My next installment in the How Life Works Series, How Joyous Efforts Work is finished and I’m deeply honored to have received a foreword for this book from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and endorsements from both Jane Goodall and Robert A. F. Thurman.

An Excerpt from His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Foreword:

“Janet Kathleen Ettele’s How Joyous Efforts Work introduces Buddhism interweaving it with stories of our daily life. I hope this book enables the general readers to get a better understanding of the Buddhist teachings, getting conviction not because of faith, but due to reasoning.”  Read More

Jane Goodall:

            “…each one of us makes a difference, every day, and this is echoed throughout these pages. It is an inspiring read.” Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE, Founder – The Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace 

Robert Thurman:

“With characters that could easily be people we know, Janet Kathleen Ettele’s How Joyous Efforts Work is a wonderful introduction to Buddha’s teachings for young and not-so-young adults. Read this book and you’ll grow to love and bond with the characters. Their presence and wisdom will linger in your heart long after you’ve finished the book. Mark the pages, and keep the book handy – it’s one you’ll want to read again and again.” Robert A. F. Thurman, Buddhist Studies Professor Emeritus, and bestselling author of Wisdom is Bliss, and other books on living and dying.

Why so many years between the third book, How Patience Works, and this one?

Although I finished writing this book in 2018, there have been a number of setbacks that have delayed the release of How Joyous Efforts Work. The most significant setback being that my publisher is no longer able to complete the project. I have no doubt that my own karma has played a role in these setbacks! While there have been times when I’ve wondered if I should just make peace with it never being published, I read in His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s book titled For the Benefit of All Beings, A Commentary on the Way of the Bodhisattva :

“Before we do anything, we should always ask ourselves whether we will be able to do it properly and complete it. If the answer is no, we should not start. Leaving tasks uncompleted creates a habit for the future. So, once we have begun something, we should be sure not to go back on our decision.”

It is this instruction that has made my determination unstoppable to see this book through to its release.

About the Book

How Joyous Efforts Work is based on the fourth of The Six Perfections: Joyous Effort, also sometimes translated as “Perseverance” or “Endeavor.”

In this book, we accompany Troy as he meets his next teacher Jules, a master luthier (builder of stringed instruments) who offers instruction on the deeper levels of Buddhist teachings and practices. Using the luthier’s skills as metaphor, Jules teaches Troy the art of fret leveling as a meditative support to engage the practice of cultivating equanimity, and to understand the Buddhist view of dependent arising. 

If you’ve read any of the previous three books, you’ll enjoy learning more about Troy, the things that motivate him in his practice, and the things he finds challenging – including the risks he faces when attachment overrides his love for Maggie.

If you would like to receive updates on the progress of my efforts toward publication of How Joyous Efforts Work, please add your name to my email list.