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Turning the Mind into an Ally (Hardcover)

~ Sakyong Mipham (Author) "Many of us are slaves to our minds..." (more)
Key Phrases: rousing bodhichitta, warrior bodhisattva, placing our mind, Great Eastern Sun, North America, Jesus Christ (more...)
4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)

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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.


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.
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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover (January 2, 2003)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1573222062
  • ISBN-13: 978-1573222068
  • Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.3 x 1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 14.2 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #592,237 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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More About the Author

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche
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Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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Inside This Book (learn more)
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, bewildered mind, stable mind, contemplative meditation, basic goodness, scattered mind, awakened heart
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Great Eastern Sun, North America, Jesus Christ, Shibata Sensei
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Customer Reviews

39 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.9 out of 5 stars (39 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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67 of 73 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Makes Meditation Relevant, January 19, 2003
By Ethan Nichtern (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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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29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Turning the Mind into an Ally, January 13, 2003
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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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Turning the Mind into an Ally, October 1, 2003
By Mark Bourdon (Fargo, ND) - See all my reviews
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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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Readable
Sakyong Mipham has the ablity to explain meditation and concentration without being either boring or condescending. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Richard A. Bevers

5.0 out of 5 stars 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 8 months ago by M. Gayton

5.0 out of 5 stars Turning the Mind Into an Ally
Insomnia was keeping me awake in the middle of the night. I had tried several different things, all to no avail. Read more
Published 11 months ago by David B. Benson

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read for anyone in the Western Hemisphere who is interested in Buddhism
This is a great book, I've gone back to it many times. It is not the definitive text on Buddhism, and does not try to be. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Alan Smith

5.0 out of 5 stars Can You Use a Mental Tune-Up?
Some people go to a chiropractor for a spinal adjustment; I turn to this book time and again when I'm in need of a mental and emotional adjustment. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Wordly Woman

5.0 out of 5 stars A 10-Star Book! Awesome Writer/Great Teacher!
This book was a pleasure to read. The message was awesome and the metaphorical teachings are a work of art! This author transcends Buddhism. Read more
Published 19 months ago by William T. Mcgee

5.0 out of 5 stars Removing the Clutter from your Mind
Sayong Mipham has produced an easy to digest book involving the basic principles of meditation. At the risk of being overly simplistic, "Turning the Mind into an Ally" involves... Read more
Published 19 months ago by JMack

5.0 out of 5 stars Meditation from a psychology perspective...
This is a beautiful book that presents the fundamentals of Buddhism and meditation for the beginner without the weight of ritual and history. Read more
Published 20 months ago by David Pietrandrea

4.0 out of 5 stars Beginner's Mind
Wonderful introduction to mindfulness meditation by a practitioner schooled in the art by Eastern methods, but who grew up in the West. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Jeff M. Brown

5.0 out of 5 stars turning your mind into an ally
Powerful and delivered so sweetly. A poignent description of meditation and how it can free you from a discursive mind and enhance your quality of life. Read more
Published on October 27, 2007 by Denise Asmus

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