Simple Joys 2: Healing Words

Book Description:

FOREWORD

This is a book of readings for thinking people, for those who value self-understanding. We might see this as self-help servings of healing words from early Buddhist recipes for emotional health, a full life and spiritual liberation.

This anthology records my weekly reflections written from September 2009 to May 2011, in response to some current affairs or while reflecting on uplifting moments of being joyfully touched by the Buddha’s teachings, that is, by life’s simple and true realities. If you read between the lines, you would see that this is a record of your own feelings and joys that I have been privileged to notice, and which I have crafted together in the light of the Buddha’s teachings. You might at once see yourself in these writings; or, you might feel drawn to the feelings expressed here. You might even smile at what you are reading. And perhaps, you might lose yourself in deep joy in these healing words. This is why I have written these.

Buddhism, especially early Buddhism, is a teaching of simple yet profound joy and wisdom. We need some joy to really function effectively in our daily lives. We need some joy to jumpstart our meditations. And the wisdom that such activities bring forth only deepens and broadens that joy, so that we want to share it with others.

Yet, to be truly happy, we must learn to have moments of inner bliss, looking deeply at ourselves. This is a joyful way of telling ourselves that there is so much undiscovered and untouched goodness in us that continue to surprise us as we discover and touch the goodness in others.