Awakening from the Daydream: Reimagining the Buddha's Wheel of Life

I highly recommend David Nichtern's book "Awakening from the Daydream." I found It enjoyable and easy to read. The book would also make a great birthday or holiday gift. This is just some of what you will gain from reading it:1) You will learn about, and have a greater appreciation for, concepts such as karma, samsara, impermanence, and the Buddha's Wheel of Life.2) You will learn very specifically how to do several kinds of meditation, including Mindfulness meditation, Contemplative meditation, Tonglen ("giving and taking") meditation, Insight meditation, and Metta ("loving-kindness") meditation. This book will be very helpful for both those at the beginner and advanced levels of meditation.3) You will learn under what circumstances you should apply each of these kinds of meditation.4) Most importantly, this book will help you manage and give you relief from a variety of mindsets through meditation and related practices. If you answer YES to any of these questions, this book can help you: Do you feel anxious because you are constantly comparing yourself to others? Does your mind leap from one thing to another? Do you constantly long for something in the past or worry about the future? Do you fall into repeatable boring routines? Do you have relentless or obsessive cravings of one kind of another that you'd like to resist? Do you have fears, silent rage, or hopelessness?So, go ahead and buy this book! I am glad I did!

David Nichtern has written a smart, concise book that unpacks one of Tibetan Buddhism's most esoteric topics -- the symbolic Wheel of Life and the Six Realms of Existence -- and makes these teachings completely relatable and down-to-earth. The Six Realms are explained in terms of their psychological symbolism and the way they color our everyday lives. Nichtern's book is also really clear on the tricky subject of karma, how we build mental and emotional habits that "trap" us in these Six Realms, and how we can free ourselves.

This is an excellent book! If you are a beginner in studying dependent arising/origination, this is a great introduction of the Great wheel's components. Or, if you are already familiar with the wheel of life,--12 nidana, 6 realms of existence, 3 root obscurations, and Kamma--it can add new insight. His analogies to demonstrate concepts are really fun and very easy to understand and to relate to. (Karma in a fish tank is hilarious--and on point. 6 realms of eating ice cream, and the wheel compared to a power point presentation are so relatable--Love it!) He really brings the ancient concepts into modern-day relevance. You might recognize yourself in some of the suffering realms, and learn of ways into better realms. Very informative presentation of the fundamentals of Buddhist teachings in a short easy to read format. Hope you give it a try.

Sometimes it's hard to get through books on this subject. Too much jargon, too many foreign phrases, too much conceptual, abstract ideas. This book puts those concepts into everyday language, moving them from abstract to concrete and practical. Best explanation of Karma I've ever read, turning it from a "belief" to a practical tool you can use to improve your entire life. I was given a paperback of this book and loved it so much I wanted to keep a digital copy with me at all times.

I got mine last week--I am about one-third into it and so far am enjoying the clear, concise language and modern interpretations brought to the facets of the Dharma Wheel. Even non-Buddhists and those not interested in Buddhism per se can identify with suffering, habitual patterns, and the desire to be free from an unproductive, unfulfilling, cyclical existence. This is a book that should be read slowly, but can be read in the small, demarcated divisions to fully absorb important concepts.My only suggestion is that larger photos of the detail would be most helpful to those of us who learn better with visual aids. The small picture of the wheel on the cover is not sufficient to view all of the realms.

What an excellent representation of the Wheel of Life teachings. This is a valuable exposition on a topic that until having read this book had been shrouded in confusion. David takes this profound teaching and distills it into a very sensible, easy-to-read book. I feel like this book is a help to experienced practicioners, but also accessible to beginners of the path.

Well written and concise with associated meditative practices for each other the realms (pathologies?) of mind. As good an introduction to Buddhism as you will get and the importance of art and imagery as a way of conveying theory and practice.

Excellent book on the wheel of life, the 12 links of dependent origination, the 6 realms and Buddhist psychology in general, some heavy topics taught in a down to earth and easy to understand manner. Highly recommended!

Really enjoyed this book. Would recommend, clear and easy to understand.

Although this is primarily a book about Buddhism and the Wheel of Life, there is something for everyone in this well written yet easy to read book. We are all at some time in the hell realm or the animal realm. I promise you will see yourself as having been in all of these realms at some time. Read it!

After finishing this book I immediately bought a copy for my brother. It's so clearly written and down to earth, it really brings the symbology and meaning in the Wheel of Life into a modern mindset. Both fascinating and applicable to your life as you live it right now. Highly recommended!

Absolutely fantastic book. Explains the Buddhist wheel of life in a clear and gripping manner. Very good introduction to the topic.

Easy and profound. Great explanation of the wheel of life. A pleasure to read it. I recommend this great book.