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From Publishers Weekly
Wallace, founder of the Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies, explores key Buddhist meditation-related concepts that aid the "conquest of our inner obscurations" and "present a path to inner fulfillment and human flourishing." He first examines several particular methods—such as "mindfulness of breathing"—for cultivating shamatha, a state of "meditative quiescence" in which people's capacity for attention is refined and stabilized. They can then use these techniques to make a direct, delusion-free investigation of their own bodies, feelings and thoughts. These insights, in turn, help them nurture hearts of compassion and equanimity and, ultimately, realize more advanced teachings such as cultivating bodhichitta (a "spirit of awakening"), dream yoga and a highly developed meditation technique known as dzogchen. Wallace's discussions are usually clear and helpful (on why meditation works: "sustained, continuous effort can actually reconfigure your brain"), and his questions invite readers to see for themselves if his assertions resonate. Moreover, each chapter contains guided meditations to help readers encounter the teachings more directly. Nevertheless, the text can become dense and self-referential, and if readers miss a particular point early on, the effectiveness of later sections may be lessened. The result is a solid—if advanced—examination of some key Buddhist meditation techniques that will appeal to the serious student more than the casual seeker. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
Wallace, founder of the Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies, explores key Buddhist meditation-related concepts that aid the "conquest of our inner obscurations" and "present a path to inner fulfillment and human flourishing." He first examines several particular methods—such as "mindfulness of breathing"—for cultivating shamatha, a state of "meditative quiescence" in which people's capacity for attention is refined and stabilized. They can then use these techniques to make a direct, delusion-free investigation of their own bodies, feelings and thoughts. These insights, in turn, help them nurture hearts of compassion and equanimity and, ultimately, realize more advanced teachings such as cultivating bodhichitta (a "spirit of awakening"), dream yoga and a highly developed meditation technique known as dzogchen. Wallace's discussions are usually clear and helpful (on why meditation works: "sustained, continuous effort can actually reconfigure your brain"), and his questions invite readers to see for themselves if his assertions resonate. Moreover, each chapter contains guided meditations to help readers encounter the teachings more directly. Nevertheless, the text can become dense and self-referential, and if readers miss a particular point early on, the effectiveness of later sections may be lessened. The result is a solid—if advanced—examination of some key Buddhist meditation techniques that will appeal to the serious student more than the casual seeker. (Apr.) (Publishers Weekly, February 28, 2005)
“[Genuine Happiness]…is a practical guide.” (Publishers Weekly, February 14, 2005)
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First Sentence
OVER THE PAST THIRTY-FOUR years that I have studied and practiced Buddhism, I have trained under the guidance of sixty teachers from the East and West. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
OVER THE PAST THIRTY-FOUR years that I have studied and practiced Buddhism, I have trained under the guidance of sixty teachers from the East and West. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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5.0 out of 5 stars (9 customer reviews)
95 of 95 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Supreme Guide to Meditation and Contentment, Oct 12 2005
By D. McKenzie - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Genuine Happiness: Meditation as the Path to Fulfillment (Hardcover)
This is one of the most concise books I've ever read on meditation and Buddhism's method for leading a virtuous and happy life. This is the one book that brought together everything that I had previously read in other books on Buddhism and meditation. With so many approaches to meditation, it's a relief to find an experienced practitioner who eloquently maps out the elements of Buddhist meditation in relationship to the balanced development of both wisdom and compassion. In particular, I found it very helpful the way the author divides the practice of 'samatha' or tranquility meditation and 'vipassana' techniques or insight meditation. The explanation of the Four Immeasurables (kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity) and how they balance our practice that's useful to others as well as ourselves was also invaluable. The writing is condensed and to the point with many jewels of wisdom. I found myself underlining almost every other sentence. If you're looking for a clear outline for meditation practice and how to apply it to your daily practice on an off the meditation cushion, this is a great book to read, study, and put into practice.
48 of 48 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
more practice guide than academic discussion, Jan 21 2007
By James A. Godfrey - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Genuine Happiness: Meditation as the Path to Fulfillment (Hardcover)
I own several of Alan Wallace's books. I like them all. He presents information from a Western perspective, which I find easier to understand. Here there are specific meditation techniques presented in detail. You are encouraged to practice for a while at each stage using the suggested exercises before continuing on in the book. This book serves as a nice checklist for a complete Buddhist meditation practice, including meditative quiescence (Shamatha), (Buddhist) wisdom meditation, dream yoga and more.Alan Wallace's other book, "The Attention Revolution: Unlocking the Power of the Focused Mind" would be more appropriate if your interest is specifically in meditative quiescence (mind training).
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not a Manual for Contentment, but a Path to Self-esteem, Jan 6 2007
By Arthur R. Murphy - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Genuine Happiness: Meditation as the Path to Fulfillment (Hardcover)
I read the first three chapters of "Genuine Happiness" as the textbook for a class in Tibetan meditation at a Buddhist monastery in Atlanta: a valuable supplement to techniques to quiet the `monkey mind' of frenzied western consumers.But the book, like Tibetan Buddhist meditation itself, is not about a technique for relaxation, nor merely an escape from frantic behavior. It is a path to an awareness of the necessity for ethical behavior: a prerequisite for true happiness. And, ethical conduct is based not only on clarity of thought but also an awareness of what service to other sentient beings entails.
As an entry to guided mediation, the book is helpful. (Although, mastering new concepts without the aid of an experienced teacher is worse than learning new software without at least a User's Guide.) Life is rarely "intuitive"... No meditation book can function as a self-contained manual.
The profound value of this book is its gentle synthesis of the rational views of western science with eastern visions of esoteric reality that surpass a biological understanding of consciousness. The last few chapters define levels of enlightenment that exceed what most of us can attain - levels of mastery that transcend western explanations of conscious control of our physical reality. These forms of enlightenment redefine the "Happiness" of the book's title.
If you are interested in a genuine path to happiness through service to others (with more self-awareness than one gets from the Boy Scout's oath), this book will be a wonderful companion for your journey.
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