Destructive Emotions

A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama

By: Daniel Goleman, Dalai Lama

Narrated by: Ed Levin

Length: 5 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Buddhist philosophy tells us that all personal unhappiness and interpersonal conflict lie in the "three poisons": craving, anger, and delusion. It also provides antidotes of astonishing psychological sophistication - which are now being confirmed by modern neuroscience. With new high-tech devices, scientists can peer inside the brain centers that calm the inner storms of rage and fear. They also can demonstrate that awareness-training strategies such as meditation strengthen emotional stability - and greatly enhance our positive moods.

The distinguished panel members report these recent findings and debate an exhilarating range of other topics: What role do destructive emotions play in human evolution? Are they "hardwired" in our bodies? Are they universal, or does culture determine how we feel? How can we nurture the compassion that is also our birthright? We learn how practices that reduce negativity have also been shown to bolster the immune system. Here, too, is an enlightened proposal for a school-based program of social and emotional learning that can help our children increase self-awareness, manage their anger, and become more empathetic.

Throughout, these provocative ideas are brought to life by the play of personalities, by the Dalai Lama's probing questions, and by his surprising sense of humor. Although there are no easy answers, these dialogues, which are part of a series sponsored by the Mind and Life Institute, chart an ultimately hopeful course. They are sure to spark discussion among educators, religious and political leaders, parents - and all people who seek peace for themselves and the world.

©2003 Mind and Life Institute (P)2003 Audio Renaissance, a Division of Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC

Critic reviews

"Covering the nature of destructive emotions, the neuroscience of emotion, the scientific study of consciousness and more, this essential volume offers a fascinating account of what can emerge when two profound systems for studying the mind and emotions, Western science and Buddhism, join forces." (Publishers Weekly)

A bit dry but...

Yes, I would agree with the readers who found this book a bit dry. Both the format and the content read like the transcript of a symposium. The narrator has a blank tone to match the format. And indeed this book is basically the transcript of a five day symposium. But the readers who enjoyed Daniel Goleman's Social Intelligence, and Emotional Intelligence, and presumably the Dalai Lama's books (none of which I have read yet) will no doubt enjoy this read. I found the parallel between modern neuroscience and Buddhism, and the Dalai Lama's approach to science absolutely fascinating. It is not a how-to book. It doesn't offer practice, exercises, and self help strategies. It is a polyphonic dialogue between high level scientists and devout Buddhists. It is very respectful, enriching, and highly civilized. If the world listened to this group of people, both scientists and monks, it would be a much better place.

life changing!

If you want to know what cutting edge science shows us about emotions and the effects of meditation on the mind, immune system and brain listen to this audio book. you're going to want the hardcover as well though. just a heads up. this information is earth shattering!

Common Sense from the Dalai

proof that the Ancients knew what we now are beginning to understand. a way of life that can be incorporated to changing the world one person at a time. the facts here present crossover any religious background or train of thought.

An Excellent and Compelling Report on Mindfulness

I found this story compelling, informative and insightful. The story is arranged very well and narrated equally well.

An Enticing Sampler

Destructive Emotions is an abridged account of a series of presentations and conversations that unfolded over a several day conference between the Dali Lama and several leading scientists in the study of emotions. Scientific perspectives represented included the developmental, cross-cultural, social-psychological, and neuro-biological. The focus is on exploring and fleshing out the possibility for a program that combines the wisdom of Eastern philosophy with the scientific understanding (really in its infancy) of emotional well-being to both build the foundations for emotional well-being and empathy / compassion in childhood and remedy the destructive habits of pathological anger, addiction, delusion, and fear/anxiety in adulthood. If you are angry, addicted, deluded, or anxious don't expect this book to help you directly. It will, however, open your eyes in a very convincing way to the possibility for growth and healing. I have always, if not always actively, been interested in Buddhism and meditation - but did not feel justified in "indulging" in meditative practice when there was "work" to be done (am I alone in this?)...This book is a nice motivating shove off the "fence" - there is solid evidence to suggest that the marriage of meditation and psychology can inform practices that are well "justified" in terms of the time and effort needed to develop them. Particularly memorable was Mark Greenberg's presentation on the "Program for Alternative THinking Strategies" (PATHS) for helping kids develop empathy, conflict resolution skills, anger management skills, and emotional intelligence (I immediately started applying some principles he presented with my kids and will be learning more about the program).

nice concept

this book had some interesting ideas on science and mindfulness but way less practical/applicable than I was hoping.

A unique special and necessary book!

If you want to understand why you should change your emotions, this is the right help to do so. Help yourself!

extremely useful

Own the book, have never had time to read it. Everyone who has read it has found it inspiring. Have listened to the audiobook nearly every week since I got it, I get more excited by the content each time!

A bridge between Eastern and Western thought.

Science and spirituality have been living on opposite sides of the tracks for a long time.
But there are rumblings on both sides of the tracks, because both scientific and spiritual thinkers are noticing that the two types of thinking are complimentary, not contradictory. If you have an interest in the study of human emotions and reactions, I think that you will find this book to be informative and interesting, regardless of which side of the tracks you come from.

"Destructive Emotions" might not be the best choice as your first book on the topic of emotions. However if you have some background in the writings of the Golemans, Deepak Chopra, Candace Pert and the like, I think that you will find this book to be sort of a common denominator between the scientific and spiritual ideas that such writers present.

Regardless of whether you begin as an Eastern or a Western thinker, if you see a future where both lines of thinking intersect you will find information here that supports your vision.

Right Brain/ Left Brain

I can see why science minded people would think this is new-age claptrap and the unscientific would find it so boring and dense. Looking at religious practice as it can be explored by science, or "rethinking" the concepts and descriptions of emotion and behavior as we are taught in the West is not an easy task. Most scientist and most new- agers are not willing to move out of thier comfort zone enough to draw amazing parallels. This book shows the limitations of science and spritual practice alone and how they can inform and improve one another. Both groups (science and new agers) will think me loopy- but to completely ignore a whole realm of human experience because it does not fit with ones dogmatic world view, or to stobbornly insist on only one possible interpretation of the world because it is the one you are accustomed to or comfortable with, is to choose ignorance and dogmatism- either in the sciences or in relgion/sprituality.

One great quote from the Dalai Lama- when he discovered that a explaination of the world in his Tibetian buddist teachings was incorrrect, he decided that is science proves the text are wrong- it would be buddahism that would change- not science.

It would not be exageration to say that these conferences will eventually lead to treatments for depression, and anxiety. It will aid the understanding of neurological changes that people can "learn" through meditation techniques. The alternate framework with which tibetian monks view emotion and mental illness is alone worth the time reading this book.