Girls Seek Bliss: Zen and the Art of Modern Life Maintenance

As a 23 year old girl interested in self help and buddhism this book was a great introduction to those two categories. I was brought up buddhist because of my parents, but never practiced or looked into buddhism until recently. I started feeling unsatisfied with my life and needed something to find hope in and after reading "Girl seeks Bliss" which seemed pretty much aimed at someone like myself, I have been much happier and look at life in a different way. The author makes buddhism wisdom easy to understand and helps the reader use that buddhist wisdom for their everyday life. My friend who is muslim started reading my book for fun and has a completely different perspective on life. This book can really be used for anyone....whether you are buddhist or not.

No, this is not the typical book on Buhddism, and that is why it appealed to me. The author, who lives in New York City has presented a very readable, easy to follow, guide on how to bring the basic aspects of buhhdism into our everyday lifes, and presents it in a FUN way. One suggestions she presents for when you are stuck in traffic, as most of us city dwellers can relate to, is instead of wasting engery getting upset, why not "practice thinking good thoughts about the people around you - especially the ones who are driving or acting like idiots..." She has another quick antidote in reference to something we all can relate to. It is along the lines of how the next day, after a fight with someone you love, you wonder why you got that upset to begin with. Her presentation of 'tonglen' a buhhdist practice of acting like a filter and breathing in bad emotions and thoughts, filtering out the negative and exhaling only good, or neutral things helped me withing 10 minutes of reading it. I had gotten a nasty email from a manager, and instead of reacting to it instantaniously, I took the above mentioned approach, and went on to enjoy my evening, knowing that I could deal with the manager face to face the next day, and I wouldn't be negatively affected by her words. I believe that this is a very fun and enjoyable read for anyone that doesn't have hours to read the indepth details and philosphies of Buhhdism, but would like to be more at peace in their everyday lifes. One short chapter a day can go along way if you truly want to chill out a bit, and start looking to alternatives to being bummed out, disappointed, feeling sorry for yourself, constantly angry at others, or any of the negative thoughts that can bring us down on a daily basis Regardless of our Age!! I am 47 and totally respect this young ladies insight and ability to present her thoughts with so much insight and Fun.

This book does a good job of teaching the (very) basics of Buddhism in a way that is appealing to their target audience (young women in their 20's and 30's.) While Buddhism scholars would most likely find it shallow and simplistic (it mentions sex positions!), it fulfills its intended purpose quite well. The principles given are very practical, with many examples, which makes it easy to apply what you learn in your day-to-day life. I don't know if this would be the right book for someone intending to begin a serious study of Buddhism, but for those with a fleeting interest in the religion, or just looking to simplify their life and "lighten up" it's an easy, interesting read that can really benefit your life if you take the principles learned to heart. (and no, you certainly don't have to become a Buddhist to act upon what's learned in the book).

"Girl Seeks Bliss" by Nicole Beland - The cover exposes this book's obvious marketing recipe: Take two hot trends in publishing (chick lit and spirituality), mix and make money. But inside is a surprisingly thoughtful introduction to the basics of Buddhism. Yes, it's packed in pop culture, with tips like: "Learn Buddhist breathing techniques so you can chill out instead of flip out when life throws you for a loop," or "Bring the Buddha to work" to achieve career satisfaction. But with all its breeziness, the book also does a fine job of guiding readers through the core teachings of Buddhism. There's an overview of Buddhist history, an introduction to the Four Noble Truths and tips on meditation technique. Often, writers who attempt to offer a "relevant" interpretation of their faith tradition fail to present a fresh perspective,or end up hedging on the integrity of the teachings. Nicole Beland finds a middle way,relating to young readers while remaining true to the spirit of Buddhism. It may not be the last word on Buddhism, but for her intended audience,it's a good place to start.

I picked it up thinking it would be a good book to share with my sister who is slowly getting into Buddhism. I ended up buying it for myself. Although I've been into Buddhism for a little while now, Nicole Beland's way of describing the Four-Noble Truths and the Eight-fold Path were beautifully written. Also, the chapters on Dating and Relationships go both ways. I simply read it, replacing the hers with hims and hims with hers. As a guy, Girl Seeks Bliss is one of my favorite Buddhism guides that I've come across.