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Letting Go of the Person You Used to Be: Lessons on Change, Loss, and Spiritual Transformation
The beloved American Lama, a spiritual leader whose inimitable light and
lively universal teaching style has awakened the spirituality of thousands, now shares an enlightened approach to change and loss, dealing with difficult emotions such as fear, grief, and anger, and the role of crisis in uncovering our authentic selves.
For many people, recent years have been characteri...more
lively universal teaching style has awakened the spirituality of thousands, now shares an enlightened approach to change and loss, dealing with difficult emotions such as fear, grief, and anger, and the role of crisis in uncovering our authentic selves.
For many people, recent years have been characteri...more
Paperback, 240 pages
Published
August 24th 2004
by Three Rivers Press
(first published 2003)
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I've been having an odd time reading this. The first chapter started off in fairly standard cliched self helpish, and then suddenly veered into random chanting (a bit startling, considering there was no introduction to or explanation of the particular strain of Buddhism the author follows).
Along the way there have been some fair insights and a few worthwhile quotes and ideas, but I can't get past how American it is. The cultural references, phrasing, the stories. All seem very rooted in a parti...more
Along the way there have been some fair insights and a few worthwhile quotes and ideas, but I can't get past how American it is. The cultural references, phrasing, the stories. All seem very rooted in a parti...more
I am actually in the midst of reading this book and will probably clutch it to my chest for some time. At 23, I lost my son, Benjamin. At 25, my lover murdered his wife and through all of that, I lost a great deal - reputation, job, the sense of the world, etc. At 49, just two months ago, I lost my mother and had to let go of any hope of a relationship with my father. One more time, the world is a strange place and the sense of who I am has been shattered. This book is a godsend. Lama Surya Das,...more
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I'm apparently too tired not to give a book five stars tonight. No I actually did like all of these books. This book has a new age title, but thankfully the content is far more traditional. There is no karma drive through in das' world. This is a very "religious" book which for me is always slightly of being that I am not a very religious person. I don't believe in Tibetan Buddhism and am drawn to secular Indian and Zen for very specific reasons. But none of that negates the meaning of the Tibet...more
My younger brother died five days after Thanksgiving. Two months into his 33rd year, he'd been battling a host of health problems, complications of the Type 1 diabetes he'd been diagnosed with at age 17 months. Still, on the morning when he collapsed into my mom's arms after a mild complaint of not feeling good, his death shook me to the foundation of myself and my beliefs in the world. I wandered around the house the day after his memorial, knowing I needed to read something but not having the...more
Lama Surya Das does a great job of linking non-attachment to awareness and letting go whenever facing anything difficult in your life. He has a nice balance of both stories from different people's lives as well as general teachings on the topic. I have two other books of his that I haven't either started or finished but this book has really motivated me to dig into them.
I really enjoyed Surya Das' book "Awaken the Buddha Within" and so very much looked forward to reading this. Fortunately, I was not disappointed! Although a short read, Das manages to encapsulate a lot of Buddhist wisdom in ways that are both relatable and easy to grasp. When people ask me what they should read to get into Buddhism, Surya Das books are always at the top of the list for those very reasons. It can be difficult to relate to the life experiences of monks who have only known life in...more
Lama Surya Das is one of the wisest, most gentle people on this earth, and this book helped me through one of the most difficult periods of my life. Going through the loss of the love of my life not withstanding, this book changed me as a person and changed my outlook on life - even in a time of great pain and suffering. I recommend it to anyone dealing with loss or change, both of which are inevitable in this life. This book will change you, it will speak to you, and it will touch your heart.
I never would have read this book if I hadn't joined a book club where it was "assigned." I'm so glad I did. It was excellent. I've always been interested in Buddhism but struggled with the concept of detachment. Lama Surya Das explains Eastern concepts in a way that makes it easy for Westerners to understand. He bridges the gap between two extremely different worldviews, bringing some of the world's oldest wisdom to a new audience.
The Lama's greatest messages on loss are to accept them, grieve...more
The Lama's greatest messages on loss are to accept them, grieve...more
I loved this book enough to read it again, just so I could remember and highlight the points that stuck out to me. It is a book that will apply to anyone and everyone at some point in their lives, and I would consider it a must-read for every individual! It isn't preachy, it doesn't try to convert the reader to Buddhism or sway them to think one particular way. It simply points out the mindset of a Buddhist, and allows the reader to apply these views and values in his or her own life.
This is maybe the 8th or 9th Buddhist/Self-Help/Grieving/Renewal book that I've read in the past 2 months and I have to say I'm hanging up the hat with this one. I got it now. If you are brand new to the concepts of Buddhism, meditation, or mindfulness this is a good introduction, especially in the context of loss of a loved one, job loss, or loss of a goal or dream.
I was longing to read a book on transformation because of all of the emotional changes I've experienced in the last few years. Within the last year it seems all of the changes somewhat came to a boiling point and bubbled over but just when I thought the waters were calm another surge of change from all directions came flowing through. And yet another and I'm expecting another internal change any minute now. It is all so very exciting. This book served to feed that longing and help me relish in t...more
This book started off a little slow for me. As a friend stated, "it seemed like he was trying to work into the topic." However, as he got going he gave so many great exercises and examples that it made the topic very accessible. I also like how Lama Surya Das puts a western spin on Buddhism, not dumbing it down in any way, but making it more relevant to the daily lives of Americans. He provides a lot of stories and examples that are very easy to relate to. This is definitely one that I'll keep o...more
This was excellent. I plan on reading his other books on Buddhism as well. Over the past two years I went through a rough time, I had a relationship end badly, I lost a very dear friend to cancer and I have been finding peace and strength through Buddhist meditation practices. It has truly helped me work through some of the things that I need to work through and this book was a very helpful read. Highly recommended.
Nothing terribly new here if you've red other Buddhist philosophy books, and Surya Das relies on a few too many cliched phrases, but his message is innocuous, even comforting. Basically we all lose things/people whom we love in this life, so we need to cherish what we have now. Also there are all sorts of love beyond just romantic love--love of nature, animals, children, etc. There are plenty of opportunities to welcome new forms of love into our life.
My copy of this book is worn well... I have pages marked, highlighted and tabbed ... I have reached for this book many times after having read it. I recommend it to anyone looking for enlightenment.
One of those books I really want to read but don't know when I can find the time for the deep thinking needed in order to do so.
This is a book about transformation, letting go, clinging, and loss. I'm really enjoying this book.
A wise mentor gave me this book... I'm learning! Good read about loss and life.
I must be a Buddhist at heart:)
I resonated with much of the wisdom in this book. I did not discover anything new, but was reminded of wisdom I often lose sight of. At the end of the book, particularly the final chapter seemed forced and carried a new-agey/positive thinking vibe that I did not appreciate. It felt like he had to satisfy either his insecurity or a publisher to make sure to add a bunch of tips and superficial advice, which did not fit in well with the rest of the book, which seemed more real and substantial.
Not quite what I expected. The first half of the book primarily describes types of loss and that everyone has it. The second half was of more value though the only prominent thought I was left with was that the title of the book was somewhat misleading. The book is more about introducing awareness and what mindfulness is which can lead to change though the book falls short of actually addressing change or "letting go."
More great lessons to live by.
At the time, I read this book the first time, I read with interest about mediation exercises. Although heavily rooted in Buddlisht philosophy, it is universal in application. I love his easy to read, plain language explaining about complex philosophies. He also fills the book with living examples of people making that transformation. I use it like a manual!!!
I thought it was a very simple and easy to read book with excellent anecdotes. The subtle incorporation of basic meditation methods were very helpful and relatively easy to comply. For anyone wanting to start practicing meditation, at the same time wanting to understand the "how and why," this book will be a great tool.
Excellent so far...a life-saver.
Apr 30, 2011
Steven
added it
Very insightful and helpful if you want to change and let go of the muck we all carry around with us.
I enjoyed some of his other books, but this one seemed phoned in. Though there were some good insights here and there, much of it read like greeting cards.
This book truly changed my life, after a traumatic event it gave me the strength to carry on. I high recommend it to anyone going through a change in their life.
This was a good book. Good introduction to Buddhism,and lessons in change, as well as suffering and how to deal with life's troubles.
This book is as good as "Awakening the Buddha Within: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World"".. It's about seeking your own path..
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Lama Surya Das is one of the foremost Western Buddhist meditation teachers and scholars, one of the main interpreters of Tibetan Buddhism in the West, and a leading spokesperson for the emerging American Buddhism. The Dalai Lama affectionately calls him “The Western Lama.”
Surya has spent forty years studying Zen, vipassana, yoga, and Tibetan Buddhism with the great masters of Asia, including the D...more
More about Lama Surya Das...
Surya has spent forty years studying Zen, vipassana, yoga, and Tibetan Buddhism with the great masters of Asia, including the D...more
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