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Turning the Mind Into an Ally [Paperback]

Sakyong Mipham , Pema Chodron
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)

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Book Description

January 6, 2004

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.

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.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Riverhead Trade; Reprint edition (January 6, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 157322345X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1573223454
  • Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.6 x 8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,556 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
100 of 108 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Makes Meditation Relevant January 19, 2003
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.
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27 of 27 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Turning the Mind into an Ally October 1, 2003
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.
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42 of 45 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Turning the Mind into an Ally January 13, 2003
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.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Understandable teaching
Enjoyable to read and very assessible if you want to apply the teachings to your own efforts at meditation. Read more
Published 2 months ago by karen ssebanakitta
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book on meditation
I highly recommend this book to the beginner at meditation. Meditation is not an easy thing to learn and this book is very helpful.
Published 3 months ago by Lisa Miller
5.0 out of 5 stars A great book by the Sakyong
Turning the Mind into an Ally is a great start in learning to "tame" your mind. There's a lot of really great material here, and analogy of the mind as a wild horse is... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Product Reviewer
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding
This book was written by a Tibetan Buddhist Monk with a Wester Flavor. Outstanding!!! It is basically a very practical primer for Mindfulness Meditation practices and... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Goldjade
5.0 out of 5 stars turning the mind into an ally
Turning the Mind into an Ally is so very readable, warm and approachable. It explains Shambhala meditation in easy to understand terms and yet presents a depth beyond other... Read more
Published 7 months ago by cajunmystic53
5.0 out of 5 stars A permanent fixture in my library
This book has found its place next amongst my most prized. I have recommended it to more people than any other book. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Angela Leemhuis
4.0 out of 5 stars Goodread
I bought this book after reading "Running with the Mind of Meditation", which is a great book that inspired me to begin meditation. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Angelica
5.0 out of 5 stars 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 16 months ago by ELBSeattle
5.0 out of 5 stars 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 18 months ago by wjonesco
5.0 out of 5 stars 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 23 months ago by James L. Nixon
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