June, 2005 
 
Jewel Tree of Tibet:
The jewel tree opens its loving embrace to everyone and promotes happiness—which is our natural state and birthright.” So states Buddhist scholar and author Robert Thurman in his introduction to this fascinating look into some of the main expressions of Tibetan Buddhism.
Thurman has every reason to write with authority on his subject. At the age of twenty-four in 1964, he was the first Westerner to receive ordination as a Tibetan Buddhist monk by the Dalai Lama; he presently teaches Indo-Tibetan Buddhist studies at Columbia University.
This book is not a mere study of Tibetan Buddhism, however; it is, in a way, a personal transcript of the author’s own inner searching and stumbling along the path to inner happiness and peace. He begins by presenting that which is central to any Buddhist teaching—meditation. The author clearly presents this important discipline in his opening chapter, “Grounding Your Meditation.” Later chapters examine the importance of adopting attitudes of love and compassion if we seek any kind of happiness in this life.
An important chapter on “Mind Transformation” presents some practical exercises in meditation to direct the mind into healthy, transforming channels. Tibetan Buddhism implies, and Thurman in his book would certainly support, the notion that happiness is what all of us seek.
How do we attain happiness? By sitting under the “jewel tree” of our own mind and finding within it the spiritual essence that blossoms into feelings of compassion and love to embrace all of humanity.
—Cliff Johnson
 
Give to Your Heart's Content:
Without Giving Yourself Away
Give to Your Heart’s Content is a mind-opening and soul searching awakening of the ways that we perceive ourselves in the acts of giving and receiving. It leaves us to ponder the reason for our giving. Are we giving as martyrs, as controllers, out of necessity, or out of obligation?
This book is prefaced on the honor of the soul’s desire for authenticity which includes our individuality, our strengths, weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and eccentricities in what we give and our styles of giving. Author Linda Harper points out that when we open the body, mind, and soul to giving and receiving it is a natural flow of these acts.
There are obstacles and responsibilities to the way we give and receive. One of the obstacles is when we are the martyr giver, which can entail self-neglect, we ignore our own needs until the needs of others are met. Harper drives the point home with a quote from an ancient philosopher, “Care about people’s approval and you will become their prisoner.”
Especially noteworthy suggestions from Harper: to become a soulful giver you have to nurture your self; give unconditionally, with no strings attached; and understand that when we ignore our individual uniqueness, we fall into the trap of giving what others think we should give.
Attention is also given to the premise that, true wisdom is the integration of your unique gifts of knowing yourself. To assist in that knowing, Harper includes quizzes to help us evaluate why we give and receive as we do.
Linda R. Harper is a clinical psychologist and a workshop leader who has been in private practice in the Chicago area for more than twenty years. She demonstrates that her understanding of human psychology is embued with a strong sense of the spiritual side of our behavior.
All in all, this book is a practical, insightful study on why and how we give to ourselves and others.
—Mary A. Porter
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