BUDDHISM FOR COUPLES

A practical and inspiring guide for couples everywhere written by the bestselling author of Buddhism for Mothers.

Why do people find marriage so difficult? Why is it so hard to simply be nice to each other? And why do less than half of marriages stay the distance? Surely a happy marriage for a normally adjusted couple is a simple matter of give-and-take, some patience, tolerance and just trying to be cheerful as often as possible; and there is certainly no shortage of books providing relationship advice that can help us on these matters. Somehow, we all know that restraining our tempers and behaving respectfully is beneficial – we have that knowledge on a purely rational level – yet putting it into practice can be a mystery. No matter what our views on how to behave, many of us are left marvelling at our lack of self-control. The power of Buddhist teachings is that they address more than surface knowledge, and guide us to delve deeper into our psyches. Through mindfulness and ever-growing self-awareness, they help us to become more familiar with the workings of our minds and bodies, more aware of the thoughts and beliefs that drive our automatic reactions. Assisted to be calm and self-aware for more of the day, we begin to see our behaviour more clearly than if we were stressed out on our usual autodrive. The teachings require us to be emotionally honest with ourselves about what is really going on and they require us to develop a healthy obsession with ethics and non-harming. Sarah Napthali is a mother of two boys who strives to apply Buddhist teachings in her daily life. She is the author of Buddhism for Mothers, which has sold 60,000 copies around the world and been translated into nine languages to date, and Buddhism for Mothers of Young Chidlren (formerly published under the title of Buddhism for Mothers with Lingering Questions). Since the children started school, Sarah is very pleased to report that she manages to meditate (almost) daily. Rights to Buddhism for Mothers have sold to 13 territories.