Showing posts with label meditation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meditation. Show all posts

12/10/2011

Reflections on Reality: The Three Natures and Non-Natures in the Mind-Only School: Dynamic Responses to Dzong-ka-ba's The Essence of Eloquence, Volume 2 Review

Reflections on Reality: The Three Natures and Non-Natures in the Mind-Only School: Dynamic Responses to Dzong-ka-ba's The Essence of Eloquence, Volume 2
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The first volume is in four parts:
A historical and doctrinal introduction
A translation of the General Explanation and the Section on the Mind-Only School in The Essence of Eloquence with frequent annotations in the brackets, footnotes, and backnotes
A detailed synopsis of the translation
A critical edition in Tibetan script of these sections in The Essence of Eloquence
The second volume, Reflections on Reality, will:
Place reactions to Tsongkhapa's text in historical and social context by examining the tension between allegiance and rational inquirer in monastic colleges
Expand on the religious significance of the three natures of phenomena
Present Jonangpa views on the thoroughly established nature and Gelukpa criticisms
Explain the reasonings establishing mind-only as means to overcome basic dread of reality, and
Consider how Tsongkhapa and his commentators present the provocative issue of the relationship between the two types of emptiness in the Mind-Only School and compare how the topic of two emptinesses is debated today in America, Europe, and Japan, thereby demonstrating how the two forms of scholarship refine and enhance each other.
The third volume, Absorption in No External World, will examine a plethora of fascinating points on the three natures raised in six centuries of commentary through:
Identifying the teachings in the first wheel of doctrine,
Probing the meaning of "own-character" and "established by way of its own character,"
Untangling the implications of Tsongkhapa's criticisms of Wongchuk, and treating many engaging points on the three natures and the three non-natures, including 1) how to apply these two grids to uncompounded space; 2) whether the selflessness of persons is a thoroughly established nature; 3) how to consider the emptiness of emptiness; and 4) the ways the Great Vehicle schools delineate the three natures and the three non-natures.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Reflections on Reality: The Three Natures and Non-Natures in the Mind-Only School: Dynamic Responses to Dzong-ka-ba's The Essence of Eloquence, Volume 2

This is the second volume in Jeffrey Hopkins's valuable series on the Mind-Only School of Buddhism. Dzong-ka-ba (1357-1419) is generally regarded as one of the greatest Tibetan philosophers, and his "Mind-Only" discourse on emptiness is considered a landmark in Buddhist philosophy. In Volume 2, Emptiness in the Mind-Only School of Buddhism, Hopkins provided a translation of the introduction and section on the Mind-Only School in The Essence of Eloquence. The present volume places this enigmatic and influential exposition in its historical and philosophical contexts. Reflections on Reality conveys the intellectual vibrancy of the different cultural interpretations of this text and expands the key philosophical issues it addresses.

Buy NowGet 20% OFF

Buy cheap Reflections on Reality: The Three Natures and Non-Natures in the Mind-Only School: Dynamic Responses to Dzong-ka-ba's The Essence of Eloquence, Volume 2 now.

11/10/2011

Study and Practice of Meditation: Tibetan Interpretations of the Concentrations and Formless Absorptions Review

Study and Practice of Meditation: Tibetan Interpretations of the Concentrations and Formless Absorptions
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This book is a real tome, and one has to admire the depth of scholarship displayed. The author makes it clear that this is basically a record from within the Gelugpa tradition of scholarship about types of meditation not generally practiced by those writing about it. That scholars-only flavor comes through loud and clear in the dense, heavily-annotated text, and I wish I had known that this was purely an academic treatise before plunking down money for it. The other reviews here do the potential reader a disservice by failing to mention this important fact. This is most definitely NOT a book from which to actually learn these practices, and if I were reviewing it on those grounds it would rate one star. Out of great respect for the scholarship, I give it 4.
Books to actually learn these techniques and put them into practice: The Attention Revolution, by B. Alan Wallace (superb), and the related text Calming the Mind: Tibetan Buddhist Teachings on Cultivating Meditative Quiescence, by Gelugpa meditation master Gen Lamrimpa. For most readers these will be far better choices.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Study and Practice of Meditation: Tibetan Interpretations of the Concentrations and Formless Absorptions

This book gives a vivid abd dewtailed accont of the meditative practices necessary to develop a calm, alert mind that is capable pf penetrating the depths of reality. The reader is exposed to Tibetan Buddhist views on the mental states attained through meditation by the author's relying on oral commentaries by three contemporary Tibetan lamas.

Buy NowGet 24% OFF

Buy cheap Study and Practice of Meditation: Tibetan Interpretations of the Concentrations and Formless Absorptions now.

11/08/2011

Heal Your Body Review

Heal Your Body
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Author Louise Hay is a teacher, lecturer, and founder of Hay House Publishing. She contends that disease is caused by mental thought patterns, especially patterns of criticism, anger, resentment, and guilt. Festering resentments eat away at the self and can ultimately lead to tumors and cancers. Anger turns into things that burn, boil, or infect the body. A pattern of criticism can turn into diseases like arthritis, and guilt seeks punishment and leads to pain. In this book, Ms. Hay outlines hundreds of diseases and conditions, alphabetically, and the mental patterns that are associated with them, including each vertebrae of the spine. She has discovered these patterns through many years of study, her own work with clients, and her lectures and workshops.
She knows the power of healing by changing mental thought patterns firsthand: she was diagnosed as having cancer of the vagina several years ago. She was already a teacher of healing for several years, and saw it as an opportunity to practice what she preached. Despite knowing the power of replacing negative thought patterns with positive and affirming beliefs, she felt panic like most would at this kind of diagnosis. However, she felt that if she allowed the doctor to operate without changing the mental pattern that created it, the cancer would just come back. In fact, she believes that when cancer comes back, it's not because the doctor "didn't get it all", but because the individual never addressed the mental patterns that created the dis-ease in the first place.
In Ms. Hay's case, she had never acknowledged the deep resentment she carried for being raped when she was 5 years old and being battered as a child. As she says, we are often blind to our own patterns--even if we're healers or teachers.
Ms. Hay bargained with her doctor and asked for 3 months to work on the deep resentments and thought patterns that created her cancer. He grudgingly agreed, warning her that she was putting her life in danger. She began working immediately with a teacher to clear up her patterns of resentment, as well as working with a nutritionist to detoxify her body. Six months later, the medical profession agreed with what she already knew: she was completely free from any form of cancer.
She still keeps the original lab report as a reminder of how negatively creative she could be.
I have to admit, I never thought I would recommend this book to anyone. My first husband was a Charismatic minister who believed that words were powerful and creative, and taught this concept to his congregation. However, he contracted leukemia at age 28, and despite a lot of positive thinking and affirmations, he suffered physically and died. Entertaining the theory that he created his suffering, especially after believing in God, healing, and the power of words, made me mad. Very mad. I scorned Ms. Hay and her theories of blame.
So what changed my mind? I had a series of physical symptoms that I knew were connected to my beliefs and thought patterns. As a former Charismatic minister, I used to teach the same thing as my deceased husband. However, deep down, I don't think I really believed in co-creation, but just wished it were true--especially in the area of prosperity and "name it and claim it." After following a different spiritual path from the one in which I was raised and upon further metaphysical study and reading while working on my own thought patterns, I began to realize, deep down, that my thoughts were powerful and that there were mental and emotional correlations to my physical symptoms. It was then that I felt to give Louise Hay another try.
First off, let me say that Ms. Hay believes in taking full responsibility for your health without self-reproach of feeling guilty. The means NO BLAME. But if you're anything like me, especially one that struggles with guilt from being brought up in a fear-based religion, it's hard not to feel blame when exploring the ideas of metaphysical causation. Some people blame God or an evil entity for dis-ease, and others blame it on the environment, poor lifestyle choices or genetics. Ms. Hay doesn't believe in participating in self-loathing and self-blame when you get ill; this is yet another destructive thought pattern.
I bought Heal Your Body a few months ago, and I have to tell you, it's really helped me pinpoint issues I needed to acknowledge and work though. I was suffering sinus trouble, and sinus trouble supposedly correlates to being irritated by one person--someone close. I began to look at the fact that I held unacknowledged resentment towards my Autistic son because of the arduousness of dealing with his behaviors, as well as wishing my situation was other than it was. What mother wants to acknowledge she may resent her son on some level--especially a precious 4 year old with Autism? Yet, this is what becoming responsible for myself and my health entails: ruthless self-examination without self-judgment and self-blame. Then, it's possible to actually work on the root of the resentment, see where I was resisting reality and wishing it to be other than it is, and changing my mind and negative thought processes.
Needless to say, after a few months of working on it, the sinus trouble disappeared. (And it was plaguing me for many months.) I've had this work for me with other ailments, as well.
If anything, this book is a great starting point for examining our beliefs and thought patterns and observe if there is truth to Ms. Hay's correlations. If it doesn't seem to fit, sit with it awhile. Be honest with yourself. Allow yourself to explore the idea that it's possible. You may find some surprising insights into your health and your life, and begin on a path to a level of health that you never imagined possible.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Heal Your Body

This book offers positive new thought patterns to replace negativeemotions.It includes an alphabetical chart of physical ailments, the probable causes, andhealing affirmations to help you eliminate old patterns.

Buy Now

Buy cheap Heal Your Body now.

7/24/2011

Until Today : Daily Devotions for Spiritual Growth and Peace of Mind Review

Until Today : Daily Devotions for Spiritual Growth and Peace of Mind
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This was so moving for me. I am just recently out of a bad relationship, one of many. A friend shared with me a copy of this book before I bought it myself. Iyanla touches on the deepest parts of my heart, and shows me that I am not alone. Coming from a not so good childhood...and thinking as I grew up that men were always going to hurt me in the end, therefore never allowing myself to honestly open up and trust one, I have just been going through the motions of a relationship for years. Never understanding why it is that I just cant seem to find "happiness". And she, very vividly, explains that we all have a past but we can't allow it to ruin our future! And only now in retrospect, with the aid of this book showing me and allowing me to really understand, can I see that I was doing just that. If you are not sure about where to go for help, or unsure of how you can get beyond your "skeletons in the closet", like many of us, than this is definitely for you! She is helping me to find myself all over again from the inside out....Healing the mind, body and soul.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Until Today : Daily Devotions for Spiritual Growth and Peace of Mind



Buy NowGet 32% OFF

Buy cheap Until Today : Daily Devotions for Spiritual Growth and Peace of Mind now.