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This unique biography explores the inner journey of a woman whose outer life was a thrilling story of passion and adventure. Alexandra David-Neel (1868-1969), born in Paris to a socially prominent family, once boasted, "I learned to run before I could walk!" In the course of a lifetime of more than one hundred years, she was an acclaimed operatic soprano, a political anarchist, a religious reformer, an intrepid explorer who traveled in Tibet for fourteen years, a scholar of Buddhism, and the author of more than forty books. But perhaps the most intriguing of all her adventures was the spiritual search that led her from a youthful interest in socialism and Freemasonry to the teachings of the great sages of India and culminated in her initiation into the secret tantric practices of Tibetan Buddhism. This book reveals the penetrating insight and courage of a woman who surmounted physical, intellectual, and social barriers to pursue her spiritual quest.

Of all the world's great cities, Tokyo remains one of the least well known. Paul Waley calls forth the stories sleeping behind the glass and chrome of today's fast-paced metropolis and conjures the traces of Tokyo past overlapping Tokyo present.

Rinpoche's commentary on the instructions on the "Preliminaries to the Great Perfection Teaching" contains the classical Nying-ma presentation of the Dzogchen preliminaries and practices that lead to Buddhahood. It is an oral commentary on Patrul Rinboche's Kunzang Lamai Shelung (Words of My Perfect Teacher). "The Recitation of the Preliminaries to the Heart Essence of Vast Openness Illuminating the Good Path to Omniscience" by Jigme Lingpa is included.

In Luminous Night's Journey, Almaas shares excerpts from his personal journal, which describe a certain thread in his own journey of realization and the processes involved in integrating that realization. This publication marks a fortunate development in our knowledge of how Being is realized in and through the human soul: The process of realization and integration of true nature described in the voice of one who articulates precisely and vividly the psychological and epistemological barriers which confront the individual consciousness as realization is integrated in the context of personal life. Almaas describes how his participation in the unfolding manifestation of Being ushers him into realms that expose and transform increasingly deep ego structures and attachments. Luminous Night's Journey clarifies how the unveiling of Being and the exposure of ego structures constitute one process, leading to the soul's integrated realization of absolute nature and the manifestation of the human being as a personal embodiment of that nature.

What we call modern physics says something entirely new about the world and how it behaves. For many years, these theories have been accepted as the most accurate descriptions we have ever had about our world. Nevertheless, medicine has been reluctant to incorporate these ideas into itself, continuing to view the body as a clockwork mechanism, in which illness is caused by a breakdown of "parts." Drawing on his long experience in the practice of internal medicine and his knowledge of modern science, Dr. Dossey shows how medicine can and must be updated. Discussing the new theories of Bell, Godel, and others, he opens up startling questions for medicine: Could the brain be a hologram, in which every part contains the whole? Why have ordinary people been able to raise and lower blood pressure at will, control heart rate, body temperature, even one minute blood vessel, in a way no one can explain? What is the role of consciousness in health and illness? Perhaps the most startling of Dr. Dossey's discussions concerns nonlinear time. There is evidence that our obsession with time and our belief that time "flows" (a belief refuted by the new physics) may profoundly affect our health. "Time sickness" is becoming an accepted medical concept, a possible cause of the greatest killer of all-heart disease. Dr. Dossey presents remarkable clinical data showing that by changing their view of time, people have been able to positively affect the course of disease. Just as the clockwork picture of the universe was abandoned in the onslaught of new data, our mechanistic view of health and illness will give way to new models which, too, will be more consistent with the true face of the universe.

The collecting of esoteric knowledge is not, in itself, sufficient to produce any kind of transformation or enlightenment in the seeker. True change begins with the opening of one's mind to new ideas and the transformation of understanding that can follow. Vincent G. Stuart, longtime student of the teachings of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky, provides a clearly expressed, realistic description of how to cultivate such qualities as openness that are necessary to form the ground of understanding into which esoteric ideas may be planted.

This powerful collection of essays by such notables as D. H. Lawrence, Robert Bly, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, and Rainer Maria Rilke focuses on the challenges of love between men and women, addressing the questions and difficulties arising for people in relationships today. Anyone who is, has been, or hopes to be in an intimate relationship with a person of the opposite sex will find this book "must" reading. The first group of essays deals with the contradictions and possibilities inherent in erotic love, leading to the question posed in the next section: What do men and women really want? The contributors then explore marriage as an ongoing path of personal transformation. That opens into a look at sexuality itself as an especially vivid meeting of two different worlds. The book closes with a group of writings that consider relationship as a vehicle for developing power, wisdom, and inner truth. Carefully selected, threaded together by Welwood's insightful commentary, the essays presented here approach the challenge of intimacy with bravery and gentleness, inspiring the reader toward becoming a "warrior of the heart."

"This book is a widely ranging exploration of the principles of Buddhist psychology and one of the first to make abhidharma psychology understandable to the west. Dr. Fryba's commentary and reflections show how these principles can bring understanding and be applied to modern life. I highly recommend it." - Jack Kornfield

When Stan Goldberg was diagnosed with cancer, he chose to face his fear by helping others who were already in the process of dying: Stan signed up as a hospice volunteer and spent several years at the bedsides of the terminally ill. In this book, Stan shares the remarkable stories of people he met who were facing the end of life. Their stories shine a light on the human capacity for beauty, insight, forgiveness, and gratitude, as we see how people like us deal with anxiety and sadness with bravery and love. But what''s especially remarkable is that the bravery and love aren''t as much expressed in grand, dramatic gestures as they are in ordinary acts and small accomplishments: in simple efforts at kindness, in asking for and receiving forgiveness, in the abandonment of anger, and in learning to speak directly from the heart—and to listen in the same way. What Stan ultimately discovers—and shares here—are not lessons in dying, but rather, lessons in learning how to live.

“It was not always easy to be the guru’s wife,” writes Diana Mukpo. “But I must say, it was rarely boring.” At the age of sixteen, Diana Mukpo left school and broke with her upper-class English family to marry Chögyam Trungpa, a young Tibetan lama who would go on to become a major figure in the transmission of Buddhism to the West. In a memoir that is at turns magical, troubling, humorous, and totally out of the ordinary, Diana takes us into her intimate life with one of the most influential and dynamic Buddhist teachers of our time. Diana led an extraordinary and unusual life as the "first lady" of a burgeoning Buddhist community in the American 1970s and ''80s. She gave birth to four sons, three of whom were recognized as reincarnations of high Tibetan lamas. It is not a simple matter to be a modern Western woman married to a Tibetan Buddhist master, let alone to a public figure who is sought out and adored by thousands of eager students. Surprising events and colorful people fill the narrative as Diana seeks to understand the dynamic, puzzling, and larger-than-life man she married—and to find a place for herself in his unusual world. Rich in ambiguity, Dragon Thunder is the story of an uncommon marriage and also a stirring evocation of the poignancy of life and of relationships—from a woman who has lived boldly and with originality.

The ancient path of shamanism is alive and well in contemporary society. Physicians, therapists, and spiritual seekers are among those who are rediscovering the shaman's methods--such as drumming, visualization, and storytelling--as effective tools for healing and self-transformation. In this collection of previously unpublished writings, leading figures of the neo-shamanism movement explore the origins and practices of shamanism and its relevance to the modern world. Are shamanic healing methods compatible with Western medicine? Can shamanism help in crises or difficult life transitions? Is it relevant to the search for meaning amid the wasteland of industrialization and runaway technology? Will it help in healing the planet and preventing ecological catastrophe or nuclear holocaust? These are just a few of the questions addressed by Michael Harner, Joan Halifax, Stanley Krippner, Serge King, Jeanne Achterberg, Stanislav Grof, and twelve other contributors to this comprehensive anthology.

The prose and verse readings in this book were chosen to interest the many people who have become attracted to Sufi teachings through their exposure to popular Sufi poetry, music, and dance. The selections-mostly from the Middle East and India, ranging from the tenth to the twentieth century-provide a sampling of Sufi thought on some of the basic aspects of this spiritual path. Most of the readings are published here in English for the first time. Brief introductory remarks place each selection into its historical and religious context, and an index of Qur'anic passages helps the reader to trace the extensive allusions to the Islamic holy scriptures. The topics covered include: • The nature of mystical love • Meditation • Listening to music as a spiritual practice • Ethical teachings of Sufism • Pitfalls on the spiritual path • Spiritual companionship and the master-disciple relationship • The importance of the Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad • Biographical accounts of great mystics, including the poet Rumi as well as several female saints

In The Silent Question, Packer provides fresh insights on using the experiences of life that are raw, messy, painful, and sometimes full of laughter, to open a way to compassion. She urges us to let go of our thoughts and to sit "in the stillness of not knowing" in order to reflect upon the essential question of who we are. Packer encourages us to discover that life, energy, and insight come from the questioning, the looking, the listening.

Darlene Cohen discovered the secret to finding happiness in the midst of debilitating pain. She shares her knowledge in her popular workshops and now in this book. Cohen, who has suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for eighteen years, was hobbling painfully to her local Zen center one day, when she made a discovery that changed her life: if she focused on the foot that was in the air rather than the one that was hitting the pavement, her stamina increased enormously. It was the beginning of a completely different approach to the crippling pain that had beset her for so long. As she demonstrates here, this approach can be expanded to all types of pain: physical, psychological, and spiritual. Cohen-a certified massage and movement therapist and Zen teacher-proposes a radically liberating alternative to the usual desperate search for pain relief: paradoxically, she says, release from suffering lies in paying closer attention to it. When we keep pain at bay, we keep pleasure at bay, too. The two are interdependent, and our ability to experience each is totally dependent on our understanding of the other. "Enrich your life exponentially," Cohen advises. If your pain is one of the ten things you are aware of, then it constitutes a tenth of your total awareness. Expand your awareness to a hundred things, however, and your pain is only a hundredth of your awareness. With stories, strategies, exercises, and an awareness born of long Zen practice, Cohen shows us how to tap into that enrichment-and how we can lead a satisfying and even joyful life in the very midst of pain. This book was published in hardcover under the title Finding a Joyful Life in the Heart of Pain.

In Holding Yin, Embracing Yang, Eva Wong presents translations of three key texts containing the highest teachings of the Eastern and Western schools of Taoist internal alchemy-the discipline of cultivating health, longevity, and immortality by transforming the energetic structures of body and mind. The texts are primarily concerned with meditation, breathing practices, and sexual yoga with a partner-all as means for developing within ourselves the same life-giving energy that sustains and nourishes the universe. The texts in this collection offer a clear view of the physical, mental, and spiritual methods of Taoist practice, showing why they are important and how these methods all can work together in the cultivation of mental peace, radiant health, and longevity. This collection will provide inspiration and the essential foundation necessary to begin Taoist practice under the guidance of a teacher. The three classics translated here are: Treatise on the Mysterious Orifice by Xuanweilun (sixteenth century), Discussion on the Cavity of the Tao by Daojiaotan (nineteenth century), and Secret Teachings on the Three Wheels by Sanjubizhi (nineteenth century). Included is an introduction in which Wong discusses the various schools of internal alchemy, as well as their main practices.

Treasures of the Sakya Lineage is a rich collection of teachings by both contemporary and ancient Sakya masters, showing a thousand years of lineage continuity. It provides an overview of the history, view, key lineage figures, and crucial teachings of the oldest continuously operating institution among the four lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. The Sakya School has long been known for its balanced approach to study and practice. The writings of Sakya scholars have been deeply influential in every school of Tibetan Buddhism and they continue to be now. A great resource for students and practitioners of all schools of Tibetan Buddhism, this volume contains teachings from great Sakya scholars and meditation masters, including:H. H. Sakya Trizin, Khenpo Appey, Sakya Pandita, Jetsun Dragpa Gyaltsen, Chogye Trinchen, Choegyal Phagpa, Migmar Tseten

From the author of "Perceiving Ordinary Magic," this book proposes that both science and Buddhism offer powerful insights into human nature that can help to bring about profound changes in our lives and our society. Jeremy Hayward argues that a radical uprooting of our beliefs about reality is necessary if we are to resolve our confusion about our world and ourselves. Only a profound examination of human perception--a process by which worlds and selves are created and re-created every moment--will provide the clarity and confidence we seek. "Shifting Worlds, Changing Minds" is an in-depth, nontechnical analysis of the perceptual process, drawing on the latest data from cognitive science--the "new science of mind." Added to these are insights gained from the Buddhist practice of mindfulness-awareness meditation. The results of this analysis and practice can free us from dependence on belief systems. We are presented with a genuine revolution in the understanding of consciousness, and the possibilities for awareness and compassion are revealed.

Throughout Zen history, stories and anecdotes of Zen masters and their students have been used as teaching devices to exemplify the enlightened spirit. Unlike many of the baffling dialogues between Zen masters preserved in the koan literature, the stories retold here are penetratingly simple but with a richness and subtlety that make them worth reading again and again. This collection includes more than one hundred such stories—many appearing here in English for the first time—drawn from a wide variety of sources and involving some of the best-known Zen masters, such as Hakuin, Bankei, and Shosan. Also presented are stories and anecdotes involving famous Zen artists and poets, such as Sengai and Basho.

Grace and Grit is the compelling story of the five-year journey of Ken Wilber and his wife, Treya Killam Wilber, through Treya''s diagnosis of breast cancer, treatments, and finally, death. During this period, Ken put his own work on hold in order to offer full-time support to Treya. In fact, it would be nearly ten years before he published a new full-length theoretical study (Sex, Ecology, Spirituality, Volume Six of this series). Nonetheless, this personal narrative contains a wide-ranging commentary, including critiques of both conventional and New Age approaches to illness. Ken''s account of the couple''s struggle to integrate this catastrophic event into their spiritual practice, combined with excerpts from Treya''s journals, produces an unforgettable portrait of health and healing, wholeness and harmony, suffering and surrender. The book contains a new introduction and index.

Counsels from My Heart is one of the few volumes of teachings by Dudjom Rinpoche, a legendary meditation master of the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, to become available in English. It features talks to students presented in Dudjom Rinpoche's characteristically incisive and direct style, bringing the timeless heart-counsels of this great teacher vividly to life.

The Tibetan word bardo is usually associated with life after death. Here, Ch¿¿gyam Trungpa discusses bardo in a very different sense: as the peak experience of any given moment. Our experience of the present moment is always colored by one of six psychological states: the god realm (bliss), the jealous god realm (jealousy and lust for entertainment), the human realm (passion and desire), the animal realm (ignorance), the hungry ghost realm (poverty and possessiveness), and the hell realm (aggression and hatred). In relating these realms to the six traditional Buddhist bardo experiences, Trungpa provides an insightful look at the madness of our familiar psychological patterns and shows how they present an opportunity to transmute daily experience into freedom.