The Positive Psychology of Buddhism and Yoga

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	• The Positive Psychology of Buddhism and Yoga : Paths to a Mature Happiness Marvin Levine Lawrence Erlbaum, 2000 - 256 pages average customer review:based on 16 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Excellent piece of work

This book does an incredible job of making buddhism and yoga accessible to the average, everyday man or woman raised in the west. The author has clearly spent years studying this material and is able to translate and present important concepts it in a format that is easy to digest but no less profound. Whenever the author presents an important eastern concept, he anchors that eastern concept to a western concept, which makes otherwise foreign ideas easy to relate to. Excellent work. By far this is the clearest, most well written introduction to basic buddhist beliefs I have read.

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The Positive Psychology of Buddhism and Yoga

This book was outstanding! I have been in the martial arts for 33 years and most of that is has been with the study of Buddhism. This book was stellar in clearing up many of the cofusions that I did (and didn't) know that I had. I always thought that Buddhism was a philosophy! Not! It is an empirical study of your own mind. I highly recommend that all students of Buddhism and Yoga add this to your library. Even if you find it a repeat of what you already know you will love it as a 'loner' to friends.

Greg Sluys - Ferndale, WA.

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Buy this book

Not only would you do well to buy this book and read it, you would do better to memorize it. The benefits for your time and effort will be rewarded 100 times over. This is the first book I ever read that when I finished it, I went right back to page one and read the whole thing again.

There are several reasons why I am so enthusiastic about this book. For one, it is the most accessible introduction to Buddhism and Yoga that I have found. Levine keeps the jargon to a minimum and instead gives a sensible and straightforward explanation of subjects that are all-too-often made to sound complicated. The ideas are very simple and very useful, and Levine has a knack for conveying that.

Secondly, Levine is an accomplished researcher in cognitive psychology and he seamlessly blends ancient eastern philosophy with modern psychology. He makes profound philosophical insights sound like the plain common sense that they actually are. His sections on communicaton and anger-reduction strategies are indispensible. Neither venting anger nor suppressing it is effective. The only useful long-term strategy is to reduce it at the source, by changing the way we think about things. Levine has succeeded in making that point clear.

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M.A.S.T.E.R.L.Y

Not so many books became instant "classics", this is one of them. As many people, I've read a lot of books on Buddhism, knowing intuitively that there is something interesting there.

I don't know for you, but for me, this gave me by moments an impression of a course in a complex and sometimes confusing jungle. A territory in which the sources are not always highly reliable or captivating. In such a context, the work of Marvin Levine is THE book which I hoped for years.

I am traditionally not a "fan" of the use of superlatives. But in this case,it would be particularly difficult to react differently: Marvin Levine book is truly an outstanding one.

The reasons are many. Among them,

- the text contain one of the clearest and straightforward explanation of the Core of Buddhism available. I've personally never found something like this and didn't knew it exists.
- the amazing relation between Buddhist approaches and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is remarkably explained. Moreover, Levine is a recognized expert in the field of CBT.
- the source is reliable, which is not always easy to find. No "pop-psychology" or "academic annoyances" will be founded here.
- the overall book style is attractive, in addition to its other qualities, this pure gem offer a real and intense reading pleasure.
- this is the kind of book that one preserves preciously in his/her library < in my opinion,the hard-bound edition, of excellent quality, is worth to be considered >
- I don't know excactly why, but,the reading generate an true impression of personal enrichment. Also, this is the kind of book you "feel good" when reading it. Very Positive.
- The uncommon presentation of the Buddhists and Yogic principles is done is such a way that you can DO something with the material, you can apply it if you wich.
- ...
In one word: Remarquable. I hope that this review will contribute to the share of a rare pleasure.

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Promises to be a Classic

This book is both a wonderful introduction to the psychological frameworks of Buddhism and Yoga (B&Y) and--most importantly--a practical guide to applying these systems to develop greater emotional maturity and overall wellbeing. According to Levine, the path to mature happiness developed in the ancient philosophies of B&Y requires calming one's conditioned beliefs and "passions" to allow greater control by the "anterior mind" (the "mind's eye" capable of observing, contemplating, and directing the mind). At the extreme, an "immature" individual is entirely conditioned by his or her culture, language, and biology--yielding the positive functions of anterior mind nonfunctional. Much like a little child, such a person's mental state is completely at the mercy of the external environment. He/she feels alright when a craving or ego desire is fed--but falls into tantrums and anguish whenever a craving or desire cannot be satisfied. Moreover, perception and interpretation of external events are distorted by the conditioned mind and its many unchecked passions (ego needs, cravings and attachments, fears and aversions, antipathies and resentments). The result is a life filled with suffering and illusion.

Fortunately, children typically do learn to moderate their most selfish behaviors as they grow to adulthood: "[P]art of growing up entails learning some self-transformation" (p. 54). Nevertheless, Levine points out that our American vision of "normal" allows for a mix of mature and immature behavior. "Normal" adults experience disquieting feelings (anger, pettiness, impatience, envy) quite regularly: e.g., when "stuck" in a traffic jam or when passed over for promotion at work. Because such unhappy events are common, many of us spend a great deal of time and energy feeling upset about one thing or another.

Levine points out that we don't have to live that way. Through the cultivation of positive attitudes (harmlessness, truthfulness, trustworthiness, sexual restraint, nonmaterialism) and practices (mindfulness, yoga poses, meditation), the anterior mind is freed more and more to reflect upon one's own mental processes and even transform them for the better. Thus the daily agitations diminish and we feel a greater sense of equanimity and happiness.

Viewing these ancient philosophies through the lens of American "positive psychology," Levine succeeds in developing a powerful "Yogic" model of cognitive processing that shares much with Albert Ellis (e.g., A Guide to Rational Living), Aaron Beck (Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders), David Burns (e.g., Feeling Good), and Martin Seligman (e.g., Authentic Happiness). As such, this highly readable book makes a major contribution to American "Cognitive Therapy." But while mainstream cognitive approaches are limited to diverse techniques for coping with irrational thoughts or troubling events, the Yogic approach described by Levine is comprehensive and holistic. I have began working with these ancient ideas and practices -- my early results suggest a potential to transform every aspect of one's life (mental, emotional, spiritual)!

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4

In a manner never before published, this book presents both Buddhism and Yoga and relates them to contemporary Western psychology. Although existing books begin with advanced concepts, such as emptiness or egolessness, The Positive Psychology of Buddhism and Yoga begins with very basic concepts and avoids the exotic and so called "mystical" notions. Levine emphasizes the goals of Buddhism and Yoga and the methods they employ to achieve those goals.

This book is divided into four sections. The first deals with Buddhism, the second with Yoga, and the third describes aims and practices in Western clinical psychology. The fourth section is a workshop on handling anger. The central lesson of the first three sections is that one can improve one's life by changing one's self. This fourth section applies this lesson and the methods of the three preceding sections to handling one's own anger. Overall the book is rich with Eastern tales and illustrative anecdotes. These concrete examples vividly illuminate the general conceptual presentation.

Levine shows not only the basic concerns of Buddhism and Yoga and how intensely practical their methods are but how these concerns and methods relate to those of modern Western psychology. Application to daily living is emphasized throughout.

The serious reader should start:
*to experience less anger, agitation, and stress;
*to improve relationships with coworkers, family, and friends; and
*to face life's challenges with greater wisdom and strength.

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