BOOKS
Sangha assigned book reading list; these are books suggested by Frank and Terry.
Training in Compassion Norman Fischer
Zen Mind, Beginners Mind Shunryu Suzuki Roshi
The Heart of Understanding Thich Nhat Hahn
It’s Up To You, The Practice of Self Reflection Dzigar Kongtrul
on the Buddhist Path
Rebel Buddha Dzogchen Ponlop
A Path with Heart Jack Kornfield
Dancing with Life Phillip Moffit
Breath by Breath Larry Rosenberg
Seeking the Heart of Wisdom Jack Kornfield and Joseph Goldstein
Touching Enlightenment Reginald Ray
Falling into Grace Adashanti
The Way of Liberation Adyashanti
Don’t Look Down on The Defilements Ashin Tejaniya
Other recommended books
On Psychology
Toward a Psychology of Awakening, John Welwood
Buddhism, psychotherapy, and the path of personal and spiritual transformations.
On Insight (Vipassana) Meditation Instruction
Seeking the Heart of Wisdom, Jack Kornfield and Joseph Goldstein
Mindfulness in Plain English, Venerable Henepola Gunaratana
Insight Meditation: The Practice of Freedom, Joseph Goldstein
On Brahma Vihara Practice
Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness, Sharon Salzberg – Theravadan Perspective
Wake up to your Life, Ken McLeod (Read Chapter #7 for a Vajrayana perspective)
General Buddhism
When Things Fall Apart: Pema Chodren (Tibetan Teacher)
Everyday Zen: Love and Work, Charlotte Joko Beck (Zen Teacher)
Buddhism without Beliefs: A Contemporary Guide to Awakening, Stephen Batchelor (non-denominational Buddhist)
Psychology
Thoughts without a Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective, Mark Epstein.
A good book bridging the worlds of western psychology and Buddhist thought.
Soul without Shame, Byron Brown. A good little book on working with the “superego” using methods outside but complimentary to meditation practice. Since the internal structure of the critic is often a strong hindrance to meditation practice and development of the inner life it is worth exploring alternate methods for skillfully working with it.
Articles
Doing the Buddha’s Practice, Jack Kornfield.
Mindfulness/awareness was the meditation the Buddha himself practiced,
and taught. It was his basic prescription for human suffering. Looking at life
with an open and nonjudgmental attention, we see our confusion and develop
insight. This is the basis of all Buddhist practice and the key to liberation.
The Healing Power of Mindfulness, A Shambhala Sun Forum with Jon Kabat-Zinn, Daniel Siegel, and Susan Bauer-Wu.
The transcript of a panel discussion among leaders in mindfulness and integrative medicine.
Additional Book Group Reads
The Five Invitations, Discovering what Death can Teach us about Living Fully … Frank Ostaseski
World As Lover, World As Self, Courage for Social Justice and Ecological Renewal, a Guide to Living Fully in Turbulent Times … Joanna Macy
The Diamond in Your Pocket, Discovering Your True Radiance … Gangaji
Ten Poems for Difficult Times … Roger Housden
Welcoming the Unwelcome, Wholehearted Living in a Brokenhearted World … Pema Chodron
Awakening the Kind Heart, How to Meditate on Compassion … Kathleen McDonald (Venerable Sangye Khadro)
How to See Yourself as You Really Are … His Holiness the Dalai Lama
This is Water, Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life …
(Kenyon College commencement address) … David Foster Wallace
The Heart of Understanding, Commentaries on the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra … Thich Nhat Hanh
The Work of This Moment … Toni Packer
Emotional Chaos to Clarity … Phillip Moffitt
no death, no fear – Thich Nhat Hanh
The Feeling Buddha – David Brazier