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The Cow in the Parking Lot

A Zen Approach to Overcoming Anger

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The Cow in the Parking Lot

By: Leonard Scheff, Susan Edmiston
Narrated by: Bill Mendieta
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About this listen

Imagine you're circling a crowded parking lot. Just as you spot a space, another driver races ahead and takes it. In a world of road rage, domestic violence, and professionally angry TV and radio commentators, your likely response is anger, even fury. Now imagine that instead of another driver, a cow has lumbered into that parking space and settled down. Your anger dissolves into bemusement. What has changed? Not just the occupant of the space but your perspective on the situation.

We're a society swimming in anger, always about to snap. Using simple, understandable Buddhist principles, Scheff and Edmiston explain how to replace anger with happiness. They introduce the four most common types of anger (Important and Reasonable, Reasonable but Unimportant, Irrational, and Impossible), then show how to identify our real unmet demands, dissolve our anger, and change what happens when our buttons are pushed. We learn to laugh at ourselves, a powerful early step, and realize that others don't make us angry. Only we can make ourselves angry.

©2010 Leonard Scheff and Susan Edmiston (P)2010 HighBridge Company Anger Management Personal Development Personal Success Rage Zen Anger
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I’m sure it wasn’t the intention of the narrator to make me laugh. But the various silly voices they adopt in this recording had me laughing out loud. A useful book, with the added benefit of making me laugh (unintentionally).

The narrator is hysterical!

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I have yet to try put the theory and practice to the test but the insight is eye opening. Some of the narrators accents pressed a button in me but I couldn't do a better job.

Counterintuitive Perfect Sense

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I enjoyed the book and found it very useful. The narrator did a good job of it when speaking normally. However, after a while his impressions of people when quoting them get a bit distracting and jarring.

Good book - However, narrator occasionally jarring

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What made the experience of listening to The Cow in the Parking Lot the most enjoyable?

Although I have practiced Buddhist meditation for many years I found some sections of the book very useful - if not particularly original.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Cow in the Parking Lot?

Nothing particular comes to mind - I'm not sure that this kind of book is meant to have "memorable moments!" as such.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Again this question is not really relevant.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me reflect and, unintentionally, provided frequent irritations - or opportunities to observe my own reactions to the authors rather comical, fake Asian accents.

Useful book - shame about the accent!

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Such a good book, practical. It made me smile and filled me with optimism that I can change. Such a good starting point if you really want anger to stop being a negative force in your life.

Very helpful ...best anger book!!

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