The Positive Psychology of Buddhism and Yoga, 2nd Edition: Paths to A Mature Happiness - Softcover

Levine, Marvin

4.24

46 ratings by Goodreads

9780805838336: The Positive Psychology of Buddhism and Yoga, 2nd Edition: Paths to A Mature Happiness

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0805838333 ISBN 13: 9780805838336

Publisher: Psychology Press, 2000

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In a manner never before published, this book presents both Buddhism and Yoga and relates them to contemporary Western psychology. Although existing books begin with advanced concepts, such as emptiness or egolessness, The Positive Psychology of Buddhism and Yoga begins with very basic concepts and avoids the exotic and so called "mystical" notions. Levine emphasizes the goals of Buddhism and Yoga and the methods they employ to achieve those goals.

This book is divided into four sections. The first deals with Buddhism, the second with Yoga, and the third describes aims and practices in Western clinical psychology. The fourth section is a workshop on handling anger. The central lesson of the first three sections is that one can improve one's life by changing one's self. This fourth section applies this lesson and the methods of the three preceding sections to handling one's own anger. Overall the book is rich with Eastern tales and illustrative anecdotes. These concrete examples vividly illuminate the general conceptual presentation.

Levine shows not only the basic concerns of Buddhism and Yoga and how intensely practical their methods are but how these concerns and methods relate to those of modern Western psychology. Application to daily living is emphasized throughout.

The serious reader should start:
*to experience less anger, agitation, and stress;
*to improve relationships with coworkers, family, and friends; and
*to face life's challenges with greater wisdom and strength.

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About the Author:

Marvin Levine, a well-known researcher and theorist in cognitive-experimental psychology, received his M.A. at Harvard where he worked with B.F. Skinner and George Miller, and his Ph.D. with Harry Harlow at the University of Wisconsin. Since 1965 he has been a professor in the Department of Psychology at Stony Brook University.

His earliest work was on intellectual problem solving, research that served to counter the then popular conditioning view of human behavior. He later turned his attention to interpersonal problem solving, giving workshops on assertiveness training and anger management, and for several years helped resolve disputes as a volunteer mediator. He is also a published poet and a professional musician. As is revealed in this volume, all these activities have contributed to his understanding of human nature.

He also maintained a long-standing interest in Eastern philosophy. He gradually began to see similarities between the conceptions and methods of Buddhism and Yoga and those of Western psychotherapy. In this accessible book he discusses these three systems. The exotic and "mystical" trappings from Buddhism and Yoga are stripped away. The emphasis, instead, is on their aims and methods, and their relation to Western psychology. This approach provides a clear understanding of how to live a more useful, happier life. It is also an essential read for anyone interested in an enlarged framework for modern psychology.

Review:

There are few books that can make a real difference in people's lives--this is one of them....Levine's The Positive Psychology of Buddhism and Yoga is an intellectual tour-de-force. It is a 'must read' for any psychologist interested in Eastern thought. Many hundreds of millions of people believe that Enlightenment is the ultimate goal in life. Levine's new book could be the best first step toward becoming Enlightened that any of us will take. This work has the potential to become THE book that people (like me) recommend to many readers as a way to understand Eastern perspectives.
—George Howard, Ph.D.
University of Notre Dame

Marvin Levine tells a profound story in a style that engages while it informs us of new ways to view the world within ourselves and without....This book teaches us vital lessons about how these Eastern philosophical traditions can be integrated with Western psychological methods of understanding the mind...I think it has as much value to novices as well as to professionals in these areas. As a psychologist, Marvin Levine is uniquely qualified to reveal the strands of overlap between these Eastern views of the human condition and those in Western psychological practice.
—Philip Zimbardo, Ph.D.
Stanford University

This remarkable text ought to be of great interest to many psychologists. It very clearly explains the basic tenets of Buddhism and Yoga as they relate to happiness and then shows how these tenets make sense within the context of traditional academic psychology.
—Xenia Coulter
SUNY Empire State College at Ithaca

[The book] is lucid in its explanation of the principles of Buddhism and Yoga. I have never seen a clearer exposition of this kind. It makes a good case that many of these principles are compatible with those of modern, empirically-grounded Western psychology.
—Donald Routh
University of Miami

This book has promise of becoming an instant classic.
—Suresh Srivastva
Case Western Reserve University

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