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The Tibetan Art of Positive Thinking: Skillful Thought for Successful Living
The Tibetan Art of Positive Thinking
Tibetan Bön medicine is one of the world's oldest and most sophisticated systems of healing -- and the only one endorsed by the Dalai Lama. In The Tibetan Art of Positive Thinking, Christopher Hansard draws upon the practices and principles of Bön, along with his own knowledge of Tibetan teachings, to offer a series of simple, soulful meditations and exercises that can help you achieve spiritual, emotional, interpersonal, and professional success. You'll learn how
• connect to the energy of positive thought -- one of the most powerful
energy resources
• trust your inner wisdom and make decisions with greater ease
• confront your fears, accept disappointment, maintain hope
• enhance your relationships by giving unconditional love and helping others
...and much more. You are what you think -- and with this book as your guide, you can direct yourself toward greater freedom, meaning, and lifelong happiness.
Tibetan Bön medicine is one of the world's oldest and most sophisticated systems of healing -- and the only one endorsed by the Dalai Lama. In The Tibetan Art of Positive Thinking, Christopher Hansard draws upon the practices and principles of Bön, along with his own knowledge of Tibetan teachings, to offer a series of simple, soulful meditations and exercises that can help you achieve spiritual, emotional, interpersonal, and professional success. You'll learn how
• connect to the energy of positive thought -- one of the most powerful
energy resources
• trust your inner wisdom and make decisions with greater ease
• confront your fears, accept disappointment, maintain hope
• enhance your relationships by giving unconditional love and helping others
...and much more. You are what you think -- and with this book as your guide, you can direct yourself toward greater freedom, meaning, and lifelong happiness.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 27, 2008
Anyone who ever read or had interest in reading "The Secret" should give this a read instead. Rather than simply arguing for the effectiveness of positive thought, it delves into the practical and metaphysical mechanics of how thought patterns resonate as circumstances, as well as giving dozens and dozens of useful visualizations and meditative techniques for actually training your brain for positivity thought the same way you train your body for health.
You can actually use this book to build a custom meditation regimen that focuses on your problem areas of thinking, the same way a custom workout regimen nails your trouble spots.
You can actually use this book to build a custom meditation regimen that focuses on your problem areas of thinking, the same way a custom workout regimen nails your trouble spots.
May 11, 2013
A wonderfully written and easy to understand book on Buddhism. Sometimes in reading sacred texts, ideas and philosophies becomes somewhat of a college course rather than pleasurable reading. This book is very useful in lessons of forgiveness, spreading yourself too thin and learning to have a balanced relationship with yourself. Very easy meditations suggested with visuals that make integrating them as a part of daily life quite easy. You don't have to read this book chapter to chapter. Great advice on work life, friendships and family living. Wonderful read.
September 7, 2026
Positive thinking is a great idea. Unfortunately, this book didn't leave me with many positive thoughts about the book itself.
I picked up The Tibetan Art of Positive Thinking expecting something deeper—a meaningful combination of Tibetan wisdom, meditation and practical methods that I could actually carry into everyday life.
The premise sounded excellent.
The book draws from Tibetan Bön traditions and offers meditations, visualizations and exercises intended to help transform negative thinking, emotions, relationships and different areas of life.
But for me, the execution didn't work.
There are certainly some interesting ideas buried inside, particularly around becoming more conscious of your thoughts rather than simply reacting to everything happening around you.
But too often I found myself asking:
“How exactly am I supposed to apply this in real life?”
Some of the meditation exercises felt confusing rather than calming. Other readers have expressed a very similar concern, describing some of the techniques as difficult to follow or unclear.
I also struggled with some of the examples used to demonstrate how these practices supposedly transform people's lives. At times, the results felt too perfect or too convenient, making it difficult for me to connect the exercise with a realistic everyday experience. Publishers Weekly similarly noted that some of the real-life examples were less convincing than the underlying ideas.
And that's unfortunate because the core philosophy is interesting.
The idea that we can train our minds, become more aware of negative thought patterns and deliberately cultivate better mental habits is certainly worth exploring.
I just wanted the book to give me more clarity and less abstraction.
For a book called The Tibetan Art of Positive Thinking, I expected to finish it with a clearer understanding of how to actually practice these ideas consistently in ordinary life.
Instead, I finished with a handful of concepts I liked, but not enough that I would confidently recommend the entire book.
⭐⭐☆☆☆ 2/5
Interesting philosophy, some worthwhile meditation ideas, but too many exercises felt confusing and too many examples felt difficult to believe or apply practically.
There is wisdom here.
I just don't think the book delivers that wisdom in the clearest or most practical way.
The title promises an art. I was hoping for a method.
I found more philosophy than practical transformation.
I picked up The Tibetan Art of Positive Thinking expecting something deeper—a meaningful combination of Tibetan wisdom, meditation and practical methods that I could actually carry into everyday life.
The premise sounded excellent.
The book draws from Tibetan Bön traditions and offers meditations, visualizations and exercises intended to help transform negative thinking, emotions, relationships and different areas of life.
But for me, the execution didn't work.
There are certainly some interesting ideas buried inside, particularly around becoming more conscious of your thoughts rather than simply reacting to everything happening around you.
But too often I found myself asking:
“How exactly am I supposed to apply this in real life?”
Some of the meditation exercises felt confusing rather than calming. Other readers have expressed a very similar concern, describing some of the techniques as difficult to follow or unclear.
I also struggled with some of the examples used to demonstrate how these practices supposedly transform people's lives. At times, the results felt too perfect or too convenient, making it difficult for me to connect the exercise with a realistic everyday experience. Publishers Weekly similarly noted that some of the real-life examples were less convincing than the underlying ideas.
And that's unfortunate because the core philosophy is interesting.
The idea that we can train our minds, become more aware of negative thought patterns and deliberately cultivate better mental habits is certainly worth exploring.
I just wanted the book to give me more clarity and less abstraction.
For a book called The Tibetan Art of Positive Thinking, I expected to finish it with a clearer understanding of how to actually practice these ideas consistently in ordinary life.
Instead, I finished with a handful of concepts I liked, but not enough that I would confidently recommend the entire book.
⭐⭐☆☆☆ 2/5
Interesting philosophy, some worthwhile meditation ideas, but too many exercises felt confusing and too many examples felt difficult to believe or apply practically.
There is wisdom here.
I just don't think the book delivers that wisdom in the clearest or most practical way.
The title promises an art. I was hoping for a method.
I found more philosophy than practical transformation.
November 18, 2018
Skilful thoughts for successful living. That's what the cover says. On the inside, this book is very clear about one thing: Through Thought we create our world. And yes box, we sure do.
A book I will reread more than once, I already know!
https://helenaroth.com/the-tibetan-ar...
A book I will reread more than once, I already know!
https://helenaroth.com/the-tibetan-ar...
August 31, 2021
Hansard touches on some great points and speaks about Bön in a light I have never heard before.
The stories are greAt and the examples. I enjoyed the end and also the idea of which thoughts you should not harness and why you do. Integrity, identity, thoughts, this book helps you grow into the best you.
The stories are greAt and the examples. I enjoyed the end and also the idea of which thoughts you should not harness and why you do. Integrity, identity, thoughts, this book helps you grow into the best you.
February 21, 2018
book itself is quite good, but maybe this is translation issue, the meditation technique is strange. also author describes one successful example in each chapter, and i would say they are too good to be true.
May 26, 2021
Good book usefull
July 16, 2008
I like this book. It has a sort of fairy-tale beginning when the author is chosen by his master on some random beach, and his parents actually let him go off and study with the guy.
What I hate about it: the meditations are often extremely confusing, and so sometimes I have to keep re-reading them, which makes it not at all like meditating. Also, the stories at the end of each meditation that prove how amazing that meditation is are really really hokey. Really, he's a fairly bad writer, but you can tell that he's a good teacher (unfortunately I'm very picky about my prose).
Anyone have a good suggestion for a beginner's alternative?
What I love about this book: it opened my eyes to a lot of the issues I never knew I had, and it's helped me to be more mindful. I hadn't heard my heart beat since the fifth grade, I think, and that's in a lot of the exercises. It helped me survive a break-up.
What I hate about it: the meditations are often extremely confusing, and so sometimes I have to keep re-reading them, which makes it not at all like meditating. Also, the stories at the end of each meditation that prove how amazing that meditation is are really really hokey. Really, he's a fairly bad writer, but you can tell that he's a good teacher (unfortunately I'm very picky about my prose).
Anyone have a good suggestion for a beginner's alternative?
What I love about this book: it opened my eyes to a lot of the issues I never knew I had, and it's helped me to be more mindful. I hadn't heard my heart beat since the fifth grade, I think, and that's in a lot of the exercises. It helped me survive a break-up.
October 4, 2012
I could not bring myself to trust the author, and ultimately could not finish the book. While I definitely do agree that worlds are created and destroyed in our minds by our thoughts and perceptions, to claim to use the power of your thoughts to change the course of other people's lives or to cause someone to do something that they would not otherwise have done is either dishonest or delusional. We do not control the actions or thoughts of others, but are indeed the masters of our own mental headspace and our own actions.
February 23, 2011
I haven't finished it, but as noted in another review, the meditations were long and confusing.
It had some good ideas - like thinking in a way whereby you make negative thoughts go away.
However, whenever an author suggest a set method for doing something and insists you do it only the way he suggests, I get a bit weary.
I returned the book back to the library - but might check it out again sometime.
It had some good ideas - like thinking in a way whereby you make negative thoughts go away.
However, whenever an author suggest a set method for doing something and insists you do it only the way he suggests, I get a bit weary.
I returned the book back to the library - but might check it out again sometime.
November 29, 2011
A nourishing book I would say. The introduction is called “Fire in the Heart”! This book teaches about skillful thinking and how to train your brain to think positive and move away from negative thinking – really good training for me. I loved this book and will read it again and again I know.
April 1, 2013
This is really a reference book, to go back to over and over again, each time gleaning more wisdom. The thought focus work, like anything practiced repetitively, becomes more powerful through time; one learns to have a trained mind. Fantastic book.
September 13, 2008
I am just using this book for a source of meditations to direct my inner life Based on ancient Tibetan practice callsed Bon.
Read
June 18, 2012Changed my life
August 19, 2012
Inspiring book. Deep, with common sense. Budhist chamanism. Realistic exercises. It´s good for a chage in your life. It´s a good book to give to someone as a token of appreciation.
December 31, 2012
This is a great book of meditations and visualizations. Sometimes we all need a little tool to go deeper with our meditation practice.
February 8, 2013
Picked this up in a second hand bookstore for 1 pound ages ago and have now bought it for all my friends!! My go to book whenever I need a life pick me up! Wonderful
April 12, 2022
Christopher presented some great ideas to think about and integrate into life, but I find many of them difficult and can't really figure out where to start.
July 25, 2007
Don't miss this! Fantastic! Calm thoughts in a frantic world!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews