton provides can help you transform intractable problems and neutralize suffering by cultivating a radically liberating self-understanding.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This is truly a manual for becoming a happier and kinder person.”
— Rasmus Hougaard, managing director of the Potential Project

“Karuna Cayton's analysis and method in The Misleading Mind are well thought-out and should be a great help to readers.”
— Lama Zopa Rinpoche, spiritual director of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition

“The Misleading Mind is a self-help manual full of accurate descriptions of traditional Buddhist teachings, recipes for mental health, and a map of the paths leading to a productive and well-balanced life.”
— Jeffrey Hopkins, professor emeritus at the University of Virginia and president of the UMA Institute for Tibetan Studies

“The Misleading Mind shares the profound depth of Buddhist psychological wisdom in a wonderfully inviting and accessible way. I highly recommend it.”
— Peter Fenner, PhD, teacher and author of Radiant Mind

“Through his many years of deep study of Buddhist psychology, sincere introspection, and work at helping others, Karuna Cayton has gained genuine wisdom, which he generously shares in The Misleading Mind....This is a clear, grounded, and useful guidebook for working with the mind and heart.”
— Lorne Ladner, PhD, psychologist and author of The Lost Art of Compassion

About the Author

For over twenty years Karuna Cayton has worked as a psychotherapist, business psychologist, and coach to help people achieve a more balanced life. He lived in Nepal for twelve years, where he studied Tibetan Buddhism.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: New World Library; Original edition (March 6, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1577319427
• ISBN-13: 978-1577319429
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #58,895 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Not Your Usual Self-Help Lite March 18, 2012

By William E. Webb

Format:Paperback

Karuna Cayton, a psychotherapist and practicing Buddhist, has written an interesting book for non-Buddhists who are looking for ways to make their life more manageable. Based on the 2600 year-old principles of Buddhist psychology, it covers the general range of the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, but in a fashion that does not require extensive knowledge -- any knowledge at all, really -- of Buddhist teaching and principles.

Excerpt:

"It is odd that we can describe our hands or our face but if we're asked to describe our mind we can only offer vague, nebulous descriptions. That's because, not examining the mind, we don't know the mind. Knowing how our mind really functions is the first step to mental balance and health and, yes, greater happiness. We need to become explorers - curious about our idea of self, our mind, our emotions, how they function and how we can master them. As such, we'll seek the knowledge, contemplation, and wisdom to become our own best therapist. Our discoveries become the pathway to solving our problems and revealing a happier and healthier way of being."

The ideas covered in The Misleading Mind will not come as anything new to those who have even casually perused the Buddha's teachings. However, in approaching them from the perspective of people with no knowledge at all of suffering and the causes of suffering as understood by Buddhists, Cayton has illuminated corners that may not have been examined even by long-term practitioners. These principles are presented in a way that is accessible to non-Buddhists, and at the same time can profitably be considered by experienced students.

Finally, unlike many writers, Cayton does not minimize the need for continuous, long-term work to effect the changes he promises. While reasonably gentle, he insists we understand that we are the "captains of our souls," that we have to work for what we desire, and that the ultimate responsibility for our happiness rests upon -- and just above -- our own shoulders.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful Blend of Contemporary and Traditional March 11, 2012

By Edward A. Meissner

Format:Paperback

Karuna Cayton does an excellent job of taking two seemingly disparate backgrounds in Vajrayana Buddhism and contemporary psychological theory, and seemlessly blends them into a smooth body of teaching and practice. The Misleading Mind demonstrates how early tradition can inform the modern reader about our moment by moment experiences, and how to gain a better handle on the challenges life presents.

One significant difference in Cayton's book from others one may find in the same area of the bookstore is an open and clear understanding that "... mind training is not necessarily a religious or spiritual practice. It does not rest on accepting certain religious beliefs or adopting particular terminology. It can be used successfully as an entirely secular practice, or it can be incorporated as a deliverate spiritual practice within any religion." With those words he shows that this is not just for "Buddhists", but anyone. Readers should find this wonderfully appealing and different from the usual books laden with Sanskrit, Pali, or Tibetan terms that are meaningless to a modern secular audience.

Cayton is also unabashed in his confidence that "... training our mind and healing ourselves are, I would argue, the only way to bring lasting change to the world around us. We can only do this when we drop blame and simply become accountable for subduing and training our minds and mental attitudes." With that master stroke, he challenges the reader to the sometimes difficult work of personal development, and lays out the goal of societal transformation.

The book is happily provided with exercises, and is written in an easy to digest prose that complements the message of engagement with a contemplative practice. Absolutely worth it!

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This Makes So Much Sense for Everybody March 12, 2012

By KikiCJ

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I found this book to be extremely readable. Being familiar with Western psychology did not preclude me from finding the book to be easy to follow and very understandable. It has been written as though Cayton is speaking to you and anticipating your questions before you ask them. Followng the simple exercises he has laid out at the end of each chapter - one building on the next - does not feel intimidating but rather a challenge you are looking forward to putting to practice. I appreciated the author's unembarrassing usage of his own daily struggles and how he too has to continue to work on those areas in his life. I have already found my awareness has increased regarding my reaction to daily life and working on puting Cayton's suggestions into practice. I highly reccommend this book to anyone that is interested in living a calmer, happier and well balanced life.