These eight essays explore the interface between psychiatry, science, and the timeless teachings of the Buddha. Drawn from the personal experiences of a therapist and practitioner of Vipassana meditation, this work explores meditation’s similarities and differences with psychotherapeutic and scientific endeavors. In the title essay, parallels are drawn between the atomic synthesis of free choice and lawful consequence in Chaos Theory and karma, offering contemporary insights into one of Buddhism’s core concepts. The empirical roots of meditation, its relevance to daily life, and the challenges and benefits of daily practice of Vipassana meditation are also addressed. Practical examples for continued observation outside of formal meditation retreats guide readers in incorporating Buddhist practice into daily life.
Hidden Buddhas may well be Liza Dalby's best work yet; with its fascinating story of characters caught up in a world they themselves don't understand. Besides taking us on a journey through little-known corners of Japan, it offers us an engaging and believable portrait of people driven to do things they may not have imagined.'' - Arthur Golden, author of Memoirs of a Geisha According to Buddhist theology, the world is suffering through a final corrupt era called mapp. As mapp continues, chaos will increase until the center can no longer hold. Then the world will end. In Japan, many believe that Miroku, Buddha of the Future, will appear and bring about a new age of enlightenment. From this ancient notion of doom and rebirth comes a startling new novel by the acclaimed author of Geisha and The Tale of Murasaki. Hundreds of temples in Japan are known to keep mysterious ''hidden buddhas'' secreted away except on rare designated viewing days. These statues are not hidden because they are powerful - their power lies in their being hidden. Are they being protected, or are they protecting the world? In this novel, one Buddhist priest struggles with the dictates of his inherited orthodoxy, while another rebels. An American graduate student begins to suspect the mysterious purpose of the hidden buddhas, just as he falls in love with a beautiful Japanese artist who is haunted by an aborted child. The weaving of karma that brings these two together results in a tech-savvy half-Western, half-Japanese child who text-messages her way through the profane world to enlightenment. Tracing the lives of its characters through the late twentieth century to the present, from Paris to Kyoto to California, Hidden Buddhas turns a cosmopolitan eye on discipline and decadence in religion, fashion, politics, and modern life. Liza Dalby is an anthropologist and writer specializing in Japan. She lives in Berkeley, California.
We have come here as a group to help you because it is a pivotal time in your planet’s evolution. You are seeing monumental changes in your society now. To achieve the shifts that these transfigurations will bring about, you must understand your minds, histories, and human nature as you experience it on the ground, in your hearts, and in your consciousnesses. You are going to be shown another version of the story about one of the great horrors of your twentieth century — the Holocaust. This kind of devastation has happened many times in your society. There have been massacres, mass extinctions, and social atrocities throughout your history, but this one continues to live in your hearts and minds. We must address it so that you can move into the new world — your new elevating and increasing frequency of consciousness — without old baggage. Your baggage, judgments, and fears must be released for you to enter this new world, this new time on your planet, with clear and uncontaminated minds. It is our purpose to bring you through this journey so that you will understand, forgive, and walk unencumbered into your new future. — Ananda
A collection of talks given by Dr. Paul Fleischman on Vipassana meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka, these selections explore subjects such as mental health, mindfulness, and cultivating inner peace. They were given to diverse audiences across the world in locations including Boston, Madrid, Vienna, and Dublin. These talks are a valuable introduction to Vipassana meditation, as well as an inspiring resource for those who are already practicing.
How to get out from under fate's unpredictable grasp and make your life positive, productive, and happy. "Everyone else has it together; why is life such a struggle for me?" For anyone who has ever felt powerless, here is a proven way to break free from those feelings of cosmic misfortune and achieve unlimited potential. The authors offer aunique approach to taking command of the negative forces that seem beyond our control--fate, bad luck, and karma--and creating a life that brims with positive momentum and growth. Take Control of Your Life presents a transformation process that enables readers to make a friend of chaos increase good luck, get into "the flow", and usedecisions to direct their lives toward their goals. Further, it will enable them to put karma on their side and reap its rewards, wield their will and leave a mark on the world, and achieve a state of ease and grace.
In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, this thought-provoking essay explores the Buddha's teaching to find one prescription: not war, not pacifism but nonviolence.
A social and cultural history of the Grateful Dead, America's greatest folk/rock institution, by a "National Book Critics Circle Award"-winning author. 8-page photo insert.
Full of practical and inspiring information for meditators who plan to visit the sacred sites where the Buddha lived and taught in India and Nepal, this unique guidebook provides a rich anthology of stories relating to each of the sites, as well as helpful maps, creative artwork, and spiritual narratives from experienced travelers. Each site entry includes insider information and tips with detailed descriptions of transportation, accommodation, and local cuisine; suggested excursions and activities in the vicinity; and highlights of established Vipassana mediation centers best suited to accommodate visiting meditators. This second edition has been updated and revised to feature newly discovered pilgrimage sites and a few more stories from the Pali canon.
We have lived in an era during which the spirituality intrinsic to science has become obvious. The universe is not random. It contains patterns and paths. This is called the information-state of the universe, and it organizes the materials and energies that form our bodies and minds. We are each microcosms; downloaded into our small selves are a vast array of directives and limits, the laws of science, that govern stars as well as our hearts and minds. We can gain access to some of the wisdom of this universal, lawful reality through meditation. As we observe our body sensations with equanimity, we come in contact with basic laws of physics, like entropy, or the decay of aggregates over time, and we also encounter basic laws of psychology, like the fact that social love, Mettā, leaves us happier than anger or fear. We may become self-balanced to face contingencies. It is science, not mysticism or religion, that reveals the value of Vipassana as a vestibule to ultimate realities, and highlights it as a practical guide to the psychology of well-lived lives. We are each unique snowflakes, patterns and lace, melting in the cosmic storm. We arise and pass inside a universe, a web, a Dhamma. We become aware of the scriptures that are inscribed inside us and that guide our wellbeing.
Can a New Age guru save his cult without losing his soul? Spinning Karma is the story of Rinpoche Edward Schwartz, reluctant figurehead of Mind of Pure Enlightenment (MOPE), a once-popular New Age group whose current membership has sunk to an all-time low. In an ill-conceived effort to bring the group and its teachings back into the limelight, Schwartz heads to Taiwan to film a fake "religious oppression" video - starring a group of clueless language students who believe that they're taking part in an English conversation class. The video goes viral and the scheme succeeds beyond Schwartz's wildest expectations, triggering a social-media-driven propaganda war between the United States and China that spins out of control. Before long, everybody from spiritual seekers in China and America, to an ambitious presidential contender, to the Chinese government wants a piece of MOPE ... and of Schwartz himself. Faced with the enormous karmic implications of his hoax, Schwartz repents. But is it too late? Can Schwartz save his group - and his neck - without losing his soul? Set in an exotic, untapped location, this offbeat East-Collides-With-West farce features characters and situations ripped straight from the headlines, mocking religious intolerance, the social media-driven news cycle, and the tumultuous relationship between America and China.
