In Love with the World: What a Monk Can Teach You About Living from Nearly Dying

I have the greatest respect and gratitude for Mingyur Rinpoche's journey that is so beautifully described in this book. Rinpoche's decision to step away from the very protective form of life he lived as "royalty" in his Tibetan Buddhist lineage, and to expose his body and mind to the full experience of a life of poverty in India, was breathtaking in its commitment to living the truth. He very clearly expresses his deep grasp of the teachings of Vajrayana Buddhism in the book, but what makes it so beautiful and so useful is his choice to open his life up to the complete vulnerability that underlies all life in this universe. And it is very useful that he puts his journey in the context of the bardo teachings, which really just point to the truth that all safety is always provisional. Rinpoche very intentionally took his journey into total vulnerability, and the only resource he could actually carry with him was the profound alchemy that had happened in his heart and mind through his practice and study. There's a couplet from Rumi that goes something like, "I want to kiss Your face." "Well, the price of kissing is your life." Rinpoche took that bargain, and he came so very close to literally giving over his life! I am so grateful for the almost "accidental" series of events that allowed him to survive - for the sake of his students, for the sake of his family, and for the sake of all who read this book. I've gotten about ten other people to read the book, and they are universally grateful.

Here's my take on this book. It's indeed admirable that this Tibetan Buddhist abbot left his monasteryto go wandering, as it were, following in the Buddha's footsteps of "going forth into the homeless life" . It's just disappointing that he only chronicles the first couple of weeks of that 4 year period. What happened after the first month? He uses his experiences during the first few weeks as the basis for teaching how a practicing Buddhist could meditate on his predicament no matter how extreme. That's well and good, and I truly appreciated how he could attempt to meditate despite the painful illness, which appears to be intestinal dysentery, which he contracted from tainted restaurant hand-outs. Subsequently he became more and more dehydrated and then became comatose at which point the custodian of the location he had sat in meditation, took pity on him and took him to the hospital for intravenous fluid re-hydration. But I started this book expecting to hear more about his 4 years of a wandering retreat. I guess he just wanted to utilize a recounting of the first couple weeks so as to make that a teachable moment out of the experience. I really think the author owes us, his readers, a full accounting of the 4 year period during which he undertook this journey. I wish I could actually reach out and tell him that, but I know too that he will never see my comments. For this omission, I will have to subtract one star.

i am halfway through. engaging story with lots of practical tips for integrating meditation/awareness practice relating to weathering life's ups and downs. this is a quick read, written for the modern audience. had heard lots of accolades before i got the book. does not disappoint.

The delivery came a wee bit late for my use in a seminary class. That was setting near death experiences, but I appreciate it anyway. The book is in good condition and it was wrapped in a protective fashion to make sure it arrived in good shape.

This is a refreshing book. It covers some Buddha teachings through his experience with a story to fallow as well.

Very helpful ! It is a testament to putting the wisdom of Buddhism into practice under very difficult circumstances. It is very inspirational!

Good read

I find this book spectacular and hugely inspiring but at the same frustrating.Spectacular in the descriptions of the awakening towards the end. The whole story of just wandering off in the middle of the night on a mission of awakening is massively inspiring. I just wish there was more of the story, hence the frustration. Half way through the book Rinpoche is on day three of a 4 year retreat.I guess different people will be reading this book, some long term students of Mingyur Rinpoche such as myself. Others will basically know nothing about Buddhism.For me, it was frustrating to read as it just wasn’t Rinpoche’s voice. There were all kinds of phrases and expressions that Rinpoche wouldn’t say so it didn’t feel like him telling the story. While it’s always useful to review teachings no matter how familiar, I found it frustrating reading a paragraph of the story, then reading a few pages of Buddhist theory.For people who don’t know anything about Buddhism I imagine it would all be a bit hard to digest. I mean the main topics discussed in the first half were emptiness, non-self and nature of mind. The second half of the book covered dream yoga, dissolution stages of dying and mother-child luminosity. With bardo being the underlying theme. Although I must say it is very well written.I’m glad I’ve read it as it’s so inspiring, I just wish it was done a bit differently.

Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche has used his journey away from his roots to teach the reader the basic tenets of his Buddhist philosophy, thus making it easily digestible. If the book had been entitled a teaching of Buddhism like is usual, it would not have reached so many. His story is highly engaging and along the way he explains how we can benefit from the way of Buddhism in modern life. He teaches us meditative awareness, bardo states, encroaches on the wisdom of the great seeker - Milarepa as he sets out to explore the depths of who he really is in the world, anonymous and alone. You will also read of his near death experience and how he overcame it.

I just reread this almost immediately after finishing the book, very powerful teachings in the Tibetan tradition that I have been drawn to at this time.The dharma as therapy or a bandaid falls way short of the buddhadharma’s magnificence and I find this book a reflection of that.Not for the faint hearted X

This book is a very raw look at the limits of mindfulness in a controlled environment. It highlights how hard it is to be mindful during truly difficult circumstances, but in the end shows how important it is to train the mind to handle things more successfully.

A gift from a friend that I couldn't put down, inspirational and led me to want to read and learn more from Mingyur Rimpoche. Brilliant.