Plant Seed, Pull Weed

January 14, 2008
When Larkin was a college student, she took a job as a gardener—something she says she knew absolutely nothing about. Now more plant savvy, the former management consultant–turned–Buddhist priest and author (The Chocolate Cake Sutra
) uses gardening and Shantideva's The Way of the Bodhisattva
to mine themes for her text. Her points are simple: see clearly, become more intentional, tame your mind, give generously and live with “a wide-open heart.” While advocating passion and enthusiasm, Larkin has learned the hard way that the best gardeners are patient. When we slow down, she writes, then “chaos becomes beauty, lethargy energy, insolvable problems solvable.” Her spare but pithy prose, common sense and laugh-out-loud humor emphasize her points. Other lessons also resonate: Learn to lose. Let go of mistakes. Forgive. Be kind. And don't worry, for anxiety will block your joy. Larkin is at her best when she shares personal experiences and insights, rather than stories about others, and the few recipes seem random. Although Larkin's book is clearly aimed at Buddhists, at its heart is a lesson about staying awake and paying attention to life, which is good advice for readers of any religious stripe. Readers will find Larkin's central promise—“We can be happy. Right here. Right now”—difficult to resist.