Collection of 15 first-hand accounts by contemporary westerners about the effects of embracing Buddhism on their personal and professional lives. They Include counsellors, writers, a woman lama, a terminal cancer patient, a photographer, a Zen teacher and composer Philip Glass. Around a third are Australian, including actor Tracy Mann and Bob Sharples, a counsellor and psychologist at the Gawler Foundation. Most contributors are devotees of Tibetan Buddhism. Each personal account is introduced by Mackenzie. Includes glossary and further reading list.