Lodro Rinzler on how to 'Walk Like a Buddha' even if you're hung over

'Walk Like a Buddha' by Lodro Rinzler
Book cover courtesy of publisher

Buddhist and teacher Lodro Rinzler believes you can find ways to incorporate the peace and tranquility of his practice despite living a chaotic and busy life. In his new book, "Walk Like a Buddha," Rinzler offers practical advice for younger people, including those recovering from a hangover, gritting their teeth through a workday or navigating bad dates.

Rinzler uses the idea of the mandala, a Buddhist organizational chart, to help those unfamiliar with the practice. He explains putting your main intention in the center of the circle, with larger circles used to support that intention.

From Rinzler's recent Huffington Post piece:

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Imagine a world where an entire generation took a motivation like wanting to be generous, making that the center of their mandala. With generosity at the center of all of their activity this group of individuals spends their time not on how to make the most money or gain the most fame but instead they come up with new ideas on how to give their time, energy and money back to their local communities. They decide to be generous with their friends and family, who are in turn inspired to be more giving because of their example. They live their working hours with an air of generosity, constantly offering to help colleagues and take on additional projects.

Now imagine instead that they all take as the center of their mandala the idea that they simply want to be genuine. I believe that many of these individuals would rise in the ranks of their companies. People tend to be impressed when someone is truly genuine or generous and respond positively to it. Furthermore, when you are genuine with yourself, you are more able to discern how you want to spend your time; you quickly figure out which course of education feels best to you or what work opportunities will support you in how you want to live your life.

The Full Contact Enlightenment review called the book a light-hearted read with some moments examining deeper questions.

"I believe that Lodro's intention in this book is to challenge and empower readers to find the answers for themselves by using their inherent wisdom," writes Tanya McGinnity. "The responses are balanced and honesty runs throughout the pages. Lodro off the bat admits he is a mess and doesn't have all of the answers and he brings his experience to the reader, not as an expert but as someone who is figuring it out himself but with some experience given his background of study and practice."