Customer Reviews

Big Mind Big Heart: Finding Your Way

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Western culture teaches us to focus on the good. This can offer merit. When we see the good in ourselves and others, we can create feelings of well-being. Yet, always lurking in the shadows are darker sides of our human nature. Seeing our shadow sides can create feelings of guilt and shame - a sense that we're not o.k. So we run and hide from them. When our shadows are particularly scary or deeply embedded, we may not even see them. When we repress the darker aspects of our nature, we carry a weight that limits our growth. Our shadows still emerge, but in covert ways that can damage our self and others. Conversely, allowing ourselves to embrace all aspects of our true nature can be immensely liberating. For it is only by bringing all aspects of ourselves into consciousnesss that we can truly awaken.

In Big Mind, Big Heart, Genpo Roshi offers us a wonderful gift. By knitting together the ancient wisdom of Zen with the more recent wisdom of Western psychology, he has created a technology accessible to anyone ready to face the challenges of inner work.

As a Research Director for one of the world's largest professional services firms, I find Genpo's work to be among the most important I have encountered across a wide terrain of material on learning and growth. I find it incredibly useful as I continue to develop my own self-awareness. I believe his work carries tremendous possibility for organizations, too - particularly in the domain of leadership development, where a shift in consciousness is of dire need.

We are at an inflection point in society and organizations where "how" we learn is every bit as important as "what" we learn. By seeing our dualistic nature (on the longer path of non-dualism) we can release our clinging to conditioned patterns, limiting ideas, and damaging behaviors - and open to new ways of being, multiple perspectives, and wise action. Thank you, Genpo, for offering us your wise and compassionate guidance for that journey.

It's been awhile since I read a "spiritual" book but I remember the drill. Ancient platitudes about life and morality, blah, blah, blah. It's all very nice but kind of boring.

Boy was this a surprise! Through a very interesting and entertaining process, I learned a ton about who I am both psychologically and spiritually, and it didn't make me want to run around in a monks robe and shave my head. This zen stuff is actually quite down to earth in a very profound and personal way. If this is what zen masters are teaching, I wish I would have checked it out along time ago.

Big Mind - Big Heart: Finding Your Way

This great handy book is so simple to follow. The path into your hearth/mind is opened up wide and clear infront of your eyes. All you need to do is to take the first step to follow the basic instructions and keep on going one step after the other. Then for sure it will lead you to a glimpse into the real nature of your soul, as it did me several times.
I have been practicing meditation for 20 years and I have found this book revealing and cutting straight to the heart.
The basic techniques used by the Zen Master Genpo Merzel are Voice Dialogue and Meditation both of which are effortlessly explained in an easily understandable manner even for the very basic beginner.
A great and wonderful read challenging in its direct and vivid simplicity.

I will take this opportunity to voice a few criticisms I have of the book but before I do so I need to make clear that these criticisms are not of the Big Mind Process but of "the book." I have not had the opportunity to be personally taken through the Big Mind Process and would certainly enjoy the chance were it made available. Many of the reviews here seem to be of the Process itself but I am reviewing the book.

#1) Although the book is, I would say, an ok introduction to the Big Mind Process (it is only ok because it utilizes the sort of soft, fuzzy language authors sometimes use when they want to walk fine lines and either not offend anyone or appeal to everyone), the issue here is that someone reading this book cannot implement the Big Mind Process individually in their own home by themselves -- in order for the Big Mind Process to work, one needs a facilitator. Just one person cannot play both roles of the facilitator and answerer at the same time. This means that, having read this book, you will have to find someone who can take you through the process which probably means going to a Big Mind retreat. I was under the vague assumption when I bought the book that it would be possible to perform the Big Mind Process by one's self in the privacy of one's own home, but, even if it is possible, this book does not explain how this could be done and, frankly, doing solo Big Mind just does not seem possible. Therefore, this book is more like a facilitator's guide than a personal self-help manual. After reading it, you are actually somewhat more prepared to do Big Mind on someone else than yourself.

2) I think that the book may even be harmful to someone wanting to engage personally in the Big Mind Process. At least certain elements of the Big Mind Process may be hurt. Why? It's the same thing as with koans. If you want to really study koans, you need to meditate on them. If you read koans and then are given the "answers" regarding what they mean right away, they are thus diffused.

The Big Mind Process seems to be potentially useful on a couple of levels: a) it can lead someone to a satori-like experience of "awakening" and/or paradigm flipping similar to that which is often described in books about students using koans, and b) it may have theraputic value in that it allows users to explore and give voice to certain elements of their psyche which they may have been repressing and/or failing to give voice to (this might be a very useful process for couples wanting to improve their communication, for instance), but all within a Zen Buddhist framework. I believe that the satori-like experience which someone being taken through the process may experience is the result of being asked, by a facilitator, a series of "leading questions," which, framed in a very specific way (in this case, a Zen Buddhist framework), ultimately lead to certain inevitable answers. What happens is that the answerer, by being asked these certain questions within this particular and specific framework, ultimately end up answering in certain inevitable ways which ultimately leads to a satori-like expereince because the answerer feels shocked that they, as Roshi posits in the book, always had the answers "within them" the whole time. However, the answers weren't really inside them the whole time, the answerer was just lead in such a way to answer certain questions inevitably. It is really a matter of framing certain questions in certain ways so that certain answers are inevitable.

If you doubt this just ask yourself, "Do all roads lead to Big Mind?" What if I did the same process but, instead of positing that Big Mind and Big Heart as the two biggest and most important elements within the hierarchy of voices, I posited there was, instead, Big Chaos and Big Hate. By telling the answerer that Big Chaos and Big Hate were the two most important elements in the hierarchy, I could then, just through a series of leading question, get people to tell me why chaos and hate are central, vital, and ultimately determining. I could say, for instance, I want to talk to Big Hate and, having posited that it is the most important element of the psyche, have the answerer tell me that hatred of all mankind is the central core of our being. Then I'd say, "Look, it was inside you the whole time..."

However, as a Buddhist, I agree that a Big Mind Big Heart framework is correct, or, at the very least, helpful, in that it posits love and inter-being as central; but, the importance of framing and leading by the facilitators is certainly downplayed in the book for more mystical mish mashy type language about how all the answers are already inside, etc.

The reason why the book may hurt someone wishing to have a satori-like experience resulting from a Big Mind session is that it seems to me that it would work best if you didn't know how it worked. The whole idea of Big Mind is working through the various voices oneself, having to think about what the different voices mean and why they are important. A third of the book describes the different voices and gives examples of the types of things they may say. If you read the whole book and then went in for a professional Big Mind Process session, I'd imagine that it would be hard to not have your answers colored by the examples given in the book. They might influence your answers. I think that, like going to a magic show, it would be best to know less rather than more. That is, unless what you really want to do is be a facilitator and try and perform Big Mind on your friends.

However, if you are just interested in the theraputic advantages of using the Big Mind Process, reading this book probably will not hurt at all. It is useful to know what some of the different possible voices are which you may use in a session. This way you can perhaps give voice to certain elements of your mind which had not been directly addressed before. I also think that the Zen Buddhist way of framing the hierarchy of voices is useful because of its stress on non-dual thinking.

I am actually rather impressed by the Big Mind Big Heart Process. It seems to me that it may indeed be valuable for a number of reasons. I think that it has theraputic possibilities which may be very useful to someone who is working from an Eastern philosophical tradition -- as it can help with emotional and/or mental issues outside of spiritual practice which might not have normally been helped easily by meditation alone, but BMP can also focus and direct spiritual practice by leading one through a series of thought experiements where life and spiritual thoughts are dialectically integrated into a nondual union.

The problem with the book is that 1) you cannot perform Big Mind on yourself (and, if you can, the book does not say how, but it seems to me that the BMP would work best facilitated by someone else), and 2) it might give away too much for those hoping to have a sort of conversion experience (satori) which probably would be more likely to happen to those who know the least about the BMP and how it works.

This is my first on-line book review ever. I don't normally take the time, but this particular book is so important that it needs to be shared. It would appear at first to be a self help book, which it also is, but that is only a part of the import here. Through this Big Mind process one gains insight first into aspects of the small self and, ultimately, to perspectives that not only transcend the small self but include it - imagine that! To be exposed to different perspectives or "both sides of the coin", but able to operate from that place that transcends and includes both is life changing. The application to the individual is obvious but I believe in actuality goes far beyond the individual. This process can be used by multidisciplinary practitioners to enhance their specialties into more integral models of practice. Master teacher Dennis Genpo Merzel unfolds the process in such an enjoyable, accessible way that I do not think many will fail to see the creative applications that live in this process. Absorb the creative process in this book from the Master himself and apply it to your life, your relationships, your career and, most importantly, the world.

This book sets out in clear and elegant prose, a deeply wise and compassionate pathway. Free from the spiritual jargon and superior tone that can be so damn tedious and holier-than-thou in a great deal of spiritual writing, the book teases out steps along a pathway on which we can begin to own, embody, and awaken our dualistic and non-dualistic selves.

The process, which elegantly and powerfully synthesises Zen practice with western psychotherapy, encourages us to experience the self not as `I' but as `It.' And as we begin to loosen up and let go off our sense of the `ego-self,' we can also start the process of letting go of attachment to our non-dualistic self as well.

Having identified key aspects of our Small Self and Big Self, Genpo's Big Mind process goes beyond both to include and transcend them in an act of deep integration. By integrating what is `Human' in us, and what is `Being' in us, we may at last begin to glimpse what it really means to be a `Human Being.'

This is a book that makes the mystery of enlightenment accessible and available to all. And not just in a personal context, but in a professional and corporate context too. This is enlightenment for the market place - illumination for everyday life.
For those stuck in ego, read this book.
For those stuck in enlightenment, read this book.
It offers a pathway not only of deep liberation but of liberating laughter at our own ridiculous delusions too.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this book, finding it simple to read and simple to process into my thinking, and thus my life. Genpo is the highest ranked Zen Master in the world outside of Japan, and his Big Mind-Big Heart system is a compassionate, modern day approach to Zen that takes the complexity out of Zen Buddhism making it a tangible approach to self awareness. The CD that accompanies this book quickly found it's way into my CD player where Genpo goes through the Big Mind process in a matter of minutes with a student who started out with no prior knowlege of this process, and was able to reach breakthroughs in her thinking almost instantaneously. You can also tell in listening to this CD that the more you work the Big Mind process into your thinking, the more life changing ah-ha's you will have. This book is worth every penny and much more.

A wonderful book. Easy to read . . . fun to read . . .
Full of wisdom and insights and how to find it in yourself.
During reading the book I had an important insight that clarified a problem I had for 35 years.
Switching to the transpersonal voices gives the most wonderful feelings of wholeness, humour and self-acceptance.
The truth flows freely through this book for anyone to receive it.

In this book what I found was the permission to be the one who knew myself. The guidance to see myself better and discover my potential while totally in the drivers seat.
This process has the capacity to help us support ourselves by deeply knowing ourselves and accepting ourselves as we are, from dark to light, wisdom to ignorance.
As I explore further the inner aspects that I learned to meet with the help of this book, I can see that I give myself more and more permission to be human and to live up to the potential that I secretly have envisioned throughout my life. I need not fear owning my endless imperfections as well as I need not fear owning my immeasurable beauty. I can consciously choose to be this human being, this miracle of flesh and spirit.

Thank you Genpo, for putting the dharma before dogma.

I noticed there is a long list of glowing reviews for this book and Ken Wilber wrote probably wrote the most glowing endorsement I've seen from him for any book. I wish I could say I share his enthusiasm, but after reading the book more than once, practicing the techniques and comparing it to other material I have to say this isn't anything particularly new, innovative or magical.

My guess is that this work made an excellent live workshop that didn't translate well to a written text. I also think that Hal and Sidra Stone did a MUCH better job of articulating the underlying principles of the psychological framework for this method of meditation. I found Merzel's treatment to be repetitive, verbose and not much of a value add. In other words, this book could have been much shorter and at the same time harder hitting.

Something I like about the book is that it comes with a CD. While this is a value-add, it is misleading to call the included meditation guided. Approximately, five percent of the content of this meditation is guided. It includes a few simple and largely unnecessary questions. However, the background music and sound is quite pleasant and relaxing. The short demonstration section of talking someone through an experience of Big Mind didn't impress me either. It seemed staged and didn't add anything of value that one couldn't get from the text.

With all of this said, the book does offer some basic meditation advice, I believe the author is sincere and it is a good value for the dollar given the inclusion of the CD. However, I think it is not comparable to Turning the Mind Into an Ally, Breath by Breath: The Liberating Practice of Insight Meditation or other materials available by Pema Chodron, Jack Kornfield and others.

If you want a deeper coverage of the same ground with more direction, I would consider purchasing Embracing Your Inner Critic: Turning Self-Criticism into a Creative Asset along with one of the meditation books I mentioned above. For a more specifically Zen perspective, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind (Shambhala Library) and any of the very fine books by Cheri Huber would give you much more.

If you are specifically interested in a Ken Wilber Integral Psychology perspective, I would also consider No Boundary: Eastern and Western Approaches to Personal Growth and A Brief History of Everything. This would provide an even broader perspective on the application of these types of techniques to a modern context.

With respect to background, I have an M.A. in Integral Psychology, have been meditating for 30 years and have given workshops in the S.F. Bay Area. I also do personal growth coaching and read just about everything I can get my hands on in this genre. While I have mixed feelings about writing a more critical review than most other people, I feel it was necessary to present a balanced and accurate picture. My suspicion is that the workshop is great and the halo effect extended to the book. I am also an admirer of Ken Wilber, but I came away scratching my head after reading his introduction and experiencing the book for myself.

I would be interested in hearing others comments on my review after reading the book. I think this would also be helpful to other prospective readers. If you look on my listmania lists and profile, you can also find many other helpful resources in this genre.