Strengthening, calming, and stabilizing the mind is the essential first step in accomplishing nearly any goal. Growing up American with a Tibetan twist, Sakyong Mipham talks to Westerners as no one can: in idiomatic English with stories and wisdom from American culture and the great Buddhist teachers. Turning the Mind Into an Ally makes it possible for anyone to achieve peace and clarity in their lives.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Is the mind our enemy? It can be, suggests Shambhala International's director Mipham in his first book. The key to peaceful and sane living, says Mipham, is training our minds. Without that training, people live "at the mercy of our moods." Meditation is the tool that can help spiritual seekers master, rather than be mastered by, their own minds. This book blends a philosophically savvy explanation of why meditation is necessary with an artful and accessible introduction to the basics of meditation. Mipham moves elegantly from the prosaic (how to sit with a straight spine) to the profound (why one should bravely contemplate illness, aging and death). Indeed, those practicing spiritual disciplines from any tradition-Christian, Wiccan, and so forth-could benefit from Mipham's commonsense approach to meditation. He acknowledges, for example, that the tyro might get bored, distracted or even hungry for a cookie. New meditators are likely to find a million and one excuses for not meditating. But, says Mipham gently, "at some point you just have to sit down and do it." Mipham's guide is distinguished by its intelligible prose; unlike many fellow travelers, he does not drown his reader in jargon. He defines Buddhist basics, like "samsara" and "karma," clearly. Three useful appendices, outlining meditation postures and giving simple instructions for contemplation, round out the book, and a foreword by Pema Chodron is an added treat. This easy read is one of the best of the Buddhism-for-Westerners genre.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Mipham is director of Shambhala International, an umbrella organization representing over 100 meditation and study centers that was founded by his father, the renowned spiritual leader Chogyam Trungpa. His first book offers basic guidelines to meditation or peaceful abiding for those interested in learning more about Buddhist meditation. His instruction and discussion of the virtues of peaceful abiding are followed by suggestions for thematic contemplative meditations on topics such as birth, old age, and death. Having grown up in the United States but with traditional Tibetan training, Mipham is able to connect the traditional practice with the Western mind-set. He also brings a youthful spirit to his writing, with frequent use of outdoor sports (e.g., horseback riding, archery, golf, and hiking) to embellish his teachings metaphorically. Unfortunately, this work lacks the passion and depth so notable in his father's writings, and the text breaks little new ground. Those new to Tibetan Buddhism will find more inspirational reading in books by the Dalai Lama, and there is more in-depth instruction on Tibetan meditation practices in works such as Geshe Kelsang Gyatso's A Meditation Handbook. Recommended for libraries with large Buddhist collections.
--Annette Haines, Univ. of Michigan Lib., Ann Arbor
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
--Annette Haines, Univ. of Michigan Lib., Ann Arbor
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
86 of 93 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Sakyong Mipham's writing style is simple and to the point. Sometimes you don't even know you're being hit with deep wisdom until the 2nd or 3rd time you read it, which is the way most good books seem to work. His style is very different from his father Chogyam Trungpa's. What's great about this book is that he actually explains in precise detail, using simple but profound metaphors, exactly why somebody would want to do meditation, and exactly what the benefits are for you and the people around you. His instructions are never vague and mushy the way so many new-age teachers seem to be. He makes it all accessible and the barriers to actually starting to practice meditation seem to fall away in a hurry. It's not some ancient tradition of mystic-worshippers; it's something that can inform and aid our lives right here and right now, no matter what kind of lifestyle we lead.
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a good book for those who are beginning meditators, those looking for information on meditation, or those who have been practicing meditation for some time. Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche uses more Western language versus Tibetan or Shambhala language, which makes this easier to read and understand. Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche also has expanded the traditional Shambhala meditation practice to include "contemplation" meditation.
39 of 42 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Karen Armstrong's The Buddha is a beautiful exposition of the life of the Buddha, but has little to say about how to bring his wisdom and compassion into our lives. Turning the Mind into an Ally is a practical guide based on profound understanding of how to stabilize, clarify and strengthen the mind so that we can bring this wisdom and compassion into our lives. The author, Sakyong Mipham, writes with clarity, directness, and authority about how to live a life of true joy and deep compassion in our modern world. The book is a deceptively simple exposition of mind transformation through the meditation technique of calm abiding. The author is a direct intellectual and heart descendant of the wisdom teachings that go back more than 2500 years.
Sakyong Mipham follows the Buddha's tradition of piercing honesty about our predicament as sentient beings. He does not shy from telling the truth of suffering, impermanence, and selflessness of our existence. In these troubled times, it is wonderful to know that there is a practical and doable path of personal transformation by which we can live without deception and with loving kindness to benefit ourselves and all beings.
Sakyong Mipham follows the Buddha's tradition of piercing honesty about our predicament as sentient beings. He does not shy from telling the truth of suffering, impermanence, and selflessness of our existence. In these troubled times, it is wonderful to know that there is a practical and doable path of personal transformation by which we can live without deception and with loving kindness to benefit ourselves and all beings.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A perfect book on the 'how to' of vipassana meditation
I have read several helpful books on meditation and Buddhism. I've gotten a lot out of Steven Levine's 'A Gradual Awakening' and several books by Thich Nhat Hanh. Read more
Published 4 months ago by ELBSeattle
Life changing book
This is an amazing book. Gives all sorts of insights into 'your thoughts' versus the 'real you." I think anyone would benefit from reading this.
Published 7 months ago by wjonesco
Wonderfully insightful for those who put the work in.
As someone who voraciously reads any growing interest in a topic, when I first began my study of Buddhism I ready dozens of books from a variety of sources. Read more
Published 11 months ago by James L. Nixon
Turning the Mind into an Ally
In TURNING THE MIND INTO AN ALLY, Sakyong Mipham explains meditation as a process of "peaceful abiding," one that provides a means of achieving lasting rather than transitory... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Frank Zahn
Good, but...
Turning the mind into an ally is a good guide for all levels of meditators. It gives a great starting point for newbies, and reference/inspiration points for more experienced... Read more
Published 19 months ago by BuddingWriter
Meditation for the Beginner
This is a well-written guide to Shambhala style Buddhist meditation by their leader in the US. Steps are concise and easy to follow, providing just enough background so the process... Read more
Published 19 months ago by ohiomary
Great book; hard to put into practice
This book has been hyped up in a big way and thus going into it I was prepared to be floored by its brilliance. That made it tough on the author to hit my expectations. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Emile
The hows and whys of meditation in easy to understand language
I have been meditating for about three or four years. I got started with contemplative prayer. Then, once I started studying Buddhism have been practicing based on Buddhist... Read more
Published on January 18, 2010 by Brian Smith
Very Readable
Sakyong Mipham has the ablity to explain meditation and concentration without being either boring or condescending. Read more
Published on September 29, 2009 by Richard A. Bevers
The Best Meditation Book I Own.
This is one of the best meditation books I have yet found. It is clear, simple, and Mipham uses language and examples that are easy to relate to even if you life the city life and... Read more
Published on March 15, 2009 by M. Gayton
Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
Many of us are slaves to our minds. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
rousing bodhichitta, warrior bodhisattva, placing our mind, larger motivation, generating love, releasing thoughts, contemplative meditation, stable mind, basic goodness, scattered mind, bewildered mind Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
North America, Great Eastern Sun, Jesus Christ, Shibata Sensei New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Many of us are slaves to our minds. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
rousing bodhichitta, warrior bodhisattva, placing our mind, larger motivation, generating love, releasing thoughts, contemplative meditation, stable mind, basic goodness, scattered mind, bewildered mind Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
North America, Great Eastern Sun, Jesus Christ, Shibata Sensei New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 1
book:
12
books
cite this book:
See all 12 books citing this book
- The Healing Power of Mind (Buddhayana Series, VII) by Tulku Thondup in Front Matter
- The Best Buddhist Writing 2004 by Melvin McLeod on page 67, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- The Highest Goal: The Secret That Sustains You in Every Moment by Michael Ray on page 30, and Back Matter
- Mindful Knitting: Inviting Contemplative Practice to the Craft by Tara Jon Manning in Back Matter
- Make Your Creative Dreams Real: A Plan for Procrastinators, Perfectionists, Busy People, and People Who Would Really Rather Sleep All Day by SARK on page 242
- Going Buddhist: Panic and Emptiness, the Buddha and Me by Peter J. Conradi in Back Matter
See all 12 books citing this book
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