Customer Reviews

Good Medicine [VHS]

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In today's stress-filled environment this video Good Medicine offers a valuable way of confronting any aggression. This video offers a release from suffering. Anger, fear, or grief arise from our unskilful response to pain. When we try to escape suffering by avoiding, we find that avoidance doesn't diffuse the suffering. Often, instead, the amount of suffering escalates. Through the practice of Tonglen, Pema Chodrin shows us a way to confront suffering directly so it vanishes. In her words, "This is news we can use."

Tonglen changes the environment by replacing the dynamics of anger, fear, or grief with compassion. The exchange takes place on the medium of the breath. Visualization is part of the process. Through this video Pema Chodrin gives clear instructions, includes personal experiences, and frames her instructions with a sense of humour.

Learning Tonglen can not only improve our individual health, but also can help create peace on the spot in explosive situations. I highly recommend this video.

Wonderful to see & hear her. Good video, but sound a bit low. Pema Chodron is a disciple of Trungpa Rinpoche and heads an Abbey in Eastern Canada. She discusses Mindfulness meditation, Bodhichitta, and especially Tonglen (sending and receiving) meditation. She points out that we all share humanity and the human condition despite our having varied storylines. Reminds one of Shakespeare's famous life's a stage and all the men and women merely players. She explores the Slogans of Atisha (delineated in her book, Start Where You Are). Also describes Lojong = mind training. The objective is to turn obstacles into your practice, thus transforming the poisons into Maitri = loving kindness and Bodhichitta = compassion. She also discusses the four stages of Tonglen practice (taking in suffering and sending out joy, starting with our own, proceeding to our loved ones, and ending with the entire world). But, though others do describe Tonglen (and Pema Chodron describes it in some of her books as well), here she talks about on-the-spot Tonglen as well. In this technique you receive and send at the very moment that suffering appears. Thus, you need not artificially generate feelings of compassion, they are right there in front of you. Therefore, this additional technique can be incredibly powerful and effective in your practice. Of course, it does not at all detract from a regular practice of Tonglen. Tonglen is an extremely powerful technique to subdue one's egocentricity, to develop Bodhichitta and Maitri, and to proceed rapidly on the Buddhist path to enlightenment.

This is one of the most wonderful, healing videos I've ever seen.

"The practical purpose of tonglen is to reduce the amount and density of suffering in the world and to replace it with unconditional spaciousness. " ~ pg. 3

Pema Chodron presents a fascinating series of short workshops on the practice of Tonglen Meditation. Through a spontaneous delivery, she imparts wisdom in a casual relaxed manner that creates a teacher/student style setting where you feel you are having a conversation with a trusted friend. She radiates joy and presents stories to add humor and wisdom. Her honesty about the human experience is liberating and refreshing.

How do you sit with negative emotions?

How can we attain more than a temporary happiness?

What is true joy?

What do we do when we feel pain and fear?

How can we help to alleviate pain in the word?

Can our thoughts really heal the world?

The workshops focus on compassion and the relationship we have with pain. The teachings emphasize an openhearted way of living with an unconditional acceptance of yourself. Pema Chodron presents profound wisdom as she speaks from the heart. The practical applications of the teaching can be used throughout the day. Once you learn Tonglen Meditation, you may find yourself using this in your daily life.

The basis of Tonglen is especially beautiful and addresses negative emotions in a unique way that can bring calm to your life. This is one of the most accessible forms of meditation I've ever learned and as I step into the experience time and time again, I find it really does work. Not only will your relationships become more loving and nurturing, you no longer feel like you are reaching out for love, but you feel you have more love to give.

While the breathing technique is fairly easy to master it is the emotional realm that presents the challenge. In three hours, you also learn the many ways people use this practice in their own lives and how to adapt the meditation for your own healing. Just by starting to breathe more deeply, and taking a pause, you can become more focused and redirect your intentions.

If you are tired of your life being poisoned with anger, or if you feel that you need a way to control emotions that are controlling your life (yours or others in your life), then this is an excellent place to start. With Tonglen, you can heal yourself and then reach out to the world through a meditation prayer. The invisible soon becomes visible and the result is a beautiful transformation from pain to healing.

~The Rebecca Review