by Lorne Ladner
From the rear cover:
DON'T LEAVE HAPPINESS TO CHANCE
Modern culture has overlooked one of the most powerful inner resources for creating a life of
happiness and contentment. With The Lost Art of Compassion, clinical psychologist and
long time Tibetan Buddhist practionerLorne Ladner rescues compassion from the margins and
demonstrates its potential to transform our daily lives.
While interest in positive psychology is just dawning in the West, the cultivation of
compassion has been a cornerstone of Tibetan Buddhism for over a thousand years. This is the
first book to incorporate the Tibetan Buddhist teachings most suited to the demands of our
busy lives and provides a crucial perspective lacking in Western psychology. Bringing together
the best contributions of psychology and Buddhism, Dr. Ladner bridges the gap between East and
West, theory and practice, offering ten methods for cultivating joy and contentment amidst the
everyday challenges we face. The result is a highly practical, user-friendly guide to
discovering the neglected path of happiness in this modern world.
"Dr. Ladner brings his own passion to the cause of compassion. He shows how revolutionary a
lost art it really is. His book is inspiring for all of us, therapists and patients alike."
Mark Epstein, M.D., author of Thoughts without a thinker.
"Lost arts can be rediscovered and revived. Lorne Ladner is like an inner archaeologist
brilliantly illuminating the treasured jewels of compassion - an essential but often neglected
component of personal and global transformation.
Tara Bennet-Goleman, author of Emotinal Alchemy
"You've probably noticed you can't make yourself happy. Exercising compassion will not only
get you through a traffic jam, but it will begin building an unshakeable happiness. Dr. Ladner's
written a wonderful book.
Annie Dillard, author of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
Note: I have only just started 2 read this book but I highly recommend it - reading off a
computer screen cannot compare with sitting in a nice, comfy chair with a copy in your hot,
little hands :)
Some links:
What does the Dalai lama have 2 say?
Cultivating compassion for yourself is discussed in the book
Buddhanet is also worth a visit or 2
This forum has some Buddhist sites listed - they are on page 1 of 'Still crazy after all these years' & post number 2
Could search this interesting site
Pema Chodron is another wonderful teacher
Shambhala Sun is also searchable
This being the fist I click on
You must have compassion for yourself before you can have genuine compassion for others
To develop meaningful compassion for ourselves, we have to be willing and able to look deeply
at our own suffering and its causes. Doing this is sometimes so painful, heart-wrenching,
humiliating and terrifying that people avoid it at almost any cost - even when the cost is
terrible over a long period of time
May tap out more of this section but why not just buy the book ...
It's page 51 - great advice
Using a different search engine 4 an earlier theme
Another leads us 2 this page about the Dalai Lama
You might like 2 buy one of his books
More on overcoming desire - great chapter but I couldn't be bothered typing it up just now :)
Ladner advises us 2 analyse our own experiences with compassionate but ruthless honesty
This piece also follows a similar vein
Contentment is also something we can develop
That site has many interestin pages
The book tells us how 2 cultivate Bodhicitta
While contemplating impermanence & death ... I cannot recall a single person
who didn't, in his or her own way, respond that love, kindness and compassion were what
mattered most in the face of death
The ultimate aim of a Buddhist life is 2 become a Bodhisattva
The purifymind site is well-worth a visit or 2
Leads us to this HUGE list of sites about compassion
Nagarjuna gets a mention in the text
Advice 4 waking up and having another 24 hours to live
The book also discusses the projections we all tend 2 make
Lorne advises us on how 2 use our imagination to have more empathy 4 other people
He also discusses right speech in our daily conversations
The Buddha insisted that he would present or discuss only ideas that would help people attain happiness
and awakening; anything else was simply not worth our breath or our thought
By spending time regularly for months or years imagining how they received limitless love & kindness
over infinite expanses of time, meditators gradually develop an inexhaustible sense of
gratitude, love, affection & inner wealth
The key to happiness is to develop kind & compassionate thoughts
His holiness the Dalai Lama often notes that in order to avert war and bring about disarmament
in the world, we must begin by effecting an inner disarmament
The successful practitioner utterly destroys these inner enemies
Dharmaraksita wrote a poem on the subject
I often talk with people who have gained an absolutely clear insight that a current pattern is their inner enemy
bringing them and those around them only suffering, and yet they're terrified to change
The book speaks at length about inner transformation
If you're sincerely interested in being a more loving, good-hearted person then
it can be particularly helpful at the beginning to recognise that it's mainly through your
practice with difficult people that you will become confident that your inner development is
bearing fruit
May type more of this chapter but why not buy the book :)
Lorne discusses the many different prayer techniques that Buddhists employ
You can think of manifesting as a dear friend for all who are lonely, as a
builder for those without homes, as a teacher for those wanting knowledge, as a caring doctor
and nurse for those who are ill and as a protector for those who are afraid
There is an entire chapter devoted to the practice of tonglen
which can greatly enhance your capacity 4 compassion
Meditation is a vital factor in mental health
We are urged 2 cultivate positive emotions
When you strive to see the divine everywhere, including within yourself,
you naturally begin feeling a sense of connection and kinship with others and with the world
around you
When you view yourself and others as sacred, then you naturally see beyond any
temporary limitations and negativities to each person's underlying vast potential.
As we begin discovering the joy, fullness and sense of meaning that compassion
brings, we begin developing gratitude for those who give us the chance to practice compassion
One such insight is that when we view others through the eyes of compassion, then
no one - no matter how dirty, difficult, angry or annoying he or she may be - is beyond
deserving our compassion
That's up to page 277 ... then a summary of the practices ... so there you have it!
More on difficult people
Let's be grateful our basic needs are met as well as having
teachings 2 cultivate compasssion & wisdom
Transforming problems - saved :)
My own personal gratitude list -
Gift of life; wisdom in so many books; fitness; skills of sportsmen,
authors, actors; Haloperidol; musicians & singers; web sites; people at
forums; nature; photos;
God's love; human love (imperfect as it often is); jobs that produce or sell food or books etc
Great advice on cultivating compassion
The rear of the book has a summary of compassionate practices
This being the first 2 catch my eye
Not sure if the book will go into mindfulness so here's a good page on it - thanks 2 Emily :)
The mindfulness bell looks an interesting site
Here is a PDF file at their site
You can use this viewer for PDF files
Pema Chodron is another excellent teacher
Lojong is a way 2 train your mind
More wisdom from the Dalai Lama