In his foreword to this cogent and uplifting spiritual work by the Dalai Lama, Jeffrey Hopkins, who has served for a decade as his interpreter, pays tribute to His Holiness's dual voice as poet and philosopher in his commentary on morality, meditation, and wisdom: "In this book he draws on a long tradition of spiritual practice in Tibet and on his own experience to offer suggestions on how to practice a spiritual path that will lead to mental clarity and emotional transformation. In this way, he shows how life can be made meaningful."

The Fourteenth Dalai Lama is convinced that human beings can move beyond exaggerated self-centeredness to peace and the practice of kindness. But first we must train the mind, and here the Tibetan Buddhist tradition has much to offer. How to Practice is organized around six parts dealing with the basics, morality, concentrated meditation, wisdom, Tantra, and steps along the way.

The section on practicing morality is very helpful. The Dalai Lama outlines three types. The first is the morality of individual liberation whereby individuals refrain from physical and verbal actions that engender harm. The morality of Bodhisattvas revolves around keeping the mind from falling into selfishness through ill deeds of body and speech. The morality of Tantra consists of "special techniques for imagining a full developed state of body and mind effectively helping others." All three can be enhanced by daily practices such as examining your motivation, analyzing your life closely, and adopting a positive attitude in the face of difficulty.

Elsewhere in the book, the Dalai Lama presents wise counsel on compassion, which he calls "the global staple"; practicing patience; seeing enemies and trying circumstances as invaluable opportunities to practice tolerance; and ways to keep altruism from deteriorating.