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Dancing With Life: Buddhist Insights for Finding Meaning and Joy in the Face of Suffering
Why do we suffer? Is there a purpose to our pain? Noting that human beings have wrestled with such questions for thousands of years, Phillip Moffitt has found answers for his own life in Buddhist philosophy and meditation. Reflecting on his own journey from Esquire magazine editor-in-chief to Buddhist meditation teacher, Moffitt provides a fresh perspective on the Buddha's ancient wisdom, showing how to move from suffering to new awareness and unanticipated joy.
In this deeply spiritual book that is sure to become a Buddhist classic, Moffitt explores the twelve insights that underlie the Buddha's core teaching--the Four Noble Truths--and uses these often neglected ideas to guide readers to a more meaningful relationship to suffering. Moffitt write: "These twelve insights teach you to dance with both the joy and pain, finding peace in a balanced mind and calm spirit. As the most specific, practical life instructions I have ever encountered, they serve as an invaluable tool for anyone who seeks a life filled with meaning and well-being." Practicing these twelve insights, as Moffitt suggests, will help readers experience life's difficulties without being filled with stress and anguish, and they will enhance their moments of happiness.
With engaging writing and a strong message of self-empowerment, Dancing with Life offers a prescriptive path for finding joy and peace that will appeal to meditation students and readers of "Dharma Wisdom," Moffitt's column in Yoga Journal, as well as anyone searching for a more authentic life.
In this deeply spiritual book that is sure to become a Buddhist classic, Moffitt explores the twelve insights that underlie the Buddha's core teaching--the Four Noble Truths--and uses these often neglected ideas to guide readers to a more meaningful relationship to suffering. Moffitt write: "These twelve insights teach you to dance with both the joy and pain, finding peace in a balanced mind and calm spirit. As the most specific, practical life instructions I have ever encountered, they serve as an invaluable tool for anyone who seeks a life filled with meaning and well-being." Practicing these twelve insights, as Moffitt suggests, will help readers experience life's difficulties without being filled with stress and anguish, and they will enhance their moments of happiness.
With engaging writing and a strong message of self-empowerment, Dancing with Life offers a prescriptive path for finding joy and peace that will appeal to meditation students and readers of "Dharma Wisdom," Moffitt's column in Yoga Journal, as well as anyone searching for a more authentic life.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published April 15, 2008
215 people are currently reading
2,041 people want to read
About the author
Phillip Moffitt
19Ìýbooks61ÌýfollowersAt the peak of his career, former CEO and Editor-in-chief of Esquire magazine, Phillip Moffitt, traded in his worldly success to explore the inner life.
He subsequently founded the Life Balance Institute, a non-profit organization devoted to the study and practice of spiritual values in daily life.
Phillip is a co-guiding teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. He teaches vipassana meditation at Spirit Rock and at retreat centers around the United States and Canada, and he teaches a weekly meditation class in Marin County, California.
Phillip is the author of Dancing with Life: Buddhist Insights for Finding Meaning and Joy in the Face of Suffering and the co-author of The Power To Heal and Medicine’s Great Journey: One Hundred Years of Healing. He has written numerous magazine articles about Buddhism and yoga for Yoga Journal, Shambhala Sun, and Body and Soul. His writings have been selected for publication in Best Buddhist Writing 2004 and 2009.
He is currently writing a book on skillful living.
He subsequently founded the Life Balance Institute, a non-profit organization devoted to the study and practice of spiritual values in daily life.
Phillip is a co-guiding teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. He teaches vipassana meditation at Spirit Rock and at retreat centers around the United States and Canada, and he teaches a weekly meditation class in Marin County, California.
Phillip is the author of Dancing with Life: Buddhist Insights for Finding Meaning and Joy in the Face of Suffering and the co-author of The Power To Heal and Medicine’s Great Journey: One Hundred Years of Healing. He has written numerous magazine articles about Buddhism and yoga for Yoga Journal, Shambhala Sun, and Body and Soul. His writings have been selected for publication in Best Buddhist Writing 2004 and 2009.
He is currently writing a book on skillful living.
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November 18, 2008Of the books I've read on Buddhist practice, this one is the most accessible. It also does Buddhism justice by treating it as a skill-building practice rather than the common but inaccurate, in my opinion, portrayal of it as a religion or belief system. Emphasis is on interpreting and developing the fruits of practice.
A note on understanding this book: if you read it and want to fully understand it, I believe you should learn how to meditate and then keep up your practice. I have done this and conclude that Buddhism primarily is something one does rather than something one believes in. The best thing to do if you like this book or are interested in a deeper understanding is do it and see for yourself. And skilled meditation is one of the pillars of the practice. I could never understand this book to the level that I do without the benefit of personally testing Buddhism in day-to-day life, seeing if the author and Buddha are right. These tests are done with the toolbox that meditation brings to the table. I learned Shifting from the bookworm's intellectual understanding to the practitioner's experiential understanding requires balancing books with practice.
A note on understanding this book: if you read it and want to fully understand it, I believe you should learn how to meditate and then keep up your practice. I have done this and conclude that Buddhism primarily is something one does rather than something one believes in. The best thing to do if you like this book or are interested in a deeper understanding is do it and see for yourself. And skilled meditation is one of the pillars of the practice. I could never understand this book to the level that I do without the benefit of personally testing Buddhism in day-to-day life, seeing if the author and Buddha are right. These tests are done with the toolbox that meditation brings to the table. I learned Shifting from the bookworm's intellectual understanding to the practitioner's experiential understanding requires balancing books with practice.
June 21, 2017
It's because of this book that sometimes, when I'm sitting in traffic and the person behind me is honking as if we aren't all trying to move forward I'll (somewhat glibly) say "Thank you for this opportunity to embody suffering!" And, you know what? At least it makes me laugh for a second, and I kind of feel better...
That's totally underselling this book, but I'm sure others have written lovely reviews!
That's totally underselling this book, but I'm sure others have written lovely reviews!
April 11, 2009
I have already read this book once in the last 6 months. I am almost finished with my second read through. Hard to put into words. It has changed my life.
December 7, 2009
After missing a weekend series of talks on the Four Noble Truths, one of the attendees told me that he was awakened to the profound depth of these teachings. Inspired by his enthusiasm, I went in search of books focused on the Four Noble Truths and found this one.
The Four Noble Truths are essentially the truth of suffering, the causes of suffering, the ceasing of suffering, and the path out of suffering. What I found helpful in this book is the focus on being present fully to each individual truth and being present to when something manifests, why it manifests, remaining aware during its presence -- and then being present to when it ceases. Sounds very basic and unprofound but the awareness of the entire arising and ceasing is transforming. Working with each truth becomes an access point to deeper spiritual awareness. An accessible book to a deep practice.
The Four Noble Truths are essentially the truth of suffering, the causes of suffering, the ceasing of suffering, and the path out of suffering. What I found helpful in this book is the focus on being present fully to each individual truth and being present to when something manifests, why it manifests, remaining aware during its presence -- and then being present to when it ceases. Sounds very basic and unprofound but the awareness of the entire arising and ceasing is transforming. Working with each truth becomes an access point to deeper spiritual awareness. An accessible book to a deep practice.
May 18, 2015
Very easy and enjoyable journey through the process of mindfulness and the basics of Buddhism.
May 1, 2024
A beautiful interpretation of the Four Noble Truths, each with three insights with an easy to follow organization, and a lot of pointers for enriching one's mindfulness practice. The Four Noble Truths serve as a framework for understanding suffering, and while there's no quick fix, they lay out a path to pursue for alleviating it. They essentially boil down to, "suffering is an unavoidable reality of ordinary human existence.", "suffering is caused by craving", "suffering is alleviated by cessation of cravings", and "The Noble Eightfold path is a way to move towards cessation". There are many details that are introduced along with anecdotes that help with the understanding. However, in the end, one has to acknowledge that mindfulness is not achieved by more thinking and some of the teachings will need to be experienced to be fully integrated. The book provides the reader with ample support to create conditions for such insights.
There were many parts that deeply resonated with me, like the truth of suffering. I also found the Eightfold path to be an elegant reminder of living a harmonious life. For example, "right speech" which says one should only speak what is "true, useful and timely" and following which can curtail all sorts of hurtful communication patterns. I hope to bring more of these learnings into my everyday life.
There were many parts that deeply resonated with me, like the truth of suffering. I also found the Eightfold path to be an elegant reminder of living a harmonious life. For example, "right speech" which says one should only speak what is "true, useful and timely" and following which can curtail all sorts of hurtful communication patterns. I hope to bring more of these learnings into my everyday life.
July 10, 2012
"...early on the ego complex is presented with an incedibly confounding realization - that it and the body it identifies with are vulnerable to all sorts of harm and that its ability to protect itself is limited. The ego reacts to its real and imagined limitations by falling into worry and lamentation. To compensate for its inadequacy, the ego develops the ability to deny threats, distract itself from the truth, or project its uncertainty onto others. To whatever degree your ego is wounded, it develops various forms of grandiosity, such as judging and comparing mind, to compensate. This uncertainty and lack of control makes your mind quite anxious. In trying to manage all of these feelings, the ego becomes overwhelmed because it can never find stability, and so the mind clings to any and all possibilities of happiness of any duration it can find."
How familiar it sounds...
How familiar it sounds...
October 27, 2022
This is an incredible explanation of the nobles truths and helped me deepen my spiritual practice and experience with life.
February 21, 2019
I really resonate with the systematic way Moffitt goes through each insight, each sub-part of each of the 4 Noble Truths from Buddhism. I will admit to getting lost without an ability to imagine what practice would look like in relationship to the Third Noble Truth regarding the cessation of suffering but it did inspire me to think about moving forward in regards to the first two and also to experiment with Right Speech in relationship to the 4th.
This book seems like one that could benefit readers with no exposure to Buddhism as well as to people with significant exposure either intellectually or through practice. That's quite an accomplishment.
This book seems like one that could benefit readers with no exposure to Buddhism as well as to people with significant exposure either intellectually or through practice. That's quite an accomplishment.
May 30, 2012
Moffitt provides overview of the Four Noble Truths, and the Twelve Insights associated with them. Although he is covering some of the basics of Buddhism and Vipassana practice, I found the depth and insight of some parts of the book surprising and profound, even the review of meditation techniques. I thought the discussions of cessation were weak, but overall, the book is very worthwhile. Pagan friends, note: provocative discussions of desire and intention.
January 30, 2014
This was a pleasant surprise. I was expecting 'warm and fuzzy', but it is a very good instructional book on The Twelve Insights of the Four Noble Truths.
I am not really sure that it is a book for beginners. I don't think that they will 'get' it. Just as I'm deluding myself that I 'get' it with only three years of practice. I have the feeling that the book changes meaning with experience and practice.
I plan on testing this theory when I reread it in six months to a year.
I am not really sure that it is a book for beginners. I don't think that they will 'get' it. Just as I'm deluding myself that I 'get' it with only three years of practice. I have the feeling that the book changes meaning with experience and practice.
I plan on testing this theory when I reread it in six months to a year.
July 27, 2020
This books out on my shelf for years and I didn’t think I was ever going to read it. Then one day I called to me and I started to read it and found it to be just what I needed at the time. It is basically a very accessible explanation of the four Noble truths. It’s written by a westerner, and has stories of real life practitioners, and lots of good suggestions. It somehow manages to be basic and advanced at the same time. Definitely worth checking out.
January 14, 2021
4.5/5, A wonderful walkthrough of the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism and how they should be practiced in everyday life (i.e. if you’re not a full fledged monk!). There were plenty of important takeaways from the book, but the two that were most essential or relatable to me were: suffering is inevitable and should be given your acute awareness in an attempt to better understand and manage it’s effect on your life; and this is a practice that never ends and one that you can even lose track of, but that should not break you or be seen as a failure. Moffitt is great at interpreting the principles and his belief on how they should be practiced. Although, I don’t see myself pursuing these practices to the extent of enlightenment, as some would say. There are many fundamentals I hope to take from and incorporate in my life. This is definitely a book I won’t be closing for the last time...
March 3, 2021
Phillip’s teachings are invaluable. I’m about to take my 3rd retreat with him. He is humble, funny, extremely knowledgeable, intuitive. I would recommend not only reading his books, all of them, but working with him if you are a beginner or many years in Buddhist practitioner. Or not. His nine bodies work is not Buddhist, but he frames it in a Vipassana context.
Dancing with life is a wonderful, insightful book. You can download, for free, a year-long study of the book to do with others. A Buddhist-eeee book club�
Dancing with life is a wonderful, insightful book. You can download, for free, a year-long study of the book to do with others. A Buddhist-eeee book club�
February 21, 2024
I've read a ton of books on Buddhism and Mindfulness, and this is possibly the single most useful book for improving how I live day-to-day. It's a dogma-free overview of the Four Noble Truths, with the emphasis not on intellectual understanding but rather the practical, step-by-step application to daily life: how can we deal with the inevitable suffering we all experience? What exactly do we DO when we are angry/sad/anxious? This is a great book for everyone, but especially for those who are allergic to overly spiritual-sounding mumbo-jumbo.
February 24, 2025
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
-TS Eliot
The book ends with this famous quote yet even before arriving at the last page the quote came to mind. This is about a way of life, a way of approaching all life events.
Deep knowing, a spirit of inquiry, and especially integrating this knowing into daily life is at the core here. No quick revelations promised. Read slowly and consider the implications for how suffering (stress) is created and how it can be eased.
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
-TS Eliot
The book ends with this famous quote yet even before arriving at the last page the quote came to mind. This is about a way of life, a way of approaching all life events.
Deep knowing, a spirit of inquiry, and especially integrating this knowing into daily life is at the core here. No quick revelations promised. Read slowly and consider the implications for how suffering (stress) is created and how it can be eased.
September 13, 2020
The book gives you digestible and manageable tools to improve well-being and your experience of the world. You pick it up and when you put it back down you’re more equipped to untangle a knot or release yourself from something you’re clinging to. I suggest reading it like a therapy practice. Read a chunk and sit with it a while and come back again. It’s not a book to be rushed.
May 2, 2022
you learn a lot about the Buddha's teachings. I dont particularly follow his teachings but it was interesting to read about. There is also just a lot on how to become a better person for yourself and others, and really makes you realize a lot of things that are important or not important in life. A good book to remind you about ways to think and how to live better in face of suffering.
October 20, 2024
I love this book and am so grateful to Phillip Moffitt for illuminating the twelve insights contained within the Four Noble Truths which free one from delusion and suffering in such an accessible and engaging narrative! For those of us interested in deepening our dharma practice, this is a great blessing.
March 23, 2018
A deep and complex look at the twelve insights of the four noble truths, this book gives you a complex and well thought out insight into practical methods for moving toward enlightenment without attachment.
September 3, 2021
this was one of the best books in terms of laying out the foundation of buddhist thinking as it pertains to meditation practice as well as a wealth of collected techniques to help a practitioner deeper their practice. Well written and very accessible.
January 12, 2025
I have never underlined and notated a book in my life before this one. So much useful and actionable information can be found in it. I found results from putting into practice what he teaches in this book before I even finished it.
April 3, 2018
Read this most of the way through and it is a meaty and easy to read book.
December 5, 2018
Brilliant
May 2, 2019
Pragmatic, Clear, Useful for those practicing the teachings of the Dhamma in real life.
July 2, 2020
I read and reread this book. An excellent introduction to the Buddha's Four Noble Truths, it also uses them as a guide to wise and skillful living.
June 23, 2021
This book was a long slog. There were some great passages and insights but it was far too long and highly conceptual.
September 26, 2022
too deep and confusing for me
April 18, 2023
Lots of good wisdom. Listened with audible and realized I would get much more from it by physically reading the book, so have ordered it to go through it again.
October 19, 2023
a very grounding book
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