With a rare combination of intellectual clarity and heartfelt practicality, Ira Rechtshaffer applies Buddhist wisdom to the down-to-earth issues of daily life. His deep feeling for the sacred illuminates the powerful path he lays out for personal healing, transformation, and freedom. A gem of a book....really something special here! ~ Rick Hanson, Ph.D., author of Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom

A wise and mature book, filled with fresh metaphors and insights that breathe new life into age-old Buddhist practices. Nourishing food for thought for those deep in the Buddhist tradition, yet written in a warm and personal tone that will appeal to all who are curious about Buddhism. Inquiring minds, apply within! ~ Tim Ward, author of What the Buddha Never Taught and Indestructible You: Building a Self that Can't be Broken

Mindfulness and Madness is at once both a comprehensive introduction to the power of mindfulness and an in-depth exploration of Buddhist thought and practice. Teaching stories bring Buddhist principles to life, and Rechtshaffer's years of experience as a meditation teacher and psychotherapist shine through his highly intelligent prose. A fabulous addition to any seeker's library! ~ Ann Betz, PCC, CPCC, Director of Research and Learning BEabove Leadership

Based on years of experience as a psychotherapist and a life-long meditation practice, Ira Rechtshaffer has shown how both traditions combine to contribute to easing human suffering. He leads a reader along a path of discovery of the elements which make up a personal identity, its struggles and the possibility of surcease. The book concludes with a delightful way of looking at personality in terms of the six Buddhist realms. From narcissism to neurosis, Rechtshaffer shows how mindfulness can heal our estrangement from ourselves. ~ Charles Fisher, author of Dismantling Discontent and Meditation in the Wild ,

Mindfulness and Madness is a beautiful book describing the power of mindfulness and its healing properties. And yet, at the same time, it’s a book about us: the madness in the way we lead our lives, the crazy fast-pace that creates disconnection with ourselves and our environment. If you wish to transform your life from the mad into the mindful this book would be a wonderful gift to yourself. ~ Itai Ivtzan, author of Awareness Is Freedom: The Adventure of Psychology and Spirituality,