You Can Be Happy No Matter What: Five Principles for Keeping Life in Perspective

Carlson calls this a new teaching and labels the area outside of the habitual thought patterns an area called the Natural State of Mind. While this may be true, it has been known for thousands of years, such as in the Gita and the Vigyan Bhairav Tantra, which Osho so profoundly expounds upon. The only difference is the two opposing forces are those of the mind and the consciousness/the no-mind, as the mind itself is the disease. Regardless of how you wish to interpret it teaching is basically the same. One place is of thoughts and computer analytical deductions and interpretations, the other is the area of peace and thoughtless, relaxed wisdom. If you can come to the awareness that your mind is not you, but habitual patterns of thought that can both benefit you greatly and detrimentally disturb you - depending on how you use it - then you can obtain the ability to leave the mind and rest in the consciousness or natural state and find happiness despite ALL external circumstances. It is an amazingly profound concept.

Carlson's comments on moods, feelings and separate realities are equally profound in that our thinking derives from our self accumulated perceptions, our perceptions derive from our thinking patterns and our feelings from our thinking. Our moods, once recognized with our awareness of our mind separate from our natural state can then be tolerated and taken far less seriously, enabling us to both endure and patiently wait until such moods pass over. This is the power we obtain when we can be objective, an objectivity that comes with the ability to enter our natural state of mind (no-mind) and understand our thoughts that are clouding our decisions are from the lower areas of habitual thought patterns.

I can't write like Carlson, or like Osho, but am so grateful to both men and many other authors, psychologists, writers, masters and so forth. I've read this book a dozen times and it's never old, always valuable. Far more valuable than relying on a perceived religious book of absolutes, when in effect, it is the mind and the consciousness (the natural state of mind or the no-mind) that one must discover to find peace, not the other way around.


Excellant information, Dry presentation   March 27, 2004
T. Hulse
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

I must admit the information in this program is exceptional. It brings to light common mistakes we all make in recognizing the differance between what is real and what is thought. Sadly the down side of this program is that the delivery of the information is dry and boring. Its actually hard to listen to more than one or two chapters at a time. I think you would be better served if you got the paperback book or if you really want to study this line of thinking on CD. try the CD's from Dr. Wayne Dyer. He keeps you up and motivated with a very well done presentation.


All the info you need to be happy.   February 7, 2004
T West (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania United States)
All the info you need to be happy is contained in this book. Individual thought patterns are explained through out the book,how are emotions control are thoughts and how we make decisions based on the emotions we are experiencing controled by thought patterns. The decision to be happy or upset or angry are the results of thoughts. If we learn to control are thoughts or rather do not make decisions until are thought patterns are in the right frame of mind we could live a happier life. It seems difficult to change thought patterns when you are highly upset or angry,but with patience and persistence,thoughts can be controled to a happier way of thinking.


Not much here   January 9, 2004
I've listened to about half of the audiobook on CD and it does absolutely nothing for me. Very general information. Too much focus is on the "what" to do, but not on "how" to do it. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone - male / female, young / old, etc. There are much better books and audiobooks out there.