The Dalai Lama's Cat

Product Information

If you’re interested in learning more about mindfulness and other Buddhist principles, this is an easily accessible way to do so. If you believe that cats have many lessons to teach us, reading this enchanting book will be a transformational experience for you. If I had to summarize The Dalai Lama’s Cat in just a few words, they would be “Buddhism 101, brought to you by an adorable cat.” But these few words wouldn’t do this charming book justice. While this warm-hearted story of a small kitten rescued from the slums of New Delhi through fortuitous circumstances may be a little contrived, it’s also utterly delightful. As a cat lover, one often wonders what goes on behind the calm-on-the-surface faces of these felines. If one were to go by David Michie’s cat creation, quite a lot. HHC is as much at a loss as we humans in dealing with everyday life and problems. Living with the Dalai Lama and other monks, HHC gives us a first-hand account of how to practise mindfulness, the true cause of happiness and that Dharma isn’t about ‘mouthing high-sounding principles’. The cat goes all out to evolve into a ‘true bodhicatva’! David Michie’s portrayal of the Dalai Lama adds a dimension of ordinary “humanity” to this global icon. Through Mousie-Tung’s eyes, the reader gets to see this kind, compassionate and brilliant man go about his every day business. His interactions with the cat thoroughly charmed me. Throughout the book, as Mousie-Tung tells her story, the reader gets introduced to some of the basic concepts of Buddhism. And who better to explain these teachings than a cat? Those of us who have opened our hearts to the many lessons cats teach us won’t find it much of a leap at all to believe that cats are indeed “boddhicatvas,” as Mousie-Tung calls herself (in Buddhism, a boddhisattva is an enlightened being). After publishing Buddhism for Busy People in 2004 and subsequent non-fiction books, I sometimes found myself talking to people who were voracious readers, and had a keen interest in the subjects I wrote about. They hadn’t read my books – and they didn’t plan to. The reason wasn’t personal, and was quite simple: they didn’t read non-fiction. They never went near the Self Help shelves of a bookstore. And they weren’t about to start now.

The Dalai Lama’S Cat And The Four Paws Of Spiritual Success

Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing these books. I believe you must have been a cat in another life because you write so intuitively from Rinpoche’s point of view. I do find reading self help books dry and don’t do well with them. I have learned so much from Rinpoche in the 3 books. I even just start reading them again when I just need to calm down from my crazy days. (I start work by 6 AM so I can be at the nursing home with my mom at dinnertime each night) Please do not stop adding to this series so I can continue to learn from one of my favorite cats and continue down the path of enlightenment. David, I bought the Dalai Lama’s Cat purely because of my love of cats. What a beautiful surprise! I literally sobbed through the book, I don’t mean cry, it was heart wrenching wails. The messages obviously had a profound effect on me..lol. So as far as I’m concerned, the case is closed. You have photographic evidence that the Dalai Lama is a Cat Lover. I, HHC, have an online pawprint that grows by the day. The matter of my existence is therefore beyond dispute.

A very entertaining dip into Buddhist thinking through the eyes of a cat, not just any cat, but the Dalai Lama’s cat.

The Dalai Lama’s Cat by David Michie Review: The Dalai Lama’s Cat by David Michie

I adore your style of writing and now you are my favourite author by far. Looking forward to the next two!Most interesting, my little Snow Lion,” the Dalai Lama remarked after a while, as he closed his book and came over to stroke me. By the way, is your cat quite as delightful as me? Does she give you such precious opportunities to practice generosity and patience? I think I deserve to be told! Sign up for my newsletter. You’ll hear from me once or twice a month with blogs and other news designed to be stimulating and useful. What if it could talk? Or even … write a book? That was the start of The Dalai Lama’s Cat series. One thing I hadn’t counted on was how engaged readers would become in the life of His Holiness’s Cat – or HHC, to give her official title. Because the simple fact is that characters and stories engage us at an emotional level, which most non-fiction books do not. Novels can speak not only to our minds, but also to our hearts.

The Dalai Lama’s Cat by David Michie - Dear Author REVIEW: The Dalai Lama’s Cat by David Michie - Dear Author

I blush to admit that I know only a little bit about Buddhism – probably only enough to be dangerous. But as our little Bodhicatva is taken into the household of the Dalai Lama (“she must have a very close karmic connection to him”) and starts to learn, so do I by reading. She must not only agree with the principles of her new religion but also live them – no more giving into her instincts and chasing mice. The Dalai Lama understands her moment of weakness but encourages her not to give up on herself as the buddhas haven’t given up on her.

I would love to give a copy to my close Italian friend, and I wonder if your books have been translated into Italian? This got me thinking about how to weave key themes and messages into a fictional format. When I heard that the Dalai Lama once had a cat, being a pet lover myself, I immediately though of what an amazing life the cat must have. If only it could talk.