reading notes

by Sylvia Boorstein
ISBN: 9780345481313

I am not a reader of self-helpy type books. I’m not trying to cast aspersions on folks who are, though it is true my desire to make it clear I’m not generally a fan of the genre does probably have something to do with the idea that anonymous people on the internet who stumble over this review thinking I might be that kind of reader makes me cringe. [Insert obvious joke about perhaps needing self-helpy books here.]

The other reason to make it clear is that this is not a self help book. Sylvia Boorstein is a Buddhist teacher, a psychotherapist, and Jewish grandmother. While she does seem more patient and calm than the average bear, she’s no saint. This makes me trust her. She says, in her introduction:

I also thought about how easily my mind forgets what it knows, how easily it falls into confusion and out of caring connection. So I decided to write this book–not about avoiding confusion, because we can’t–but about becoming unconfused and restoring connection because it really is the best way to live.

I believe her. Meaning, I recognize that sort of confusion in my own life, it seems common sense that you can’t avoid it, and I think she has more practice than I do “becoming unconfused”.

What she does in this book is share the lessons learned from her practice. In a relatable, non-preachy way, she uses the Buddhist teachings of Wise Effort, Wise Mindfulness, and Wise Concentration (the middle steps of the Eightfold Path–and no, it doesn’t matter if you know what that is or not) as her framework. She tells stories about her friends, her husband, how she goes off track and gets back on again. I imagine she’d be a wonderful person to sit and share a cup of tea with on a rainy afternoon; her writing style makes her books feel like conversations.

If you are looking for an in-depth introduction to Buddhist principles and thought, this isn’t the right book. If, on the other hand, you are curious about Buddhist principles or what contemporary practice might look like, you’ll probably enjoy this. I don’t think you need to have an interest in Buddhism to get a lot out of this book, however. All you really need is an open mind, a willingness to listen, and perhaps a belief in the possibility of adjusting your attitude, because it is an inside job. Highly recommended.

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 21st, 2009 at 6:18 pm and is filed under nonfiction.