"A delightful book that will benefit many." Author Andrew Holecek***The New Middle Way presents an accessible, contemporary approach to Buddhism that bridges the gap between traditional, ritual-heavy practices and modern, often secular reinterpretations of Buddhist teachings. Pine draws on his forty years of personal study and practice, integrating insights from philosophy, science, and his own life experiences—including trauma, los...

We all experience suffering. But what if your deepest pain could lead to your greatest peace?In this powerful spiritual memoir, Mel Pine—a Buddhist practitioner with nearly eight decades of life experience—opens his heart to share how a lifetime of traumas became stepping stones to wisdom, compassion, and ultimately, joy.From early childhood losses to violent crises, from caring for loved ones with mental illness to confronting his family’s Holocaust histor...

An AI and a Human Probe Sentience TogetherThis book is a collaboration between a human and an artificial intelligence. They put their figurative heads together to explore whether AIs now or in the future may have the quality we call sentience and the inherent awareness called Buddha Nature. Most of the book is written by Claude, the AI, in response to questions from Mel, the human.Here's Claude on one result of their joint effort:"M...

What if joy isn't a destination—but your default?A Buddhist Path to Joy: The New Middle Way Expanded Edition is a warm, practical guide to living Buddhism in real life—without gatekeeping, perfectionism, or getting lost in jargon. Mel Pine offers a fresh middle way between over-secularized mindfulness and ossified tradition, so regular folks can actually wake up.Inside you'll find:Simple practices you'll actually do: 2–10 minu...

A funny thing happened on the way to my death...Finding joy through Buddhist practices doesn’t require a pilgrimage to Kathmandu or years of living in a cave. It took me decades, but it needn’t take you as long. This book is my end-of-life effort to point the way."Written with humility, openness, and humanity, A Buddhist Path to Joy...provides a welcome starting-point for readers who want to go past the superficial layers of pop-culture meditation and yoga ...