Customer Reviews

Shaman of Tibet: Milarepa-From Anger to Enlightenment 1040-1143 A.D.

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1 star:		(2)

 

 

I have read this book at least 5 times by now. Each time I read, I find something else that I had not understood, or the understanding of something deepens, or something else clicks in me. The book seems to be brand new, fresh, each time. It is written in an easy-to-read language (not complicated sentences), but contains deep, deep meaning and insight. I have learned and am still learning a lot from this book about life, how our mind manifests the life we live, and how we can have what we want in our life by disciplining our attetntion. The book also depicts with openness what a true teacher-student relationship is like. A great book, a great gift to all who aspire the spiritual hights.

At first glance I thought the book was dull, what a wrong impression.
I found myself extending my lunch hours just to complete the book.
A friend recently ask me what the difference was between religion and spirituality, I pointed her to this book.

I got very clearly from this book, that whether the stories are truth or fiction is not the point. The process of understanding oneself on a conscious level seemed more what the author was trying to get across. The ability to look at oneself in the midst of suffering to seek what is truly real, what is imagination, what is projection and what is karma?... and how they all just might intertwine...and discovering that things are not always as they appear, that seemed more the lesson... I will read this book again.

i usually have no interest in reading novels about TRUTH ... i much prefer first person (or at least reliably witnessed) nonfiction ... however, this book was recommended to me by a friend who is a cherokee shaman ... his remark was simply that anyone interested in shamanism or any other pathwork would do well to read this book ... so, i did ... what i found was a detailed map of the more significant journies required to learn to "walk the talk" ... the principles conveyed in this book will offer the novice authentic guidance for what to expect and what to not expect of TRUTH ... to the rest, it offers inspiration to get back up and keep going whenever we find ourselves fallen short of "walking our talk" ... or for that matter, fallen in the proverbial abyss ... i am not familiar with the biographical or mytholigical milarepa so i can make no comments on the authors choice of context ... but i am familiar with the rigors of pathwork and i find this book to be a genuine map to guide and inspire facing TRUTH ... which, oddly enough, for most of us is more difficult than facing FEAR

pathwork is a tough roe to hoe so for those who find guidance and inspiration in this book and would like to follow-up by learning specific WISDOM practices that hone facing TRUTH and FEAR in a "most practical" and "contemporary application", do yourself the favor of reading (and studying) "the four-fold way" by angeles arrien, "the four agreements" by miguel ruiz, "being and vibration" by joseph rael and "when things fall apart" by pema chodron ... these five books combined are a POWERFUL discourse in LIVING with an OPEN HEART ... enjoy

i usually have no interest in reading novels about TRUTH ... i much prefer first person (or at least reliably witnessed) nonfiction ... however, this book was recommended to me by a friend who is a cherokee shaman ... his remark was simply that anyone interested in shamanism or any other pathwork would do well to read this book ... so, i did ... what i found was a detailed map of the more significant journies required to learn to "walk the talk" ... the principles conveyed in this book will offer the novice authentic guidance for what to expect and what to not expect of TRUTH ... to the rest, it offers inspiration to get back up and keep going whenever we find ourselves fallen short of "walking our talk" ... or for that matter, fallen in the proverbial abyss ... i am not familiar with the biographical or mytholigical milarepa so i can make no comments on the authors choice of context ... but i am familiar with the rigors of pathwork and i find this book to be a genuine map to guide and inspire facing TRUTH ... which, oddly enough, for most of us is more difficult than facing FEAR

pathwork is a tough roe to hoe so for those who find guidance and inspiration in this book and would like to follow-up by learning specific WISDOM practices that hone facing TRUTH and FEAR in a "most practical" and "contemporary application", do yourself the favor of reading (and studying) "the four-fold way" by angeles arrien, "the four agreements" by miguel ruiz, "being and vibration" by joseph rael and "when things fall apart" by pema chodron ... these five books combined are a POWERFUL discourse in LIVING with an OPEN HEART ... enjoy

This is a fantastic book and a fantastic story. This book chronicles the story of the great Tibetian Saint Milarepa BEFORE he became a Saint. He had a very troubled life. His early childhood was one filled with hate, anger, and a need for revenge. Eventually, he kills nearly everyone in the village he grew up in. He all but gives up on his own life when he meets a truly great teacher who turns his entire life around. This is the story of how he goes from anger and despair to achieving enlightenment. A truly amazing story!!! Inspiring, uplifting, and full of life!!! The characters are vivid and the description of the times excellent. You'll love it!!! By the way, this book is in the process of being made into a movie!!!! Google for it on the web.

I started reading this book with an open mind: It was lent to me by a sincere student. It became quickly obvious that the author wanted to further her own (promotional) purposes by writing about the greatest yogi-poet of Tibet. Author distorted Milarepa's life omitting several significant events from his life, reducing his spiritual quest to emotional healing (typical New Age mistake) and including a version of her own feminist ideology (which is an irrelevant issue for a true yogi). The book does not even mention that Milarepa spent 40 years in the cold caves of Tibet meditating AND did reach Buddhahood! If the author needed a story to sell, she would do better to completely invent it. It would have been honest and would stand on its own two feet.

If you are interested in meditation, yoga, or tantra (Tibetan or Hindu), you will be much better served if you read translations such as by Evans-Wentz and Lobsang P. Lhalungpa -- which offer great reading and are authentic. Also, read "The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa" by Garma C. C. Chang. (All titles are available from Amazon.)

Acharyaji Anatole (www.modernseers.org)

I found this book totally boring. It is a pathetic representation of both shamanism and Tibetan Buddhism and poorly written to boot. The text is shallow, contrived and predictable and the platitudes given by the author are simplistic and trite. Readers would be far better served by picking up something approaching an authentic experience. Kalu Rinpoche's Gently Whispered would be a good start on the Tibetan side and almost anything by Carlos Casteneda would more accurately allude toward the shamanic experience. Don't waste your money on this one.