Here is a universal, time-tested path for finding true meaning and joy in every aspect of our lives. Drawing on his 30 years of teaching and service, Bo Lozoff shows why compassion--not success, self-improvement, or self-esteem--is at the root of happiness. In 26 intimate, inspiring chapters--each accompanied by a specific practice--Lozoff covers themes such as developing honesty, learning humility, dealing with anger, and honoring relationships. He shows how practices such as a daily vow of kindness or a simple commitment of time with others can have a profound effect on ourselves and our world. Lozoff's stories and lessons can awaken everyone to a happier and more fulfilled life. Filled with lessons, wisdom, practices, and love. An invitation to a life well lived. -- Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart Bo Lozoff is a spiritual activist and co-founder of the Human Kindness Foundation, which sponsors the Prison-Ashram Project (founded twenty-five years ago with Ram Dass ), a quarterly newsletter, and Kindness House (a spiritual community that is open to visitors). He holds an honorary doctorate from the Chicago Theological Seminary. He has lectured in hundreds of prisons, universities, churches, and spiritual centers around the world and his work has been featured in many national publications. He lives outside of Durham, North Carolina. It's a Meaningful Life It Just Takes Practice By Bo Lozoff Penguin Books Copyright © 2001 Bo Lozoff All right reserved. ISBN: 0140196242 Chapter One Waking Up from the American Dream * * * I feel as if I've got all the right ingredients in place for a satisfying,enjoyable life. Bet they're not adding up in some essentialway. I still feel a sense of yearning for more, an absenceof real joy. What am I missing? The Buddhist tradition emphasizes an element of spiritualliving translated as "right view." The idea of right view, likethe old saying "Don't miss the forest for the trees," remindsus that no matter how many good components we mayhave for a fulfilling life, those components must also fit intoa bigger picture with which our individual lives are in harmony.In other words, if we come to some idea of what lifein the largest sense is about, then we may begin to understandwhy or how our personal life falls short of fulfillment.We may even be surprised to see that we are not so unfulfilledas we had thought. Much of our vague yearning andsense of incompleteness may be due to wrong views shapedby modern media and unrealistic expectations.     Be all you can be. Just do it! Climb every mountain. Dareto dream. These bumper-sticker philosophies of our daysound appealing on the surface, but they are tied to a consumermodel of life's purpose that never brings us thewholehearted satisfaction we inwardly crave, because consumerism?whilepromising satisfaction at every turn?relieson our never being satisfied. Underneath its ingeniouslywholesome images and compelling slogans, this lifeview is about selling products, nothing more.     The two chief forces of consumer marketing are desireand fear. Eat this, drink this, do this, drive this, and you willbe happy. Take this pill to avoid pain. Meanwhile, the spiritualteachings of the world point to desire and fear as thetwo great shackles of human existence, the two biggest barriersto our natural joy.     Of course, we all experience desire and fear. From thetime we are infants, desire for what may please us and fearof what may hurt us are important navigational systems.Their existence is not the problem; it's how we respond tothem that counts, how (or whether) we integrate them intoa more mature navigational system guided by right view.     The sophistication and power of modern advertising and"infotainment," and the consequent globalization of consumervalues?what many analysts have begun to callEarth, Incorporated?have made it harder and harder tointegrate our natural desire and fear into a mature navigationalsystem, because consumerism relies on ceaseless desiresand fears. Helena Norberg-Hodge, author of AncientFutures: Learning from Ladakh , makes the intriguing observationthat the entire world, at present, is dominated by amentality that used to be associated with American teenageboys smoking cigarettes and riding motorcycles in blackleather jackets.     Even if you and I have simplified our lives and haveadopted alternative values, it would be foolish to assume weare not influenced by the same blitz of messages and perspectivesthat bombard the mainstream culture with thelure of materialism, superficiality, and sense gratification.Let's face it: consumerism has taken over the world becauseit works! When I take the first bite of a Dairy Queen conedipped in melted chocolate?ah, delicious! I'm a happyman. But is there a cone in the world big enough to keepme happy for more than a few minutes?     Earth, Incorporated, exhorts us to pursue that ultimatecone with all our might (and dollars).