Customer Reviews

Plum Village Meditations : With Thich Nhat Hanh & Sister Jina Van Hengel

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've been using this tape for close to 8 years now just about every single day. I actually use it before lunch to regroup and it's made a huge difference in my life. Using it gives me a sense of renewal, deep rest and awareness at the same time.

It's an opportunity to start fresh again in the midst of my day. Also, because it's not a meditation that requires a mantra that is said "out loud" it can be done anywhere at anytime if you have a walkman type player. I've done it in airports, on planes, anywhere that you need to reconnect and come back into the present moment. Plus, once you are familiar with the program you can do it without the tape so you can do these meditations anytime and anywhere.

In particular I use the guided meditations. There are three series of guided meditations led by Sister Jina. The first is very simple "Breathing In, I know I am breathing in, Breathing Out, I know I am breathing Out...In...Out", then it's followed by "Deepening and Slowing the breath", "Feeling Calm and Ease", "Smiling and Releasing" and ends with "Present Moment, Wonderful Moment".

The second series is a body scan of sorts with the intention to cultivate gratitude for our physical bodies, gratitude for things man of us take for granted like our eyes, ears, lungs, heart etc. For example it starts "Aware of the hair on my head, I breathe In, Smiling to the hair on my head I breath out..... Hair... Smiling..." (while Hair may seem a strange place to start, I guess the idea "for even hair to exist is miraculous" in that "any form of existence is a miracle" to have gratitude for), then the meditation moves on to the eyes, ears, lungs, heart, liver, feet and ends with "Breathing in I know I am Breathing in, Breathing Out I know I am breathing out....."

The third series is based on forgiving one's parents which is a source of much pain for many people I know. I must admit that I don't use this one because I was blessed with an unusually excellent relationship with my folks and so I don't have any issues here. Still, many people I know have some if not a lot of baggage with regard to their folks that they may be living with much pain that may be helped by this particular guided meditation.

The other side of the tape is a "Gong" meditation which is really different, you basically just breath and concentrate on the sound of the gong as it is played and gradually fades out. This can be a very powerful meditation, especially if you have good speakers or headphones (which is my favorite way to use it).

Highly recommended!

Namaste

This is a pleasant and calming tape that is mainly comprised of Thich Nhat Hanh intermittently ringing a bell. This goes on for about 45 minutes or perhaps even longer. It is very pleasant to meditate to, but there isn't much in the way of instruction other the simple direction to pay attention to the breath.

Toward the end of the CD are some very brief guided meditations that associate different key words with the inhalations and exhalations respectively. The concept of this is good and certainly one can carry it into their daily practice. However, I don't think this part of the tape is long enough to be of much value as a guided meditation.

I would purchase this CD again because the bell meditation sets a very good atmosphere for meditation. It's also interesting to hear Thich Nhat Hang speak a bit at the beginning. It gave me some idea of what his presence might be like.

If you are looking for meditation instruction, I would look somewhere else. Breath by Breath by Rosenberg or the recorded series Insight Meditation with Sharon Salzberg would be better. Jack Kornfield also has some resources for beginning meditators and I have assembled a listmania list of meditation resources. If you click on my profile, you can see this list and read my reviews under each resource.

peaceful sound of the gong with 3 very short meditations at the end. Most of tape was quiet with the intermitent gong. I play the tape while in traffic, calming. I have found there are better tapes/cds for my meditation.

A wonderful meditation tape for those practitioners familiar with Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings. The guided meditations are an ideal support for daily meditation practice that grow more fruitful each time you return to them. Highly Recommended.

It's hard to buy these online, because one's responses to these CDs are so personal. I strongly dislike most of the ones I've purchased.

Not this one. The beautifully simple sound of the gong, slowly, very slowly, repeated, is just ideal for meditating for those of us who need a little audio help.

Wonderful!

I have some experience with meditaton and find it to be a wonderful way to become more centered in dealing with life. This particular CD, made in Plum Village, is powerful in its simplicity. Just follow the guided meditations and do not think "more" would be better. There is a lovely meditation using the breath and accompanying words. For instance - breathing in, say in; breathing out, say out - in, out. Next - breathing in, say deep; breathing out, say slow - deep, slow. There's more to this particular meditation, but you get the idea. My recommendation can't equal your own experience of this quiet, calm CD. Accept the simplicity, and you will be infused with serenity.

This CD is very special for those attuned to the simple practice of full awareness breathing: Anapanasati Sutta. This practice as taught by the Buddha is simple and mindful. Following the rich sound of the bell, "where does the sound end?" Silence. From silence, "when does the sound begin?" Thay encourages the listener to smile and to follow with his or her breath.

Since I have been lucky enough to be on retreat a few times with Thich Nhat Hanh (and a thousand other people!), the cd takes me back to the moments that I experienced there, and reminds me that every moment is a precious moment...I also purchased it as a gift for 2 friends who attended the retreats.