Customer Reviews

Chants to Awaken the Buddhist Heart

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

As both a musician (mindspeak.com) and a meditating Buddhist, I found many things disturbing about this recording. From the musician side, the drum machine was a complete turn-off, as was the "Third Stone from the Sun" Jimi Hendrix guitar lick that was mixed in to the first song. The trendy production style on this recording does not do the chants justice. Listeners who aren't familiar with the true beauty of these chants could mistake this New Age treatment for the real thing, which would be unfortunate. The mechanical drum machine sounds provide only Nintendo-like accompaniment, and detract so much from the music. The voice is not heart-felt. The liner notes indicate that both Lama Surya Das and Halpern were college-mates without knowing it, but this collaboration sounds like the direct result of tripping at a late-night pot-smoking party. This is one of few CDs I own that will probably find its way to the used CD store.

Lama Surya Das writes wonderful books. This is not the case though with this album. I have a problem with Hip Hop beats while meditating!!! This was not at all what I had hoped for or wanted. Take away the drum machine, please!

Track 3 (Female Buddha Tara's Mantra) and 4 (Seven Line Prayer) are my absolute favorites on this unusual & unique CD. Sure it's a bit different from the common sounds we might be accustomed to hearing in the category we are obviously pursuing here: Buddhist chants and music. But different isn't bad. Not that tradition is not good to stick to, but occasionally it is nice to hear a bright and new example of these ancient chants. I personally found this entire CD to be a terrific companion to meditation at times, and the opening track "Jewel and the Lotus Sutra" has such a wonderful rhythm to it. I mean, I don't recommend listening to music every time you sit down to meditate, but occasionally it's a nice and calming experience to be had. So here is one reviewer who is kind of amazed by all of the bad reviews this CD is getting. This CD has a "healing" effect in some senses, a trait commonly associated with mantras and Tibetan lamas. Stephen Halpern brings to the table his unique style of "healing sound" for us. Sure it has a hip-hop feel, but it's done extremely well! I hope you enjoy it and are willing to give this a try.

This is a great cd to listen to in the car on the way to or from work or any other stressful engagement requiring chill time. Ok its got an American twist and yes Lama Surya Das is after all an American Lama. He's a gift to us all in the land of SUV's, faster cheaper better and Super sized everything.

This formula works: Traditional Tibetan (Nyingma) Buddhist mantras/chants delivered via the "sound-healing" music of Steven Halpern.

Whether you're a long-time dharma practitioner, a novice, or a non-Buddhist -- it doesn't matter. Anyone can profit from this CD. Turn down the lights, fire up a candle and some incense, sit down, straighten your spine and breath with the rhythm. Forget your grocery list and the things you did or didn't do at work. Sing along, hum or just listen. And if you find you really like this one and just can't get enough, try out a similar CD by another Nyingma chantmaster: Kirby Shelstad's "Dewachen."

I am a professional musician and found this CD to be really great listening as well as useful for spiritual practice. It's wonderful that these traditional chants are brought into more contemporary musical form, making them more accessible for today's listeners. I highly recommend this CD for those with an avid spiritual practice as well as those just looking for something a little different to listen to. Great chanting, great tunes. Bravo Steven Halpern and Lama Surya Das!! Can't wait for more....

I like this CD and I listen to it all the time. The background instruments, including the drum, do not bother me. I like the musicality of the chanting. I like Lama Surya Das' voice; it's nice and resonant in deep notes and sweet in the higher notes. It's not like some chanting I've heard that sounds like the people have chanted it a gazillion times and are totally bored with it. Sometimes the attempts at spontaneity don't work entirely well, but overall it's my current favorite CD.

This is a CD of Lama Surya Das chanting in Tibetan over Steve Halpern's beats. Don't know what to say except that if you like this kind of thing, this is an excellent CD. I have listened to it many times at home and in the car. It will put you int a meditative state listening and singing along to the chants. Love it.

I am new to the world of Buddhist chanting so this cd seemed to me to be just what I needed to help me feel the rhythms, and meanings of the chants and make them enjoyable to learn and do and experience. It's perfect for when I want to chant along, meditate, and when I just want some peaceful and vibration lifting background sound/music in my home. I felt the music was just right, not too over powering of the chants, but a pleasant addition to them. As far as i'm concerned, the cd delivers exactly what chanting is supposed to deliver to the chanter and the listener.

they may not be the first two things you would blend, but this is beautiful! Fun, reverent, inspiring, peaceful, contemporary and the voice quality is beautiful. Traditional chant with a twist. You might also enjoy "Tibetan Incantations" by Red Beat and Lama Surya Das's book, "Awakening the Buddha Within".