The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education

The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education
Average customer rating:

it changed my life

How to bring up a "Theory Y" Individual

Read it First

I read this when I should have been doing my math homework...

Interesting and over-reaching ideas

The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education
Grace Llewellyn
Manufacturer: Lowry House Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0962959170

Amazon.com

You won't find this book on a school library shelf--it's pure teenage anarchy. While many homeschooling authors hem and haw that learning at home isn't for everyone, this manifesto practically tells kids they're losers if they do otherwise. With the exception of a forwarding note to parents, this book is written entirely for teenagers, and the first 75 pages explain why school is a waste of time. Grace Llewellyn insists that people learn better when they are self-motivated and not confined by school walls. Instead of homeschooling, which connotes setting up a school at home, Llewellyn prefers "unschooling," a learning method with no structure or formal curriculum. There are tips here you won't hear from a school guidance counselor. Llewellyn urges kids to take a vacation--at least for a week--after quitting school to purge its influence. "Throw darts at a picture of your school" or "Make a bonfire of old worksheets," she advises. She spends an entire chapter on the gentle art of persuading parents that this is a good idea. Then she gets serious. Llewellyn urges teens to turn off the TV, get outside, and turn to their local libraries, museums, the Internet, and other resources for information. She devotes many chapters to books and suggestions for teaching yourself science, math, social sciences, English, foreign languages, and the arts. She also includes advice on jobs and getting into college, assuring teens that, contrary to what they've been told in school, they won't be flipping burgers for the rest of their days if they drop out.

Llewellyn is a former middle-school English teacher, and she knows her audience well. Her formula for making the transition from traditional school to unschooling is accompanied by quotes on freedom and free thought from radical thinkers such as Steve Biko and Ralph Waldo Emerson. And Llewellyn is not above using slang. She capitalizes words to add emphasis, as in the "Mainstream American Suburbia-Think" she blames most schools for perpetuating. Some of her attempts to appeal to young minds ring a bit corny. She weaves through several chapters an allegory about a baby whose enthusiasm is squashed by a sterile, unnatural environment, and tells readers to "learn to be a human bean and not a mashed potato." But her underlying theme--think for yourself--should appeal to many teenagers. --Jodi Mailander Farrell

Customer Reviews:

it changed my life.......2007-08-29

After reading this book at the age of 17, I got a GED, went to community college, and now hold a Master's in English. As a highschool student I had a 1.7 GPA and as a graduate student my GPA was a 3.8. I have Grace Llewellyn to thank.

This book gave me the courage to step away from public school and follow my own path. I realized how much energy I was wasting rebelling against a system I could just walk away from.

God bless Grace Llewellyn.

How to bring up a "Theory Y" Individual.......2007-08-08

According to Douglas McGregor, an uber-famous professor from MIT's sloan business school, a person can be viewed in two ways. 1st way is externally-directed known as "theory x." 2nd way is self-directed known as "theory y." (In learning circles, "unschooling" can be equated with "theory y." )

This book's methods are for those who see a young person from a "theory y" viewpoint. It's the rare teacher, principal, or guidance counselor who views a student as "theory y." The demands and pressures put on them by the school-system itself tends to make them and even their students hold a "theory x" viewpoint. (Private school-systems are no better than their public counterparts in this regard. This reader's contact wtih private school-system educators has been contact with those who believe "theory x" to pretty much the only credible viewpoint.)

I read this book and it does provide a lot of good pointers on how to "unschool" a teenager. This reader has some reference to judge methods on how to school a teenager. This reader has taught public high-school courses for nearly a year as a long-term sub.

Read it First.......2007-07-25

I liked this book - but I am a 43 year old mother. For anyone who has put bright, interesting kids into the school system it is a validation of how poor our school system is. I would urge parents to read it first or simultaneously.

I read this when I should have been doing my math homework..........2007-07-12

and absolutely loved it! This book is helping convince my mom to let me leave school to get on with my life already! I highly reccomend this book to anyone who is not too happy with the school system. The author lists several reasons school is damaging (and I mean several chapters' worth of reasons), things to do when not in school, how to go to college if you never went to school (if you so desire), and how to get a job (easier than you thought.) Buy this book if you want to be set free!

Interesting and over-reaching ideas.......2007-07-11

I can see why this book appeals to so many young people: it's written with unhappy students in mind. One of the reasons that this book appeals to so many people is that it simply confirms what they already believe. That kind of reading is always very comforting and appealing--but is it good for us?

I'm not sure that I buy into the product that Llewellyn is selling; that is, that we can teach ourselves better than others can do it for us. The process of seeking out mentors is slightly addressed in her book, but what about seeking mentors in fields that perhaps we don't immediately have a love for? There is value in learning things we didn't think we needed to learn from people we didn't think we'd like.

Still, I do think that high schools do a disservice to a number of young people by requiring a certain number of credits in subjects and assigning grades. Llewellyn does make some interesting points regarding this and other issues that could work for some strongly self-directed and independent students.

Overall, I think the book contains some interesting ideas that would appeal to the average student, but the over-generalizations sink many of her arguments.

The Enneagram of Liberation: From Fixation to Freedom

Average customer rating:

Also somewhat disappointed
the enneagram of liberation
Spiritual Approach to the Enneagram
A Bit Disappointing
Spiritual Self-Actualization with the Enneagram- Great Book!

The Enneagram of Liberation: From Fixation to Freedom
Eli Jaxon-Bear
Manufacturer: Leela Foundation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1893840182

Book Description

Eli Jaxon-Bear presents a radically new model of the ego and the psyche. Bringing together his background in Buddhism with his Sufi work on essence, he presents a fresh approach to awakening by using the Enneagram's nine fixated structure of ego to clearly describe who you are not.

You will see how habits of egoic identification continuously appear to veil the pristine consciousness that you truly are. When these habits of mind are exposed, there is a clear choice to end the bondage of ego-based suffering and to realize the vast, inherent freedom of one's true nature. In this book Eli gives us the map of the prison of mind and the keys to freedom.

Customer Reviews:

Also somewhat disappointed.......2006-06-25

I agree with the other slightly disappointed reviewer. The author too often relies on stereotyping, generalizing and anecdotes. I thought, the enneagram refers to the character of individuals. If that is so, how can Jaxon-Bear refer to entire countries as one type if they are made up of highly diverse individuals. Where do drop-outs or regime critics fit in who were born and raised in a country? That is where his stereotyping (mostly negative anyway, i.e. Austrians only bathe once a week) comes in. How can the author consider himself spiritual and still revert to such superficial narrow-mindedness? On the positive side, he does give some valuable insights in childhood dynamics and trauma that would explain fixations.

the enneagram of liberation.......2005-10-08

Not for everyone but if you are serious about self realization this is a must read and reread. Eli jaxon bear is the master.

Spiritual Approach to the Enneagram.......2005-08-14

This book goes beyond the psychological perspective many have on the enneagram to show how it can be used as a tool on the spiritual path to egolessness, or enlightenment. That does not mean that the psychological insights are not excellent, however, as they are, and identifying your ego type within the enneagram structure will be easy with this guide. In addition you will discover the approach best suited to your release of this structure. However, this book is not light reading for someone that is not accustomed to spiritual literature.

A Bit Disappointing.......2005-07-25

Despite high hopes for this book I found it a bit disappointing. The author uses a subjective, anecdotal approach to describing the different types (e.g., "Females Fours usually have great boots.") as opposed to an objective description of the principles underlying each number. Also, apparently most of his contacts from which he draws his anecdotal descriptions are women (for instance, the section on Childhood Setting for Twos has very little male gender or gender neutral info - it is overwhelmingly geared to females, as most of the book seems to be). An emphasis on the negative aspects of each type while excluding the positive aspects makes for a bit of a depressing read. Some interesting ideas but not enough for me to enthusiastically recommend the book. For those interested in this subject, I'd recommend "The Wisdom of the Enneagram" by Riso and Hudson - they actually accomplish what this author set out to do.

Spiritual Self-Actualization with the Enneagram- Great Book!.......2004-08-21

I thought I was ready to review Eli Jaxon-Bear's "The Enneagram of Liberation" shortly after I first read it, about a year ago. However, in spite of having been a student of the enneagram for many years, I realized that I really didn't have a clear sense of how to describe the book. After a recent second reading, followed by a five-day workshop based on the principles outlined in the book, the penny finally dropped-- this is definitely a fresh new approach to an old system. Indeed, the reviewer with the negative opinion (elsewhere in these pages) is EXACTLY right in saying that this is NOT like other enneagram books.

Eli Jaxon-Bear really did not write a book "about" the Enneagram-- as most people are familiar with it-- as a work to determine psychological personality types; rather, he wrote a book about self-actualization, "using" the Enneagram as a "framework" to guide the reader. If you are looking for a "descriptive text" about the history, use and mechanics of the Enneagram strictly from a personality type perspective, this is probably NOT the best book for you-- I'd recommend something by Riso & Hudson, or by Helen Palmer. However, if you are looking for an insightful spiritually-based guide to self-understanding, this is a very insightful book. Having a working knowledge of the Enneagram might be helpful before starting this book, but is by no means essential.

The author uses the Enneagram to examine the nine different psychological fixations and "ego-structures" that correspond to the nine enneagram points, and explains how each Enneagram type's "fixation" is also what prevents them from living and experiencing an "authentic" life. The text is clear and easy to understand, with the first part of the book covering some basic explanations and background of the system; the largest (middle) section describing the different ego-structures and fixations of each of the nine Enneagram types; the final section offering insights towards attaining an "enlightened" or "liberated" state of being through the realization and acceptance that the limiting "identities" we assume through the ego are no more than illusions. Throughout, Bear offers examples from his workshops, as well as from his own journey of self-discovery, which draws predominantly from Eastern thought and philosophy (Buddhism & Sufism). Overall, I have found "The Enneagram of Liberation" to be a very valuable addition to my library of enneagram books.

Final thoughts: Highly recommended (10 out of a possible 10 bookmarks). However, it is important to remember that this is NOT a book about "personality typing," but a book about self-growth. In general, I'd suggest a working knowledge of the Enneagram prior to reading this, or at least a working knowledge of the self-examination process.

Personal Best: The Foremost Philosopher of Fitness Shares Techniques and Tactics for Success and Self-Liberation

Average customer rating:

Great
everyone should read this book!
A wonderful book
I wish he was still with us!

Personal Best: The Foremost Philosopher of Fitness Shares Techniques and Tactics for Success and Self-Liberation
George Sheehan
Manufacturer: Rodale Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 0878579958

Customer Reviews:

Great .......2004-09-02

This book is inspirational. It helps you maintain fitness habits and I like George's philosophical nature. I recommend this to runners and non-runners alike. We will miss the wit and humor of Sheehan who died of cancer during the last decade.

everyone should read this book!.......2002-12-12

This is one of the best books I have ever read. I was amazed at how Dr. Sheehan wrote about things that I have thought about, dreamt about, and had to deal with in my running and life. All types and levels of athletes and even non-athletes will love this book. If you are a runner, this book will help you take a deeper look. This book will also help non-runners understand their running loved ones better!

A wonderful book.......1999-02-19

This is one of my top 5 favorite books ever. Not only is it highly motovating in terms of running, but it is very inspiring in terms of life in general. George Sheehan was a living hero and this book can help you become a hero too.

I wish he was still with us!.......1998-07-24

Being an amature philospher and a middle of the pack runner, one of the more memorable events in my running career, was meeting Dr. George Sheehan and getting a signed copy of this book.

Dr. Sheehan was one of the best writers I have ever read. I don't know if it is my love of the subject, the quality writing, or the ability to connect with his life, but I love to read his work!

I remember reading his column in the 'Runners World' before anything else every month--I just couldn't get enough.

Book Description

In this uniquely insightful overview and practice guide, Traleg Kyabgon presents a thorough introduction to the Kagyu lineage's Mahamudra tradition. The author's approach is straightforwardâhe presents the Mahamudra teachings as a means of seeing things in, as he says, "a positive and open light. Even things we might normally regard as bad and undesirable can be interpreted in a more uplifting way due to the expansiveness of the Mahamudra vision." Mahamudraâwhich means "great seal" or "great symbol," referring to the symbol or mark of ultimate reality, or emptinessâpoints to the true nature of mind as well as the ultimate insubstantiality of all things. The book includes an exploration of Mahamudra fundamentals and thorough explanations of Ground, Path, and Fruition Mahamudra, including meditation techniques for investigating, experiencing, and contemplating these teachings.

Customer Reviews:

Traleg Kyabgon teachings.......2007-06-19

Excelellent book; i thank Traleg Kiabgon for his inspiration and teaching. A book with excelent items for practicing insight meditation, not only for reading.

Graceful and sublime yet practical.......2005-09-27

I am a student of Tibetan Buddhism focusing on Mahamudra as my main practice, so I read many wonderful materials, modern and traditional, to support my (admittedly infantile) practice.

This book is an absolute treasure for any practitioner of Mahamudra. Traleg Rinpoche is a teacher of the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, and has lived in the West for some time. His sensitivity to the cultural concerns of Westeners coming to Buddhism, along with his skill in transmitting the Dharma directly in English add to his comprehensive command of the subject and practical experience, yielding an unbeatable combination.

As Traleg Rinpoche (along with all the realized masters of the lineage) repeatedly stresses, Mahamudra should not be practiced purely "by the book," that is, without the guidance of a genuine spiritual teacher in an authentic unbroken lineage of Mahamudra. For those who have the great fortune to have such a teacher, the explanations and exercises in this text will be a magnificent companion to their direct teachings. The text follows very closely the structure and presentation of the Ninth Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje's "Ocean of Definitive Meaning," the quintessential text on Mahamudra practice.

Traleg Rinpoche summarizes each of the stages, in a contemporary voice, presenting the principles and practices in gracefully elegant language that is nevertheless to the point. He also devises meditation exercises to go with many of the individual stages of the practice, so one can follow the exercises one by one as a complement to one's teacher's instructions. He clearly explains the structure of a meditation session. Moreover, Rinpoche presents the stages of the Mahamudra path in the broader context of spiritual seeking and the nature of the path. The text ends up a sublime blending of traditional meditation instruction and modern understanding, and may well be the best contemporary Mahamudra practice manual available.

As a result, despite the caveat regarding the need for a teacher in order to practice Mahamudra, the text is helpful to those who are not practicing under the direct guidance of a spiritual master--to the extent that it provides a thorough overview and glimpse at the nuts-and-bolts aspects of Mahamudra practice. It would be a great starting point for someone interested in learning more about the practice before finding or committing oneself to a teacher. No doubt the book will be invaluable in encouraging dedicated students to do just that! Nothing could be more worth the effort.

Wonderfully written with deep and spacious view.......2005-01-11

Traleg Kyabgon is a Tibetan who directs the Kagyu-Evam Buddhist Institute in Melbourne, Australia. He has studied extensively in the West. He says in his introduction that he is attempting to keep the book simple and accessible. He succeeds, IMHO. As he says on page 225, "in approaching the spiritual path, we need some understanding of what the journey involves." This deep book is incredibly easy to read and understand, despite its stated lack of personal experiences. Unlike many others, the author includes the reasons behind the practices, the whys and wherefores as well as the how. He also includes many, many exercises/meditations with very fine descriptions of the practices. He also defines terms amazingly well-shining light on them with great clarity. His Glossary is wonderfully written. I especially liked his definition of "Interested Humility" (page 242) vs. "devotion." Within the text, he beautifully defines and describes such important experiences as Bliss, Clarity, and Mental Spaciousness (page 199) as well as delineating important distinctions such as meditative experiences and realizations (page 198). The only point I still have a problem with (despite his quoting the Dalai Lama on page 125) is the difference between soul and Buddha nature. It seems to me that they are addressing the Hindu atman which is not necessarily the idea in the West. For example, Jung's archetype of the Anima or Animus differs from the atman. It would be interesting to hear a Mahamudra analysis of such Jungian ideas.

Additionally, the author introduces some new terminology which is helpful to the student's understanding. For example, "conceptual overlays" (page 195) and mystical Mahayana (Mahamudra, Dzogchen, and some Zen sects on page 137); also he explains the relationships among memory, mindfulness, and being in the now (page 146). Throughout the book is practical. It even includes suggestions for using a zafu (small round cushion for the buttocks) on top of a zabuton (larger square cushion to help the ankles) on page 144. Furthermore, he provides a fine description of the use of the Four Immeasurables (pages 92-117) as an prelude to the main Mahamudra meditation and refers to the applicability of them and Lojong (mind training: see Pema Chodron's "Start Where You Are" for particulars on this and "Noble Heart" for another view of the Four Immeasurables) for the Mahamudra practitioner (page 218). I don't think I've heard that anywhere before either in Lojong books/tapes or Mahamudra & Dzogchen ones. Nevertheless, as the author explains on page 202, insight does not come from purely from learning.

The author's explanation of the value of differing perspectives is well worth quoting at length:
"In Buddhism, it is openly conceded that having different terminologies and different concepts gives us a different understanding of something. Multiple perspectives are valued because particular perspectives will necessarily yield corresponding understandings. Sometimes people become annoyed by these multiple perspectives and begin to question which one is real and which ones are false. The Buddhist position is that they are all true within their given context. They are also necessary because in Mahayana Buddhism the teachings have to accommodate the needs of a diverse range of people, all potential beneficiaries of the Dharma. Any single perspective that is dogmatically thrust upon a multitude of diverse individuals will fail to inspire many and is unlikely to benefit more than a few. [however] Different perspectives have to form a coherent whole with an underlying thematic link between the variations, otherwise they would cease to be perspectives on the same thing" (page 136).

Finally, the appendix (pages 229-35), "Precious Sun" Padma Karpo's Spiritual Advice is poetic, insightful, profound, and enlightening.

Embracing Heaven & Earth: The Liberation Teachings of Andrew Cohen

Average customer rating:

Worst yet.
This man is false
Just Another guru
another one
The bedrock of Spiritual Growth

Embracing Heaven & Earth: The Liberation Teachings of Andrew Cohen
Andrew Cohen , and John White
Manufacturer: What Is Enlighenment? Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1883929296

Book Description

Embracing Heaven & Earth is an original contemporary expression of the timeless wisdom of Enlightenment. The fruition of Andrew Cohen's fifteen years as a spiritual teacher, this book presents a radical psychology of Liberation. It takes the reader on a journey of Self-discovery that reveals not only the liberating fact of our true nature, but the way to live that truth in this world.

Customer Reviews:

Worst yet........2006-06-17

Having read the reviews inside this book I really expected something. All i got was the writing of a confused huge ego searching for answers. Cohen really mis leads people in a big way. This year he says this, last year he said the opposite. It depends on his mood I suppose. sometimes he is into the non duality stuff. Other times he is into re-incarnation /soul theory. It also depends on who he is with. He changes faster than the wind. This guy really is the worst of the worst. If you follow his teachings then you will find as others have found, you really are wasting your time and money. His book may read nicely but when you meet him you will be shocked at his cruelty to others. He seems envious of those who are actually awakened.

This man is false.......2006-06-17

I agree with my fellow reviewers below that Cohen is tricking people. His manner and way of talking to people when seen in action gives it away. He is clearly not awake rather completely asleep. Actually I feel tired just thinking of him. I cannot write anymore.

Just Another guru.......2006-06-02

If an individual remains in an intermediate state between sleep and wakefullness for a prolonged period of time (e.g. theta wave state) he will experience a variety of sensations which are subjectively described as out-of-body, super-awareness, 'Enlightenment', etc.

This prolonged semi-wakefullness, which can be produced by various means such as meditation, hypnosis, yoga, rhythmic chanting, deep breathing, night driving, evangelical preaching or... monotonous hyperbolic 'teaching' , are physiologically accompanied by chemical changes such as the release of endorphins and changes in serotonin levels.

Staying in this state will produce some psychological effects, some of which may even be beneficial. ...but...

Various charlitans over the years have exploited people's surprise at these effects to set themselves up as 'gurus', teachers etc. and try to make people believe that the guru or teacher is putting them in contact with some mysterious 'cosmic force' ...or 'Enlightment'. Of course the gurus can then exploit their followers and get rich as well as get their narcissism and desire for power over others fed.

This game has been played by evangilical christian preachers as well as the indian yogis.

Cohen is just another cheap guru playing exactly the same game and exploiting the emotionally vulnerable. Cohen discovered this little gambit in a two week stint with an indian yogi and has been gaming his followers ever since.

Cohen's content is a totally bogus word salad and beside the point. If Cohen intrigues you... you should probably go to a licensed psycologist and find out why.

another one.......2005-07-04

yes, this is what one gets from a young guy who got enlightened in, what, two weeks with the well known INdian "teacher of Masters" Poonja . a couple of weeks was enough to propel Cohen into the guru circuit in the West... sadly enough, the sensitive and talented young man never got a chance ... to be simply human being who actually works for life. its one thing, as this book shows, to fly the Advaita shuttle, another altogether to live an impeccable life.

the "enlightenement" experience is recounted ad nauseam by Cohen... who tends to forget, conveniently, that Poonja soon denounced him as a fake guru, publicity seeker, a bully and a fraud.

It is not that Cohen is saying wrong stuff - the problem is that, like Rajneesh before him, what he says is close to irrelevant given WHO's talking and what he DOES (for a hilarious read check out his mother's book The Mother of God).

I'd take this book as a striking example of the danger lurking in letting the ego seduce one into a "teacher".... and of getting derailed by sudden, overwhelming, all-powerful realizations. Cohen needs disciples like he needs air... and that is fishy.

be that as it may...caveat emptor

The bedrock of Spiritual Growth.......2002-10-23

I highly recommend this book and all of Cohen's books. His five basic tenants of enlightenment which he teaches in this book and in others are the bedrock of spiritual development and maturity. His teachings lay the ground work for the personal Ascension of every human being. Although he does not teach Ascension, he understands that the primary purpose of the human is to attain freedom. The road in which Ascension is achieved.(for further info on Ascension see my "about you"on Amazon.[com]). He is an illumined mind and I also suggest you attend one of his retreats.

The Key to Self-liberation: 1000 Diseases And Their Psychological Origins

Average customer rating:

The Key to Self-liberation: 1000 Diseases And Their Psychological Origins
Christiane Beerlandt
Manufacturer: Beerlandt Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Alternative Medicine | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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Natural Liberation: Padmasambhava's Teachings on the Six Bardos

Average customer rating:

This Treasure comes with a Map
Enlightening Text
A superb text for beginners or experts
One of the finest books I have read in years.
Sometimes holding the Wish-Granting Gem in one's hand

Natural Liberation: Padmasambhava's Teachings on the Six Bardos
Padmasambhava
Manufacturer: Wisdom Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0861711319

Book Description

In the spirit of the Buddhist tantric tradition, Natural Liberation examines how to take the commonplace states of consciousness experienced in life and death and turn them into opportunities for the highest liberation. In this work, Padmasambhava, the great 9th century Indian master who established Buddhism in Tibet, describes in detail six life-processes, or bardos, and how to transform them into vehicles for enlightenment. This most extraordinary teaching is here accompanied by meditation instructions and edifying anecdotes in a lucid commentary by Gyatrul Rinpoche, an esteemed teacher of the Nyingma tradition.

Customer Reviews:

This Treasure comes with a Map.......2005-05-11

In Natural Liberation, Padmasambhava (the great Tantric Buddhist master) gives very clear instructions on how one can find englightenment in at any time (and I mean at any time at all), and Gyatrul Rinpoche explains these instructiosn in detail and in a context appropriate for a contemporary English reader. The result: a very potent 300 pages, friends. If you approach this text motivated to learn and put what you learn into practice for the good of all that is... well, that's the attitude Gyatrul Rinpoche asks of you, so you are on the right track.

Natural Liberation is appropriate for those committed to the Buddhist path, and is quite rigorous without being particularly difficult stylistically or intellectually. Here is a representative selection of Gyatrul Rinpoche's commentary: "Here's the critical point: experientially inquire into these issues until you come to complete certainty. Even if youpractice this meditation a little bit, if you do not gain certain knowledge, you will never gain competence in this training" (p 118). If one is interested in an in depth examination of the inquiry process, one might consider a close study of Tarthang Tulku's brainchild: Time, Space, and Knowledge.

Thank you to Padmakara, Karma Lingpa, Gyatrul Rinpoche, and Alan Wallace for giving us this treasure!

Enlightening Text.......2004-11-05

This book is a good follow-up to Gyatrul Rinpoche's commentary on portions of Karma Chagme's 17th century text, "The Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen." The 2 volumes are entitled: "Naked Awareness" and "A Spacious Path to Freedom." All 3 are translated by B. Alan Wallace and, I believe that, the introductions make the connection between the two original texts. "Natural Liberation" and is attributed to the earlier master Padmasambhava. However, even the 3 together are not a complete exposition of the Union. Chokyi Rinpoche also wrote a small commentary on Karma Chagme's text entitled: "The Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen." All 4 of these books are well worth reading. They are among the clearest and pithiest of currently available English translations of Mahamudra and Dzogchen texts and help one to not only understand their relationships, but more importantly to understand the underlying truths within them. They also provide considerable practical guidance for the practitioner. Mahamudra is contended to be the highest teaching within the Kagyu tradition (among the 4 Tibetan Buddhist traditions). Dzogchen is similarly regarded for the Nyingma tradition. Thus, such original works can be said to address the very highest Vajrayana (Tibetan Buddhist) teachings. It is obvious (even in translation) that both Karma Chagme and (the much celebrated and revered) Padmasambhava were great, enlightened masters. This volume contains a wealth of valuable material and is highly recommended.

A superb text for beginners or experts.......1999-08-04

Comprehensive- well translated- and with extensive commentary, both erudite and pratical,by Lama Gyaltrul, on this famous Masterpiece of Tibetan meditation technology,a hertofor untranslated section from a large set of cannonical works known collectivly as Karma Lingpas "Shi- Tro Bardo Rangdrol,{from which the well known Tibetan Book of the dead is also derived}A jewel of a Dharma book-brings one of the best Lamas and most highly qualified translators of 20th century(Gyaltrul and Wallace) togather with one of the finest works previous generations of Tibetan scholars and meditators so as to make this book a completly traditional,while at the same time up to date modern classic a welcome addition to any library,Buddhist or other.

One of the finest books I have read in years........1999-04-04

Padmasambhava's teachings on the six bardos is truly brought to life by Gyatrul Rinpoche's commentary, and B. Alan Wallace [as usual] does a superb job of translation.

This book should be read by all those who are interested in practicing Buddhism, whether of the Vajrayana, Mahayana, or Theravaden tradition. Here you will find the words of a master, whose words will engage you and urge you to change your life. Those who find this book and begin its practices are indeed fortunate.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those involved in making this book availible to the public.

Sometimes holding the Wish-Granting Gem in one's hand.......1999-03-20

Occasionally - very rarely - the wish-granting gem is placed in one's hands. This text, a skilful interweave of the root verses by Guru Padmasambhava and a commentary given recently on the US West Coast by the Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche, is exactly one such opportunity. As a long-term practitioner of the Düd'jom Lineage of teachings, and translator to His Holiness Shenphen Dawa Norbu Rinpoche, I cannot too strongly recommend this book to all those who feel they would like to undertake the Buddhist path. The Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche skilfully steers the practitioner - be they beginner or mature student - through the various reefs of hope and fear attached to such an undertaking, and brings them clear to at least a vision of the path that leads to the other shore, beyond, and back again. He is to be thanked profoundly for his great compassion, humorous skill and wisdom.

Freedom From The Ties That Bind: The Secret of Self Liberation

Average customer rating:

Great book
Freedom
Freedom from self punishing thoughts............
A Great book by one of the worlds leading spritural writers
This book can change the way you think, literally.

Freedom From The Ties That Bind: The Secret of Self Liberation
Guy Finley
Manufacturer: Llewellyn Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0875422179

Book Description

Imagine finding an inexhaustible source of strength within that allows you to leave all self punishing patterns behind. Imagine having the power to choose the life you really want. Now you can stop imagining. In Freedom From The Ties That Bind, Guy Finley reveals hundreds of breakthrough secrets of self liberation that show you exactly how to be fully independent and free of any unhappy condition. Even the most difficult people won't be able to try your temper or get you flustered. You'll feel anxieties and doubts about your future fade away. And you'll enjoy solid, meaningful relationships based on your conscious choice rather than self defeating compromises.

The life-healing insights in this book empower you to stop being an unwitting victim of your own fears and to take command of challenging situations. You'll discover how to unlock the door to your own Free Mind, and to come upon the greatest spiritual secret of all: Who you really are is already everything you've ever wanted to be!

Customer Reviews:

Great book.......2007-08-11

This is a great book revealing mystical principles of the false self in a clear way 5 stars.

Freedom.......2005-09-26

I found this book to be very helpful,in defining freedom, not what most people speak of. True freedom from self is the only freedom there is, not man made and societys definition, because there is no freedom in the real world, only within.

Freedom from self punishing thoughts...................2004-05-17

Are you tired of inner voice that confuses you,puts you binded to the People,things & Events,Do you feel like running when time comes to make a decision,Then This book is For You.

Author tries to tell us that,its not outer cicumstances which make us unhappy its only our reaction.We react in that way.So its we who is responsible for our unhappiness.We Shouldnt blame.We Cant blame anyone for anything.

Whatever our negative beliefs are,Whether its fear,Anger,Jeoulesy or anything else We produce it So we are going to suffer for it.Outer things have no power on us.Once we understand who we are,We are free of all these nonsense.

Author has given so many insights,Just read them,think them,Understand them & go 'Free'

A Great book by one of the worlds leading spritural writers.......2001-01-23

This book not only can change your way of thinking but can change your life! Finley is one of the most under rated spiritual writers of our time. For those which are in tune with Wayne Dyer or Deepak Chorpa, you will find that Finley rates right up at the top with these writers. The book is an "easy" read and you will learn MUCH! Finley makes us understand what life is all about and does it in a manner that allows you to retain all of the information. WONDERFUL GUIDE TO FREEING THE SPIRIT!

This book can change the way you think, literally........1999-10-07

Freedom from the Ties that Bind has taught me a new, clearer, more uplifting way of thinking. Guy Finley teaches in this book what everyone should learn growing up. The book is filled with insightful instructions that can be utilized everyday to truly change the way you view the world and live your life. As a sponsor in a twelve step program, I've given this book to my sponsees so they "can learn a new way of thinking".

Creation Spirituality: Liberating Gifts for the Peoples of the Earth

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Finally...
BEING ANNOINTED THE STEWARDS OF CREATION DOES NOT MEAN KILL IT AND GRILL IT
Awe is the beginning of Wisdom.
Slide toward pantheism
Creation Spirituality - A Primer

Creation Spirituality: Liberating Gifts for the Peoples of the Earth
Matthew Fox
Manufacturer: HarperOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality Presented in Four Paths, Twenty-Six Themes, and Two Questions
Coming of the Cosmic Christ, The
One River, Many Wells
A New Reformation: Creation Spirituality and the Transformation of Christianity
Prayer: A Radical Response to Life

ASIN: 0060629177

Book Description

From Matthew Fox, the popular and controversial author of The Coming of the Cosmic Christ, a prophetic manifesto for the preservation of the planet.

For those new to the works of Matthew Fox, and for those eager to learn his thoughts after his Vatican-ordered public silence, comes this introduction to creation spirituality--Fox's framework for a far-reaching spirituality of the Americas.

Passionate and provocative, Fox uncovers the ancient tradition of a creation-centered spirituality that melds Christian mysticism with the contemporary struggle for social justice, feminism, and environmentalism.

Basic to Fox's notion of creation spirituality is the gift of awe--a mystical response to creation and the first step toward transformation. Awe prompts indignation at the exploitation and destruction of the earth's people and resources. Awe leads to action.

Showing how we can learn from each other, Fox's spirituality weds the healing and liberation found in both North and South America. Creation Spirituality challenges readers of every religious and political persuasion to unite in a new vision through which we learn to honor the earth and the people who inhabit it as the gift of a good and just creator.

Customer Reviews:

Finally..........2007-07-21

Finally there is a concise book that explains creation spirituality without getting bogged down in irrelevant details. Matthew Fox makes this text much more digestible for anyone looking for a "different" way to expalin God in nature without becoming a botanist, biologist or geologist. The book is understandable and quotable without being flippant.

BEING ANNOINTED THE STEWARDS OF CREATION DOES NOT MEAN KILL IT AND GRILL IT.......2006-10-06

this Fox teaches us.

Yet his voice like so many other great and important voices of Christ was silenced long ago by the current resident of the great and universal throne of Peter.

Go figure.
GOd will win as GOd is love, and hate does not create.

Awe is the beginning of Wisdom........2004-11-01

Have you ever looked at the Moon with a pair of binoculars? Or at the rings around Saturn with a telescope? Or thought about a Hummingbird flying to Central America? Or saw in a flower the rays of the sun, the minerals of the earth, the awareness of day and night?

Jesus was not fixated on any one aspect of reality. He was not a religious fundamentalist. Jesus was a mystic that was so awestruck by the Cosmos that he gave his life for all life. God is no respecter of persons. God is not isolated by anything or anyone. God is a part of everything. God is omnipresent. Everything has value. Everything is worthy of honor. Not just mankind. A shephard without a flock is superfluous. Though each aspect of reality has its role none is above the other for everything is interconnected. We do not have to climb a ladder to get to God. God is within as well as without. Heaven is beneath our feet.

Creation theology is a glass is half-full perspective. A holistic perspective. A fresh start. Hopeful. Original Sin theology tends to be a glass is half-empty perspective. A narrow perspective. A dead-end. A never ending dark night of the soul. With that said; Pope John Paul II turned original sin upside down with his affirmation that there is no evil from which God cannot draw forth a greater good. John Paul had the heart of a lion and the eyes of an eagle. He was fearless and could see a blade of wheat in a field of weeds. He was truly a great man of God. Personally, I prefer the easier and more positive approach to my religion. Jesus did not die for our sins, he died for us. This may be more a matter of semantics than an actual difference. Though our perspectives may be different, we are still looking at the same thing. In any event, a Cosmological perspective is the perspective of God. God looked at his creation and it was good. Original Sin theology is for the most part the product of State Religion. It is based on fear and shame. True Christianity, the kind the Pope preached, is fearless. He had enough confidence in his God that he did not feel he had to defend his faith every time he talked to someone of another Faith. He had reduced God down to his simplest terms, God is love. The Pope was more a moral man than a religious man. Jesus was more a moral man than a religious man. (I am amending this review after the Death of Pope John Paul II). Fundamentalist religion, as opposed to spirituality, all too often is used by the powerful to control the weak, to divide and conquer. "The Love-Religion has no code or doctrine. Only God", Rumi. Creation Theology is a liberating religion based on awe and joy. Wisdom does not start with 'fear', that is a poor translation, wisdom starts with 'awe', wonder, amazement, joy. Go and sin no more. You are free. If the next Pope is from Latin America, I believe even more of the sensitivities of Creation Theology will find their way into the Catholic Church. This would be a good thing. God cares about life, not just human life.

Some of the other reviewers have chosen to attack Fox. That the Dominican Order excommunicated him is true. Their Order also conducted the Inquisition. That Fox slips into Pantheism, that nature is God. Actually he slips into panentheism, that nature is part of God. A nuance perhaps, but a fundamental nuance nontheless. All monotheists make 'one' fundamental mistake, that all is numerically one. Trinitarians are onto something but don't quite realize what it is. Let 'us' make man in 'our' image. If all is numerically one then it is all just a game. A license to kill in the name of God. A license to do whatever one pleases like the hedonistic Nicolatians. The background for the despair of existentialism and the schizophrenia of solipsism. This is wrong thinking. All is not numerically one. Reality is much more complicated than that. Everything is not the figment of our imagination. All is more than one but less than two. And this makes all the difference in the world. The whole of everything, the Universe, God, the Tao, is not a linear function. One is a number, God is not a number. Not one. This misperception is due to the fundamental error of applying dualistic logic to the nondual realm of reality.

There are fundamentally two aspects to reality. The dual and the nondual. The dual side of the coin is where we find ourselves at present. Up/down, good/bad, duality. Nonduality, the spirit realm that includes duality but goes beyond time and space, good and evil, is not to be understood properly based solely upon a dualistic perspective. All wholes manifest a synergetic effect wherein the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The tensile strength of steel is far greater than the sum of the tensile strength of the individual minerals and metals used to create steel. God is not One. God is whole, more than one, but less than two. And in between one and two lies infinity. God is neither alone nor all one. We are not alone. Things matter. Life isn't just a game of pretense, though there are certainly elements of game playing going on. Life is 'like' a masquerade ball. A dance. More verb than noun. Even Advaita sages create a dualism with their need for Maya as a means of contrasting the One. They are confused. The blind leading the blind. Our world is real. Impermanent in its configuration but real nonetheless. That one never stands in the same river twice does not mean the river is an illusion. Because one cannot put a river in a bucket nor the wind in a bag does not mean they do not exist. To reason purely discursively like the Kantians do is an exercise in futility where nonduality is concerned. Idealized Continental philosophy is a maze in the middle of a minefield. Nonduality is a labyrinth in the holy of holies, the heart. In my Father's house there are many mansions, and if it were not so I would tell you. More than one, less than two. We are a point, a morphogenetic field of spiritual energy, a seed of divinity, between one and two. Made in the image of God we are godlike beings for it takes a god to worship God. We are godlike but not God, lest any man should boast. The Father and I are a fractal symmetry.

Thou essence art that essence.

Slide toward pantheism.......2002-01-03

Fox draws on many sources such as Meister Eckhart and Hildegard of Bingen to try to craft a spirituality based on awe of Creation. What I fear however is that his slide towards pantheism denies some of the rich spiritual gifts of Christ and the Holy Spirit. For example it is Eckhart who says "God begets his Son in you whether you like it or not." (See for example the book "Meister Eckhart from Whom God Hid Nothing : Sermons, Writings, and Sayings", or Schurmann's analysis of Eckhart in "Wandering Joy"). Subsequent to this book, Fox was expelled from the Dominican order in 1993.

At times Fox also seems to blame all that is ecologically corrupt on traditional Christianity, for example "Pantheism is not only democratic, it is also ecological, Theism, on the other hand, reinforces anthropocentrisms ". Additionally he makes a broad claim that "Creation Spirituality" encompasses such broad divergent groups as "AA", Support groups, and Protestant parishes.

Though I agree with Fox's quest for a deeper ecumenism, he seems to pick what he wants out of the Christian tradition. I still find ample mining in a more traditional, though slightly broadened views of the Holy Trinity, rather than his Cosmology, Liberation, and Wisdom. Although I don't always agree with Fox, he does offer an injection of joy and awe.

Creation Spirituality - A Primer.......2000-12-20

For those looking for a spirituality that is positive and all embracing, vursus one which is exclusive and judgemental, this is the place to start. Matthew Fox introduces the reader to ideas and themes that are more fully developed in his book "Original Blessing". Original Blessing v. Original Sin is one such theme. Others are the Four Paths of Creation Spirituality, art as meditation, liberation for First World peoples, and the return of true Trinitarian Christianity.

Bottom line: Matthew Fox puts forward a Christianity that is a beautiful relection of Jesus the Christ and shows how such a Christianity can help to heal the world.

Self-Liberation: Seeing with Naked Awareness
Average customer rating:

Great Instruction.

Very Best Of Its Kind

For me, one of the better Dzogchen texts...

Fantastic Text with flawed commentary

Ian Myles Slater on: Identifying the Text

Self-Liberation: Seeing with Naked Awareness
John Myrdhin Reynolds
Manufacturer: Snow Lion Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1559391448

Book Description

Self-Liberation presents the essence of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection, regarded in Tibet as the highest and most esoteric teaching of the Buddha.

Customer Reviews:

Great Instruction........2006-12-21

There are multiple viewpoints about the utility of including the Evans-Wetz controversy. However, reader, please be aware that this is actually an Apendix and not the main part of the book. Therefore, the author/scholar has no obligation to the reader, imo, as to whether to include or not. As an aside, I found the appendix quite interesting.

As to the main part of the book; ASTOUNDING. Some of the best, most lucid, crystal clear instruction on the topic.

Very Best Of Its Kind.......2006-04-18

Of all the myriad Dzogchen texts I've read, this is the very best. It is clear, the translation is understandable (he doesn't use weird made-up circumloqutions for terms like rigpa, yeshe, rigpai tsal, etc, like some translators do), and really and truly Self-Liberation is a text which is introduces the reader to the nature of mind every time it is read.

I haven't seen John since way back 1981, when at Lama Gonpo's I loaned him a text of the Hevajra Tantra before he left for India to receive the empowerments. He's gone on to bigger and better things since then, but this early translation of his will never be bettered.

For me, one of the better Dzogchen texts..........2005-02-04

John Reynolds (aka Vajranatha) exposed me to Dzogchen thru this book. He associated himself with Namkai Norbu (who wrote the foreword) and had the assistance for this translation on others who know Dzogchen, including Lama Tharchin who I had the great fortune to hear speak once.

If Dzogchen can be applied successfully, then it must be through reading books like this one that one "reaches" that understanding.

When I was new to Dzogchen, Vayranathra's commentary was helpful. It remains so, but to a lesser degree today, but that may be due to overfamiliarity with it on my part. The appendix, which discusses how Evan-Wentz and Jung viewed Dzogchen, was never very helpful to me and I am not clear that it would benefit anyone but scholars. My assumption is to ignore Evan-Wentz translation and go with Vayrarathra's, since it was the first I encountered, it was supported by some Dzogchen teachers, and it excited me about Dzogchen.

Since that time, having read "You aee the Eyes of the World" from Longchenpa, Self-Liberation is no longer my "favorite" Dzogchen text but it continues to seem to be one of the three most important I know of, these two and the other one being the Bon text "Heart Drops of the Dharmakaya". I confess that my practical understanding of these texts remains small after about 10 years of studying Dzogchen on and off, but it does seem to me to remain one of the more important possible ways of facing the world constructively.

Vajranathana has continued his studies of Dzogchen (both in Tibetan Buddhism and Bon) and remained closely associated with
Namkai Norbu. My impression is that he is one of the most, if not the most, reputable scholar/translator of Dzogchen. His other translations include "The Golden Letters" and "The Cycle of Day and Night". I'd suggest reading "You are the eyes of the world" postponing the introduction and commentary but rather reading first the main text of "Self-liberation through seeing with naked awareness", also postponing its commentary and seeing what effect they have on you. If they make sense, you may be on your way to being benefited by Dzogchen in a way you could never have anticipated either yourself or by what modern day writers try to tell you. My bias is to trust the modern translators and ancient text writers for the time being and see where that leads me, because the translators may be constrained by the ancient texts and the ancient text writers may be had less to gain in worldly ways then some modern teachers.

Well, that's just my two cents on how I have approached Dzogchen. It isn't certain to me yet that anyone at any time has really applied these teachings constructively: it may be a well-meaning comfort system and it may be a long-lived deception. That it means something to indicate I am conscious in a way that seems incredibly creative, without boundaries, and with staggering presence I won't argue with, but that may be natural aspects of what we find as our consciousness and being in the world, it doesn't mean that anyone is a master of it or that it is some great perfection that already exists but for which I should pay people to confirm. Be wary and enjoy this creative ride and be glad, as "Self-Liberation through seeing with naked awareness" points out that your present thoughts will liberate of their own accord and not clutter your mind for too long.

Fantastic Text with flawed commentary.......2005-01-22

This book is a commentary on the titled Terma text. The text is terrific (worth 5 stars), reminiscent of Norbu's "The Supreme Source" or Longchenpa's "Precious Treasury of the Basic Space of Phenomena." While addressing Dzogchen's Trekchö view, it includes very interesting & refreshing statements. It uses "empty" differently than other books & Mr. Reynolds commentary--not signifying dependent-arising (or interdependent) but actual emptiness (page 13, stanza 8): "Since it is empty and not created anywhere whatsoever, it is the Dharmakaya" and (page 14, stanza 10) "It is certain that the nature of the mind is empty and without any foundation whatsoever. Your own mind is insubstantial like the empty sky...It is certain that self-originated primal awareness has been clear (and luminous) from the very beginning."

Per most Tibetan to English translations, it seems literal vs. figurative (i.e. concerned with an "accurate" translation rather than with reader understanding). Mr. Reynolds states (page 115) "what is important at this primary level is to discover what the masters of the Dzogchen tradition actually say about their own tradition." I disagree. The most important thing is for the reader to UNDERSTAND Dzogchen and be enabled to practice it. For example, "nature of the mind" and "mind" are intermixed in a confusing manner. The author's explanation of his choice (pages 47-8, stanza 6) is unconvincing vs. his alternative, "Mind Itself," Padmasambhava's term "intrinsic awareness," or the commonly used "ground of being." Per other texts, "meditate" is translated as meditate upon (transitive), so Mr. Reynolds uses "contemplate" in stanza 8. That's fine, but in English "meditate" is a dual verb, it can be either transitive or intransitive (check your dictionary). Indeed, Padmasambhava states (page 13, stanza 8) "you are meditating without finding anything there to meditate on" (inferring intransitive meditation).

In his commentary, appendix, and notes, Mr. Reynolds provides concise and precise explications of standard Dzogchen, Vajrayana, and Buddhist doctrines-though scattered in location and more like Apologetic vs. explanation-largely to justify extensive criticism of Evans-Wentz' (E-W) prior translation, in "The Tibetan Book of the Great Liberation" with Jung's Introduction. Some criticisms are well-founded. Mr. Reynolds greatly details Evans-Wentz' life, Vedanta, & Theosophy. He seems to take a Sensate view (Myers-Briggs Type "S": preference for details, low level of abstraction, past vs. future). Strangely, several of Mr. Reynolds' criticisms appear to conflict with the Terma! The text is VERY interesting in that (page 12, stanza 6) Padmasambhava provides many synonyms for intrinsic awareness such as--the Self, the Mind, Alaya, etc. Yet, Mr. Reynolds criticizes E-W for using virtually the same terms.

But, Mr. Reynolds rightly criticizes some E-W excesses (e.g. implying that Rigpa as "the dew drop slips into the Shining Sea", poetic but not entirely accurate) and claims E-W inserts Hindu, Vedanta, and Theosophist views into Dzogchen (ignoring the possible influences of Western mysticism). But most Westerner readers must translate Eastern terms into understandable language-not just English, and analogy facilitates communication. Any differences (e.g. between Cosmic Consciousness and Rigpa, page 103) would need explication, but differences among Brahman (Upanishads), ground of being (Dzogchen), and Ein Sof (Kabbalah) seem elusive. IMHO, Mr. Reynolds overrates such differences due to his low level of abstraction viewpoint. He writes as an historian, not a scientist. He seems unable to comprehend that there are differing perspectives-like the colors coming from a prism or facets of a diamond (Vajra). A true master can step out of his/her culture to see the pristine truth sans bias. I'd recommend reading "Mind at Ease" a Mahamudra text by the English-speaking Tibetan Traleg Kyabgon.

Mr. Reynolds points out several real errors in Jung's Introduction (e.g. the asserted lack of Buddhist critical psychology & philosophy--page 148, note 53), but his grasp of Jungian psychology is deficient: he misinterprets Jung's mapping of Buddhist deities/Samboghakaya onto the unconscious when Jung clearly refers to their peaceful/wrathful duality (e.g. Manjushri/Yamantaka) vs. Mr. Reynolds realm-gods. Mr. Reynolds misunderstands active imagination and the difference between psychotherapy & individuation. Contemporary Tibetan masters (e.g. Thrangu Rinpoche, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche) admit such deities can be/are mental. Mr. Reynolds seems oblivious to the mythological, allegorical, symbolical, and sometimes anachronistic aspects of Tibetan Buddhism which are normal components of religions--Mt. Meru is not the center of 4 continents (page 106), whether the Buddha knew it or not (who knows?). Also, Mr. Reynolds strongly objects to Jung's "a slavish initiation of Buddhist practices by Westerners is bound to be fruitless, if not dangerous" which seems self-evident to me. What's oddest about this book is what's missing:
-- the differences between Christian Bhakti Yoga (of devotion) vs. Dzogchen Jnana Yoga (of wisdom)
--the connection between the "other shore" (pages 145-6, note 47) with the standard Buddhist simile of the Yanas as boats across the sea of Samsara, not to mention Jung's night-sea journey.
--the differences between Gelugpa (to which Mr. Reynolds seems to refer) and Kagyu Mahamudra.
--that the Buddha's era has been reevaluated into the 5th century BCE instead of the 6th or 7th
--the similarities of some of E-W's statements to Vipashyana meditation
--that E-W/Jung's use of "Alaya" could refer to Absolute Alaya (as in the Terma)-page 113.
--that symbols are psychological in both East and West-page 146.
--the openness of Vajrayana (e.g. the Lojong mind training a la Pema Chödrön's many books/tapes)
--the Maitri and compassion at the heart of Mahayana Buddhism-including Dzogchen
--the awesome mind-expanding view of Dzogchen vs. (page 113)-seeing the forest vs. the bark of a tree
--the simple beauty of Mr. Reynolds prior (wonderful) book, "The Golden Letters"

Ian Myles Slater on: Identifying the Text.......2003-10-10

Prospective readers of this work may wish to know that it has a descriptive subtitle -- "An Introduction to the Nature of One's Own Mind from *The Profound Teaching of Self-Liberation in the Primordial State of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities* A terma text of Guru Padmasambhava expounding the view of Dzogchen, rediscovered by Rigdzin Karma Lingpa." In other words, it offers itself as a "postponed revelation," a terma (treasure) re-discovered and offered to the world centuries after its composition. As such it is part of a large class of Tibetan Buddhist works.

The text had previously been translated into English at the instigation of W.Y. Evans-Wentz, who published that version in "The Tibetan Book of the Great Liberation" which appeared in 1954 as the last of four volumes in the pioneering "Oxford Tibetan Series," which had begun in 1927 with another terma text, the "Tibetan Book of the Dead."

The "Self-Liberation" treatise there followed an abridged translation of one of the traditional biographies of Padmasambhava, the legendary "Apostle to the Tibetans," and one of their patron Bodhisattvas, who is regarded as the real author of this and other works. These texts were surrounded by commentaries by Evans-Wentz and C.G. Jung. The latter is probably important for students of Jung. Evans-Wentz's contributions generally reflect a lack of information about esoteric Buddhism, and a tendency to substitute material from Hindu and Theosophical sources.

Having compared the present translation (pages 9-28) with that offered by Evans-Wentz, I can say that it appears to be superior in clarity. Given the present, far more advanced state of Tibetan studies, it is certainly more likely to be accurate than the ad-hoc attempt provided by Evans-Wentz's translators. Additional features include the Tibetan text in transliteration, a glossary of Tibetan Buddhist terms, and an extended commentary. This is undoubtedly an advance on Evans-Wentz, although its devotional tone may seem cloying to some readers (including this one)

There are also extended discussions of the Evans-Wentz and Jung interpretations. The dismissal of Jung is particularly interesting; although I don't much care for Jung myself, I felt that he was not being given sufficient credit for trying to take Asian traditions as seriously as he took those closer to home. (Of course, given Jung's reductionist approach to religion, this may amount to 0 = 0.)

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