A Handbook for the Spiritual Journey

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What a great little book. It's a small book, at least the copy I have is, which is a used paperback from It has about 40 less pages than the description states but I actually find that to be the case with many books I get from Amazon.

A Short Reading List for the Spiritual Journey

It's a nice size to hold in one hand and while it's a thin and easy read, there's actually a lot of great advice packed into this little book. One disclaimer, I never buy books on dating, this is the first one, so I can't compare it with any other dating books.

I got it for two reasons: Although I've practiced Buddhism for many years, I have recently devoted myself more than ever and want to make a conscious effort to keep my spiritual path in mind when meeting my future partner. The other reason I got this book is because I have another book by the same author that I like a lot If The Buddha Got Stuck and so I knew exactly what style of book this would be - casual, down to earth advice from a generally but not exclusively Buddhist perspective. It's the type of book you can open to any chapter that sounds good in the Contents and read out of order; each short chapter is an individual little gem.

The advice is sincere, touches on serious matters and yet remains lighthearted. It is definitely NOT a 'how-to' or instructional in any way. There's no advice in how to meet someone. It's more of a "where are you coming from?

It helps you examine relationship mistakes from past relationships and offers simple checklists of traits you might look for in a new partner, commonalities, etc. It's exactly what I was looking for; helpful advice to contemplate now while I'm still happily single. I want to be in a healthier mindset so my future relationship will be complimentary to my spiritual path, and that's just what this book is about.

There was one review I read that says this book isn't very Buddhist oriented, that there aren't many canonical references to Buddhist scripture, and complains that a bunch of other spiritual traditions are referenced. To me, this reviewer is "missing the forest through the trees" in a huge way! No, it is not full of a bunch of scripture references from Buddhist sutras, but that wouldn't fit with the casual lighthearted style of this book and I personally wouldn't want all those references in this particular type of book.

Yes, there are references and tidbits from various other spiritual traditions, Sufism, etc. In any case, that reviewer is of course entitled to their opinion, but I hate to see people get the idea that this is not Buddhist oriented because it absolutely is.

It's just not done in a very blatant, overly obvious manner. I think this is a good thing, so others who may be "spiritually-minded" but not specifically Buddhist can still fully enjoy this book. So keep in mind, it's not a book about Buddhism, no. But it's a book about dating from a Buddhist perspective.

I really enjoyed this book and found the advice to be sound and smart. Like a good friend, or a counselor, offering excellent suggestions. I will return to this book again and again. I really enjoyed this one. Lots of good advice for keeping the whole dating thing in perspective as well as being kind and compassionate to those we come in contact with and ourselves. It's difficult and scary to be vulnerable and honest when putting oneself out there and this book really gives a lot of insight into checking our motivations, handling rejection, respectfully telling others when we're not interested and so on.

One of the few books I've read on dating that actually offers sound advice and doesn't encourage playing games, being manipulative, or treating one another like we're from different planets. But it is slightly outdated and talks about placing ads in newspapers and doesn't really mention online dating, but the info and everything still applies.

Holy crap I feel as though my guarded heart has been burst open in the best of ways and as though the author is putting into words and normalizing all the relationship anxieties I have been feeling! What a relief to know I'm not the only one! What a gift she has for addressing this topic with profound wisdom and yet in the clearest language! Reading it has been an emotional workout be ready for some tough stuff to come up but I am extremely optimistic this will help me navigate my new romantic relationship with more grace and peace.

Purchased this book many years ago. I can recall loving it so much that I turned around and purchased copies for all of my single friends!! It was a kind and insightful way of looking at dating and being single. Not long after reading this book and distributing it to my friends I ended up meeting my husband and we are now expecting our first child. Allowing myself to open up to honest dating helped me to see the possibilities in not only my husband but myself. I highly recommend this book to anyone out there who is looking to explore a better way of being single and dating. This book is incredible.

Basically, this book is about how to be in a romantic relationship without losing yourself. It's all about integrity, dignity, and it is just amazing. I plan to study this book, I have only read it so far. This book is for anyone who has a history of or confusion with boundaries in relationships and a tendency to make another our HP.

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I think everyone I know could get something out of this book. I am also amazed at the authors insights. This is about spirituality, not science. Science has evidence, proof, this is just the authors ideas, beliefs, experiences, but it is truth. Might be one of the best books I have ever read. And, since it's not science, it's not going to change tomorrow when anther research experiment is complete and gives us yet again, totally contradictory information about how the world works. This book can cross cultural boundaries, it's universal truths.

Blah blah blah, I can go on. One person found this helpful. See all reviews. Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway.

A Handbook for the Spiritual Journey

Set up a giveaway. Customers who viewed this item also viewed. Calling in "The One": When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times. Pages with related products. See and discover other items: There's a problem loading this menu right now. This Handbook is for those who are awake enough to know the importance of waking up, and are wondering how best to go about doing that. The overarching rule governing the spiritual journey is simple, straightforward, always certain and dependable: Mindfulness leads the way. Your heart, soul, body, mind know all you need to know—all you need to do is know what you know.

Then, you only need to do what needs to be done about it. Mindfulness is the way of tuning into heart, soul, body, mind—within the context of the time and place of your living. It is the way of knowing what you know, and what to do about it, in a way that is fitting to the occasion in each situation as it arises. Mindfulness implies no judgment, no will and no opinion, just awareness, just seeing, just hearing, just knowing: We have to know what we know without judgment, will or opinion. Mindfulness practice does that for us—it helps us see what we are looking at, to know what we are doing—without a prejudicial bias that would blind—or bind—us to any aspect of the situation.

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We live with direction and preference, but we cannot will a particular outcome—or will to avoid one—without losing sight of some aspect of the situation. We cannot lose sight of any aspect of the situation, and respond to it in ways that are fitting and appropriate to that situation.

Our place is to be what the situation needs us to be, and let nature take its course. To do that, we have to get ourselves with our preferences, desires, interests, fear, anxieties and concerns out of the way in order to just see, just hear, just understand, just know what is happening, and what needs to be done about it, and just be who we are in dealing with the situation, and doing what needs to be done about it. Every good thing starts with mindful awareness, and requires courage. Get those two things going for you and you are off on your adventure.

One of the 10, Spiritual Laws is: Mindfulness is being transparent to ourselves, and aware of the situation unfolding before us, without judgment, will or opinion. We live knowing, and thus, know what to do. Then it is only a matter of having the courage to do it. What do we pay attention to when we pay attention? We are to be mindful of everything it is possible to be mindful of in every situation as it arises.

When we take everything into account, we become aware of all the ways our Self is attempting to communicate with us. As we open ourselves to the validity and reality of the our unconscious because we are unconscious of it Self, everything shifts. Too many people of all ages fail to live mindfully, fail to be aware without judgment, will or opinion of what is happening and how they are responding to it.

We cannot wait until we are 70 to start practicing being mindfully aware of our life without judgment, will or opinion. We do that over time. Being mindfully aware of things inner and outer, without judgment, will or opinion, is a life skill practiced, and developed, over the course of our life. Start being aware of the moment of your living—including your reactions to the moment of your living. Take everything into account. Practice seeing everything just as it is without embellishing it with judgment, will or opinion. Just know what is happening and what you are doing in response.

The experience of our direct, personal, experience, both inner and outer, is knowing on the deepest possible level.

Become curious about your experience, about where our attention goes, focuses, remains, rests. What is directing your attention?

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