World Religions: Buddhism

There are lots of books that address how we should take care of ourselves, find calm, and enjoy happiness in a hectic work world. But few of those books apply the lessons of Buddhist thinking as resolution and guidance tools. These questions, though found in the modern day, are actually the core of all Buddha's teachings - impermanence, suffering, and the quest for happiness (freedom from suffering). This makes Buddha the kind of consultant or coach we need today in our workplaces. Following in the tradition of the authors' first bestseller, this work goes on to explore and answer 101 dilemmas that we encounter at work, with topics ranging from time management, goal-setting, conflict to job dissatisfaction, unemployment, and even workplace trysts. The authors emphasize practical learning and coping, not esoteric insights or metaphysics, applying concrete solutions from Buddhist teachings to real problems in easily digestible chunks.

Happiness is always available. This simple truth is difficult to remember, though, amid our anxieties about the future, regrets about the past, and constant longing to change our lives for the better. Humans naturally focus on what is frightening and disturbing rather than the nurturing, pleasant experiences that happen all around us. This book shows readers how to differentiate true happiness from momentary joy and pleasure in order to foster an everyday deep contentment that transcends the excitement of "special" experiences. With the view that happiness is a process, not a goal, author Thomas Bien explains the six most common barriers to happiness: the belief that happiness is elusive, the belief that one doesn't deserve to be happy, the belief that happiness is something that will happen in the future, the belief that one can only feel happiness after a goal has been fulfilled, a dualistic perception of reality, and the illusion of space and time. He also presents exercises and meditations readers can use to overcome each obstacle.