Customer Reviews

The American Book of the Dead

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3 star:		(1)
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Having been familiar with the Evans-Wentz translation of the Tibetan Book of the Dead for many years I decided to give this "Americanised" version a try. I was aware that much of the rigid detail and ritual of the original was probably unique to Tibetan culture and I wanted to see how the author dealt with it. Now that I've read this version I'm somewhat conflicted as to my opinion of it. The basic ritual and structure of the original is preserved, but with modern terminology and images substituted. This is an improvement- sort of. However, I'd rather cut through the accrued ritual and superficial detail and get down to the core truths- not just make the dross more modern and "hip." There is truth here, but you still have to cut away the obscuring distortions. First of all, the existance that is being described is both beyond time and beyond conventional aristotlian sequential logic. Think about it, do you really believe memorising this sequence of events- or reading them aloud to the dead on a rigid timetable- is of any real value? The afterlife doesn't run on a bus schedule folks- to use my own little modernism here.

What is truly important are the deep truths and values that you have welded to your spirit before you cross over- memorising spiritual "cheat sheets" and last minute "cramming" just isn't going to cut it.... Though, the state of mind immediately before one's passing is of importance. It isn't the overriding determinate, however.

Still, what is being described here as the "macrodimensions" do exist. I've always been sensitive to them, and you probably have too. And, yes, we do project much of what we are superficially familiar with upon them- as have those who have passed that way before us.

Worth reading, but do so with a discriminating mind- and cross check it with your "inner guide."

When someone dies, we feel such a loss. When my brother died at 37 of pneumonia, I picked up a copy of The American Book of the Dead and read it to him, for 49 days. The results were amazing. We made contact, and my husband saw it too. This book explains in depth the process of dying and what awaits us on the other side. For instance, "READING #4-Confronting the Clear Light

Now I am experiencing the Clear Light of objective reality. Nothing is happening, nothing ever has happened or ever will happen. My present sense of self, the voyager, is in reality the void itself, having no qualities or characteristics. I remember myself as the voyager, whose deepest nature is the Clear Light itself; I am one; there is no other. I am the voidness of the void, the eternal unborn, the uncreated, neither real nor unreal. All that I have been conscious of is my own play of consciousness, a dance of light, the swirling patterns of light in infinite extension, endless endlessness, the Absolute beyond change, existence, reality. I, the voyager, am inseparable from the Clear Light; I cannot be born, die, exist, or change. I know now that this is my true nature. "

What a great way to send someone on to their greatest destiny! After reading for 5 days, I woke up having a dream where I was my brother, and got stuck in a tight spot, and when I awoke, I was able to save him from a rebirth into a family with a violent father. If you want more details, write me a note. I'll be glad to share.

Well, now, this is interesting. I came out here to find a used copy of The American Book of the Dead for a friend. I was completely unaware of E.J. Gold's reputation as a Guru. Unusual for me. If I like a book I usually research the author if I don't know them already.

I agree with the reviewers who urge caution, even extreme caution, around a Guru or around any very charismatic person. I know of what I speak; I have been "got" by a guru myself. However painful and expensive as it was for me, it must be remembered that like any con, one can only be "got" if one is susceptible. The teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, even of this current Dalai Lama, urge caution around Teachers, urge observation of a Teacher for many, many years before committing to one. Gold's bio leads me to believe he's both got the horsepower and the position to influence people for good or ill so great caution around him and his followers would seem warranted. (Caution always passes one of my most important tests: Can't hurt, might help!)

I agree that the Bardo Thodrol (a/k/a Tibetan Book Of The Dead) has been mistranslated and misunderstood, even as to its true title! If one is interested in the true teachings of the Bardo Thodrol, this book, the American Book of the Dead, is probably not the place to start. For that, I would recommend Sogyal Rinpoche's The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying or Robert A.F. Thurman's two translations, The Tibetan Book of the Dead & The Tibetan Book of the Dead (The Great Book of Natural Liberation Through Understanding in the Between) (with a forward by the Dalai Lama) and one audio teaching Liberation upon Hearing in the Between. Sogyal Rinpoche's book is also available in Audio format, which is important if one believes in the "oral transmission" Tibetan Wisdom for Living and Dying.

All that said, I have found this book helpful in past situations where a text to read in Standard, if a bit New Agey, English was desired. However, I feel it important to point out that I had studied the texts I mention above before finding this book. I did not come to it "cold", nor did I have any connection with the author one way or another. I have recommended it to friends and would again, with all the caveats mentioned above.

One more comment about authors and authenticity: It's worth remembering that even T. Lobsang Rampa's Third Eye--no matter what one thinks of the author or the book--was instrumental in bringing a large part of an entire generation to Tibetan Buddhism Third Eye.

I've noticed that the reviews for this book which readers seem to find most helpful were
those coming from individuals expressing sincere gratitude for the solace and comfort they received
from using the book to help someone close to them.

I'd like to add my name to this list.

I read for my father and mother when they passed and found great comfort in being able to do so, and over the past 15 years I've read for many others who have either died or were in distress of one kind or another here on this plane of existance.

A 49-day reading in the sanctuary of your reading chamber is a powerful antidote to
everything that is going on around you and the one you are reading for.

At least that is my sincere feeling on it.

I would like to include here, as did another reviewer, one of the most powerful passages in the book which in my opinion can be used at any time, anywhere, by anyone, for any reason or no reason at all.

In the book the passage is entitled, " Fourth Chamber, Confronting the Clear Light ".

It goes like this :

Now I am experiencing the Clear Light of objective reality. Nothing is happening, nothing ever has happened or ever will happen. My present sense of self, the voyager, is in reality the void itself, having no qualities or characteristics. I remember myself as the voyager, whose deepest nature is the Clear Light itself; I am one; there is no other. I am the voidness of the void, the eternal unborn, the uncreated, neither real nor unreal. All that I have been conscious of is my own play of consciousness, a dance of light, the swirling patterns of light in infinite extension, endless endlessness, the Absolute beyond change, existence, reality. I, the voyager, am inseparable from the Clear Light; I cannot be born, die, exist, or change. I know now that this is my true nature. "

I do a lot of work with the critically ill and dying and even though I appreciate the concerns of the reviewers here, many of them seem to hold a theoretical view of this text. I, however, use it as a guidebook to help in critical, high stress, transitional situations. It aligns, of course, with the Tibetan Buddhist Bardo teachings but it presents them in a context that is culturally accessible and, dare I say it, sometimes humorous. It offers the teachings to the westerner without a religious context and opens the way of equanimity. It gives an excellent presentation of how to prepare the room during passage, make contact with the "patient" or voyager, give an effective reading, and recognize the stages of physical death. It provides a way for families and those who are bereaved to participate in a more conscious passage for their loved one because it is designed to help them remember and align to their own spiritual practice(s). In the resonance of the various chambers with different psychological states, it is also a workbook for those in psychological crisis. All very practical stuff. I think that you will find that this is a book which can only be understood in the context as used to help others, and in this way to gain some measure of understanding yourself.

I have found that most translations of the Tibetan Book of the Dead are not designed to be of use to people in the 20th...errr..21st century. The Tibetan Book of the Dead is a set of instructions designed to be read out loud and USED, not just read to oneself. Other translations, by preserving the cultural trappings, become merely academic reportage, I think.

I came across this book, a modern translation with explicit instructions for use, just before my father unexpectedly died. It was a real gift. To be able to offer assistance, to be able to make this kind of helpful offering to a someone who has died is valuable both for the reader and for the one who is in transit - between death and the next item on the agenda...whatever it may be.

A powerful and highly recommended book!

Having been familiar with the Evans-Wentz translation of the Tibetan Book of the Dead for many years I decided to give this "Americanised" version a try. I was aware that much of the rigid detail and ritual of the original was probably unique to Tibetan culture and I wanted to see how the author dealt with it. Now that I've read this version I'm somewhat conflicted as to my opinion of it. The basic ritual and structure of the original is preserved, but with modern terminology and images substituted. This is an improvement- sort of. However, I'd rather cut through the accrued ritual and superficial detail and get down to the core truths- not just make the dross more modern and "hip." There is truth here, but you still have to cut away the obscuring distortions. First of all, the existance that is being described is both beyond time and beyond conventional aristotlian sequential logic. Think about it, do you really believe memorising this sequence of events- or reading them aloud to the dead on a rigid timetable- is of any real value? The afterlife doesn't run on a bus schedule folks- to use my own little modernism here.

What is truly important are the deep truths and values that you have welded to your spirit before you cross over- memorising spiritual "cheat sheets" and last minute "cramming" just isn't going to cut it.... Though, the state of mind immediately before one's passing is of importance. It isn't the overriding determinate, however.

Still, what is being described here as the "macrodimensions" do exist. I've always been sensitive to them, and you probably have too. And, yes, we do project much of what we are superficially familiar with upon them- as have those who have passed that way before us.

Worth reading, but do so with a discriminating mind- and cross check it with your "inner guide."

There was a period of time where I studied the material that E J Gold shared through various means. I find his AMERICAN BOOK OF THE DEAD to be practical and worthwhile. There used to be a training manual and study guide related to this work, which I still have. The training helps one to work with the dying and has given practical material that I have used with actual dying people. The work is meant to be read aloud in an invocational manner, actually following the instructions. One can feel the mood of the space shift and what is being invoked becomes reachable within experience. It is a serious work designed to help people make a "conscious crossing" between death and rebirth. It also helps people in any transitional period where the force of habits does not support where one is. I like both the Tibetan Book of the Dead and the American Book of the Dead. I feel they are complementary. MIRROR OF MINDFULNESS is my favorite book on the Bardo, because it describes how a person resting in Rigpa would experience the transition. Only a few books go into what an advanced practitioner would experience. The ABD is somewhat in the middle between what an ordinary person with no particular training would experience and what a skilled meditator would. This makes this book useful to more people. The ABD is not designed to support our usual habits of learning. It is designed to put you off your habitual thinking groove to open up to the Macrodimensions that surround you always. Although it uses thoughts, it is meant to lead to direct experience very quickly. It is not a light and easy journey. It is designed to put off those that are not ready for such a journey. A person can freak out as the 3D world starts to melt away and open up to something larger. Sometimes the ordinary world looks as fragile as rice paper. One loses the illusory feeling of comfort that the ordinary world used to give and has no choice but to learn how to rest in something deeper and more eternal.

How does one prepare for the inevitable? This is possibly one of the oldest questions mankind has asked. But first we must ask, "how important is it to prepare?"

With the minimal interaction that most westerners have with dying and death it would not suprise me that if you were to stop people on the street and ask them most would think you were insane.

To a small degree Joseph Campbell increased the popularity of mythology, religion, and culture, only to have most people fall back asleep again. When will I think about my dying and death and what it all means: manana.

I found Mr. Landon's scholarly critique quite funny, much in the same way an armchair quarterback yelling at his TV during a football game!

Has he spent quality time with Mr. Naranjo, Mr. Lilly, or Mr. Gold? If you were to examine Mr. Landon I doubt that you would find any bruises or fractures.

I was first introduced to this book about 35 years ago when my mother was dying. I found it difficult to relate this book to my mother's experience. Through the years as I used this book for myself and subsequently for others I discovered that the reading aloud of these texts was significantly different than reading silently and that the more freedom (nonjudgmental thinking) I allowed myself in working with this book as a guide or a handbook the more I received in terms of understanding and healing.