Going On Being

Buddhism and the Way of Change--A Positive Psychology for the West

By: Mark Epstein

Narrated by: Mark Epstein

Before Mark Epstein became a medical student at Harvard and began training as a psychiatrist, he immersed himself in Buddhism through experiences with such influential Buddhist teachers as Ram Dass, Joseph Goldstein, and Jack Kornfield. The positive outlook of Buddhism and the meditative principle of living in the moment came to influence his study and practice of psychotherapy profoundly. Going on Being is Epstein's memoir of his early years as a student of Buddhism and of how Buddhism shaped his approach to therapy, as well as a practical guide to how a Buddhist understanding of psychological problems makes change for the better possible.

In psychotherapy, Epstein discovered a vital interpersonal parallel to meditation, but he also recognized Western psychology's tendency to focus on problems, either by attempting to eliminate them or by going into them more deeply, and how this too often results in a frustrating "analysis of analysis." Buddhism opened his eyes to another way of change. Drawing on his own life and stories of his patients, he illuminates the concept of "going on being," the capacity we all have to live in a fully aware and creative state unimpeded by constraints or expectations.

©2001 by Mark Epstein (P)2001 by Audio Renaissance, an imprint of Renaissance Media, Inc.

Going on Being

Amazing insights into both meditation and psychotherapy. Good examples. Soothing voice. P Ames my interest in learning more about both subjects.

My Opinion

On the very inspirational. Excellent !!.I love the story and the narrator was very My Opinion.

A Different Take on Buddhism

I really enjoyed this audiobook. It's written from a psychology perspective, and although it's a very simple read (or listen), it's very poignant. It's told in an easy to listen to way, with the authors' conversations and experiences both as a buddhist and a psychiatrist, and the two concepts mesh nicely.

I also love it when I learn something new, and he made several very interesting observations that will have me going back and listening to it several times to fully absorb it.

My only complaint is that I wish it were longer, but it's a great read!

Voice interrupted

A book with interesting points and information. I was overly distracted by the narrators voice. Forcing me to have to rewind over and over. Would recommend The Untethered Soul.

Lucid Teaching for Living In the Moment

Mark Epstein is a brilliant psychiatrist (Harvard undergrad and Harvard Medical) and a practicing Buddhist. He first began to practice buddhism during his undergraduate days at Harvard, spending time at Naropa in Boulder, CO, and with various Buddhist teachers in the Boston area. His world view of what it means to live an enlightened life, to be present, is deeply informed by the intersection of the best of Buddhist and Western psychology. This intersection is a very fertile place for us. Mark reads his work in a delightful and engaging style. This, and all his books, are highly recommended.