What do you think?
Rate this book
Love Dharma
Not yet published
Expected 31 Dec 30Love Dharma combines the advice and humor of a great relationship book with the wisdom and compassion of a book on Buddhism. Author Geri Larkin offers wisdom relevant to today's relationships in the fascinating stories of Buddhist women who have achieved enlightenment. Although these women lived 2,500 years ago, during the time of the Buddha, their tales are still relevant today because they were able to transform personal disappointments or tragedies into personal triumphs by applying the Buddha's wisdom in their daily life. Readers will learn from:
-- the story of Ambapali, an independent and wealthy businesswoman who enjoyed many satisfying relationships without compromising her needs.
-- the story of Mallika, who would have terrible arguments with her husband over the Buddha's teachings -- until he also became a disciple.
-- the story of Capa who survived the loss of her lover with grace.Combining ancient Buddhist texts and personal anecdotes, author Geri Larkin, herself an ordained dharma teacher, presents sound, if uncommon, advice. She offers her light-hearted, humorous "crazy wisdom" to readers looking for new ways to deal with their relationships
-- the story of Ambapali, an independent and wealthy businesswoman who enjoyed many satisfying relationships without compromising her needs.
-- the story of Mallika, who would have terrible arguments with her husband over the Buddha's teachings -- until he also became a disciple.
-- the story of Capa who survived the loss of her lover with grace.Combining ancient Buddhist texts and personal anecdotes, author Geri Larkin, herself an ordained dharma teacher, presents sound, if uncommon, advice. She offers her light-hearted, humorous "crazy wisdom" to readers looking for new ways to deal with their relationships
- GenresSpiritualityBuddhism
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1900
3 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 18, 2022
I love all things that Geri Larkin writes. If she wrote a cookbook, I would buy it. If she wrote the back of the toilet paper, I would buy that. She's just so funny and smart and witty and wise and honest and humble. It's really refreshing. This book is a must for anyone looking for insight and advice on being in a relationship. Larkin uses stories of women in Buddhist history, reminisces from her own life, and lots of great love wisdom. Beautiful book here.
July 25, 2008
Disclosure: The author is a friend of mine going back to 2002.
Larkin is a Zen teacher who puts her personality, warts and all, into her books about practicing Zen and the Buddhadharma. She is the funny single mom you might know from the office or the gym, and yet she is a trained Zen priest who has worked as a corporate trainer, who has built Zen temples and trained younger priests.
Of all her several books, this remains a contender for my favorite. Her subject is an important one for the layperson finding their way in the modern world: sex, family, and relationship. The Dharma of Love. Throughout she is candid, wise, and speaks as one who has integrated her own personal roles as mother, woman, professional, and priest, into her awareness practice. Yet the book accomplishes one more notable thing.
The Buddhist stories she includes in this book are stories about women, some of which you are likely not to have seen or heard elsewhere. The Buddhist tradition can appear to be highly sexist - and it may be more than an appearance. Larkin has found, however, that there were strong women who were Buddha's contemporaries, and their stories have messages for women in the 21st century. It's a gift to the reader and to American Zen.
Larkin is a Zen teacher who puts her personality, warts and all, into her books about practicing Zen and the Buddhadharma. She is the funny single mom you might know from the office or the gym, and yet she is a trained Zen priest who has worked as a corporate trainer, who has built Zen temples and trained younger priests.
Of all her several books, this remains a contender for my favorite. Her subject is an important one for the layperson finding their way in the modern world: sex, family, and relationship. The Dharma of Love. Throughout she is candid, wise, and speaks as one who has integrated her own personal roles as mother, woman, professional, and priest, into her awareness practice. Yet the book accomplishes one more notable thing.
The Buddhist stories she includes in this book are stories about women, some of which you are likely not to have seen or heard elsewhere. The Buddhist tradition can appear to be highly sexist - and it may be more than an appearance. Larkin has found, however, that there were strong women who were Buddha's contemporaries, and their stories have messages for women in the 21st century. It's a gift to the reader and to American Zen.
July 22, 2010
giving it four. quite readable and went fast, which I consider to be some sort of +plus+ because I am a slow-ass reader. modern anecdotes mixed with synopses of anecdotes for women around Buddha's time. I think I wanted something to affirm a general Zen-like grounding about relationships (romantic and platonic), and it did.
some hesitance in star-rating is due to how the last chapter, on "Aloneness," seemed to fizzle out a bit. that was a little disappointing, since I feel that learning and experiencing aloneness is quite important in "life advice / self help," while that chapter ended up being the shortest and finished with a kinda indulgent poem.
however, once I thought about it: after relaying the stories of women who forsake their Western lives and go live in caves for twelve years, then emphasizing that aloneness is key, how much more can you say about it? the reader just has to DO it, right?
anyway, it has sex and breakups and man-takings and spurning and living in caves, so that's pretty cool.
some hesitance in star-rating is due to how the last chapter, on "Aloneness," seemed to fizzle out a bit. that was a little disappointing, since I feel that learning and experiencing aloneness is quite important in "life advice / self help," while that chapter ended up being the shortest and finished with a kinda indulgent poem.
however, once I thought about it: after relaying the stories of women who forsake their Western lives and go live in caves for twelve years, then emphasizing that aloneness is key, how much more can you say about it? the reader just has to DO it, right?
anyway, it has sex and breakups and man-takings and spurning and living in caves, so that's pretty cool.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2007
Great one! It surely helps me to go thru bad times.. people should read it, particularly those who had lost or going to lose their loved ones. Very enlightening..inspirational.. and helps a lot, to overcome grief and sadness.. To understand that it is okay to feel sad when you lose the ones you love.
May 6, 2008
It's not something you have to read cover to cover. I have picked it up a few times over the past few years and read a chapter here and there. It wasn't until recently that I needed a boost of wisdom while going through a painful break up. Regardless if you are in a relationship, this book gives powerful insite to love itself.
March 23, 2008
I seem to need to keep re-reading this book. It's an amazing set of lessons on how to be true to yourself while being in love. I highly recommend it to every woman on the planet.
June 23, 2008
Nice to pick up and read about ancient tales of polygamous love and how the women navigated through these relationships. Great wisdom, solid women.
September 12, 2012
It felt like it jumped around too much. Couldn't finish it. Didn't apply to me either.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews