Customer Reviews

Always Maintain a Joyful Mind (Book and CD): And Other Lojong Teachings on Awakening Compassion and Fearlessness

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Lojong teachings are translated here by an English speaker with great feeling for nuance.
Her explanations are pithy and insightful.
I'm copying them onto pages of my datebook so I have them to reference.

Pema Chodron's book is 119 pages. Most have one sentence on the left page and a short paragraph on the right side. This is the first book I have read by this author. I believe that she has more to say than what was presented in this short book. Because many of the sentences and explanations though short were profound, I rate this book as good and look forward to reading her book, The Wisdom of No Escape and the Path of Loving-Kindness.

Fabulous insights - I read this on a regular basis and it helps me be more conscious of my thoughts and live mindfully!

of course, you might not want the hardbacks or readers, but this is another great addition to the pema canon. gentle and foreceful simultaneously. much like TNHahn

Small book of 59 Lojong "mind training" slogans from Chekawa Yeshe Dorje's "The Root Text of the 7 Points of Training the Mind" (#21 is the title) + "Opening the Heart" CD on Tonglen. Left hand pages are aphorisms; right-hand are Pema's pithy commentary ~Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living (Shambhala Classics). 42:57 CD w/4 tracks: Intro=0:23, Tonglen Purpose/Practice=16:09, 3 stages=9:50, guided meditation=16:35; recorded during 11/99 Berkeley CA retreat ~Tonglen, the Path of Transformation. p. vii: "The primary focus of my personal practice & teaching," randomly focuses on one/day; p. viii: "The basic notion of lojong is that we make friends with what we reject, what we see as `bad' in ourselves & in other people" [~Jungian shadow integration] & p. xi: the slogans always introduce me to a bigger perspective...to transform all circumstances into the path of enlightenment"=practical application ~The Compassion Box: Book, CD, and Card Deck.

Causes of Suffering: p. 25: "Your own self-righteousness causes you to get all worked up and to suffer; p. 35: Ego-clinging causes you to suffer; pp. 112-3: self pity...increases your suffering (and that of others)."

Transformation of Poison into Elixir [lemons to lemonade]: p. 29: Shunyata or "complete openness"
p. 39: The entire Buddhist teachings (dharmas) are about lessening one's self absorption, one's ego-clinging. This is what brings happiness to you & all beings.
p. 45: [train so emotions] perk you up & your awareness increases.
p. 89: Recognize your neurosis as neurosis...not to do the habitual thing, but to do something different to interrupt the neurotic habit...a way of life. [dealing with complexes]
p. 110: #55=liberate yourself by examining & analyzing. [discriminating knowledge/wisdom]

Avoiding Transforming Elixir into Poison: pp. 58-9: #29=Abandon poisonous food. You can use these slogans to build up your ego & p. 72: #36=Don't act with a twist." [sneaky, underhanded, or manipulative]

Tonglen Practice: p. 14: #7; p. 81: #40; pp. 98-9: #49="Always meditate on whatever provokes resentment. Do tonglen practice whenever you feel resentment;" & the entire CD--Track 2: Tonglen="exchanging yourself for others to get in touch with our pain; dissolving barriers between self & others; developing empathy--stretching ourselves [like Olympic training], overcoming resistance to pain, & opening the heart." [reminds me of Frank Herbert's Dune series "Bene Besserit Litany Against Fear"]

Some are even quite Dzogchen-like a la Longchenpa Buddha Mind: An Anthology of Longchen Rabjam's Writings on Dzogpa Chenpo, The Precious Treasury of Pith Instructions, & Old Man Basking in the Sun; Longchenpa's Treasury of Natural Perfection: p. 4: #2=Regard all dharmas as dreams; p. 6: #3=Examine the nature of unborn awareness; p. 8: #4=Self-liberate even the antidote; p. 10: #5=Rest in the nature of alaya, the essence; & p. 12: #6=In post-meditation, be a child of illusion.

And one p. 68: #34="Don't' transfer the ox's load to the cow" reminds me of my Management Science training where it's called putting your monkey on someone else's back!

I read all of the sayings in this book and listened to the C.D. a few times. This is really good if your interested in helping others and making the world a better place.

I did not find this book very helpful or interesting. If have not read Pema Chodron's other works then I would start with some of her classics (like "When Things Fall Apart" or Dont Bite The Hook, etc.).