Pat and I first met Larry and Glorine Barnhardt in December, 2014 on the Charter Club tour to Mexico City. We became friends and got to know them better as time passed. So when Larry sent out an email announcing the publication of his recently completed book, I instantly knew I would buy it and read it. And knowing his intention to donate the proceeds to local charities was an added incentive. And the subject of the book was also of interest to me.

 

KNOWING THE DEEPEST  HAPPINESS - A Beginner’s Guide to Mindfulness and a Workbook by Dr. Larry John Barnhardt is exactly what the subtitle describes. I have read several such books in recent years and therefore I did not expect much new information. However, I was pleasantly surprised because Larry also told parts of his personal story that I was unfamiliar with.

(Photo - in Mexico City - Here is Glorine with Karen, Pat and John, along with six others on the tour who enjoyed a snack as a Mariachi band serenade us on our cruise on the canal.)

I was pleased that in the Preface Larry included a focus on the ongoing global mental health crisis. This is a subject I know well from many years of volunteer activity in this field in Canada. Current trends are alarming.

Will this book make a difference in my life? Probably not. Larry presents a change continuum which indicates that not much change is needed in my life. And those areas that I am still working on require techniques beyond a beginner’s level which, fortunately, I have found. But for anyone unfamiliar with mindfulness, this book is excellent.

I like Larry’s approach to the subject:

By combining the teachings of ancient Eastern philosophy with the science of modern-day positive psychology, this book outlines ten principles, each having a chapter of its own. Each chapter encapsulates the essence of one of these principles. The first four principles come from the philosophy of Buddhism and are often used as a prayer or mantra for loving kindness meditation. The remaining six principles come from the foundations of positive psychology.

In Chapter 2 Larry briefly tells the story of his life. It is surprising, insightful and inspiring. I deeply appreciate those amongst us who share their stories and I encourage everyone to do so.

Chapter 8  is titled MAY I ADVOCATE FOR JUSTICE  TO CREATE HEALTHIER AND  HAPPIER COMMUNITIES! Larry and Glorine do not just talk the talk; they walk the talk. And what they are doing during the coronavirus crisis is inspiring. 

As COVID-19 started to hit Mexico in mid-March 2020, my wife was thinking about ways in which we could help our Mexican neighbors as businesses were shutting down and workers were losing their livelihoods. She learned of a Canadian who started a local chapter of CareMongering on Facebook to counter all the scare-mongering, by showcasing all the wonderful and thoughtful acts of kindness that were happening in our local village. My wife also learned of a Mexican who was thinking of starting a food bank dedicated to the newly unemployed. Together, these three women became the founding mothers of FoodBank Lakeside.

The work of Glorine is doubly inspiring because last year she suffered a stroke, thankfully not a major one, and she would be justified if focused only on herself. Pat and I have now been inspired to add our financial support to FoodBank Lakeside. Knowing that people we trust are involved gives us confidence that our modest contributions will be put to good use.

Chapter 10 is about transcendence. This Larry defined as “Transcendence is about excelling or going beyond your usual limits.” Well, as he said, this is a beginner’s guide.

Finally, also well worth mentioning is the wonderful website, Roaming Through Retirement, on which Larry and Glorine truly celebrate and share their lives.