Bücher veröffentlicht von Shambhala Publications Inc

In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, devotion to one''s guru or spiritual master is considered to be of the utmost importance in spiritual practice. The instructions of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, based upon the teachings of the great eighteenth-century saint and visionary Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa, focus on the devotional practices of Guru Yoga, "Merging with the Mind of the Guru."

Unlike most t''ai chi books, which focus strictly on how to do the t''ai chi forms, T''ai Chi as a Path of Wisdom presents a personal, practical view of this intriguing martial art. Lehrhaupt shares illuminating stories from her own life and the lives of her students that show how t''ai chi can be a vehicle for profound self-discovery and spiritual growth. In learning to master each body posture, t''ai chi students often confront self-doubt, frustration, and the desire to compete and compare themselves to others—problems that also arise in daily life. Lehrhaupt shows how these and other obstacles provide valuable opportunities to deepen awareness and recognize the striking continuities between practice and everyday life. Each section of the book includes practical exercises designed to enhance students'' understanding of t''ai chi movements, and a helpful appendix answers many frequently asked questions about t''ai chi training such as how to find a teacher and how to balance practice with family life. Full of useful insights and guidance, T''ai Chi as a Path of Wisdom will be a valuable companion for all students of this increasingly popular martial art.

"It''s important to embrace parenting with all your might," writes Lucia Capacchione, "in order to reap the deepest rewards available to you." But with so many theories, methods, and opinions about raising children, how can we find our own way of parenting? Her answer: By accessing the inherent wisdom and guidance within ourselves to find out what we really value, what dreams and aspirations we hold, what our individual parenting styles are. The Creative Journal for Parents shows us how. Capacchione''s book applies her popular creative journaling method of self-discovery to every stage of parenting: preparation, birth or adoption, early childhood, and all the way through the teenage years. Using journal writing and drawing—including her pioneering use of the non-dominant hand to access intuitive, breakthrough, right brain thinking—she takes us through simple, enjoyable exercises like "Wanted: My Kind of Parent" and "The Inner Child Answers Back." Parents and prospective parents alike will learn to get in touch with true feelings and needs, articulate core beliefs and values, learn to reframe negative experiences, and celebrate their relationships—present and future—with their children.

Invincible Warrior tells the fascinating story of the life of Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969), whose quest for the true meaning of warriorship lead to the creation of the martial art called Aikido, "The Art of Peace." Ueshiba—whose name means "abundant peace"—is considered by many to be one of the greatest martial artists who ever lived. His documented ability to disarm any attacker, throw a dozen men simultaneously, and down and pin opponents without touching them has accorded his life legendary status. Invincible Warrior presents the real story behind Morihei''s achievement, illuminating the man and his message. Stevens describes the people, events, and ideas that influenced Ueshiba''s lifelong spiritual quest, which culminated in the development of unique teachings of Aikido. Illustrated with two hundred photographs of Morihei in action and filled with revealing anecdotes about his life and times, Invincible Warrior also offers valuable discussion of the Founder''s conception of Aikido as a path of harmony and love, unifying body and mind, self and others, humans and the universe.

Taoist teachings have arisen in many forms: abstract aphorisms, philosophical discussions, legends, fables—even jokes. All are represented here, culled from the most popular Taoist classics: the Tao-te Ching, Chuang-tzu, Huai-nan-tzu, and Wen-tzu, stories from the "Tales of Inner Meaning," and teachings of the Taoist patriarch Ancestor Lu. The spirit of the Tao manifests in myriad images, brought to life in this superb translation—from the ever-keen blade of a Taoist butcher to the mechanical miracles of inventor Ken Shiwa, from little boys baiting the great Confucius to mountain hermits disappearing in the mist, from the six robber organs that obscure the primordial to the ineffable mystery of mysteries.

Zen Buddhism emerged in China some fifteen centuries ago and remained the most dynamic and influential spiritual movement in Asia for more than a millennium. Though the teachings of the first Zen masters are sometimes considered innovation, they were actually a return to the core of Buddhist teaching and to an understanding of the importance of the personal experience of enlightenment. This anthology presents talks, sayings, and records of heart-to-heart encounters to show the essence of Zen teaching through the words of the Zen masters themselves. The selections have been made from the voluminous Zen canon for their accessibility, their clarity, and above all their practical effectiveness in fostering insight.

This book shows how to use our homes to realign ourselves with the basic forces of nature: heaven and earth, the four directions, and the elemental energies that arise from them. Based on Tibetan Buddhist teachings on energy mandalas and the practice of space awareness, it includes playful quotes, provocative illustrations, and practical exercises for discovering the inspiration and delight hidden in our homes. And it explains the role of wakefulness in contemplative arts and design. Berliner proceeds from living room to bedroom to kitchen to home office, illustrating with rigorous practicality how we can join space, color, function, harmony, and our senses to create functional, welcoming rooms. She draws on traditional geomantic systems from Celtic wisdom to feng-shui to show that home design and ecology are one and the same, and that intuition and our senses are our most effective decorating tools. Working with wakefulness and natural patterns of energy, we can create enlightened environments—and in this case enlightenment begins at home!

To age with the sun and moon and be renewed by spring and summer, to conserve the seeds of growth in autumn and winter and to be nourished by the eternal breath of the Tao—these are the goals of the Taoist alchemists, the masters of the arts of health, longevity, and immortality. This book is a translation of a concise Taoist alchemical manual known as the Dragon-Tiger Classic, along with its two most important commentaries. The classic, written in ancient times by an unknown author and published during the fifteenth century BCE, is regarded by contemporary Taoist practitioners as the most complete guide to spiritual transformation. It covers the three forms of Taoist practice:    •  External alchemy, concerned with the ingestion of minerals, herbs, and other substances to attain health, longevity, and immortality    •  Sexual alchemy, in which the practitioner uses the energy of a sexual partner to cultivate his or her own energy    •  Internal alchemy, the practice of meditation, calisthenics, and yogic postures to cultivate mind and body An extensive introduction by the translator and the inclusion of two commentaries by traditional Chinese authors aid the reader in understanding this concise, symbolic text.

"Stopping" and "seeing" are sometimes referred to as the yin and yang of Buddhist meditation—complementary twin halves of a unified whole. In essence, "stopping and seeing" refers to stopping delusion and seeing truth, processes back to basic Buddhist practice. One of the most comprehensive manuals written on these two essential points of Buddhist meditation is "The Great Stopping and Seeing," a monumental work written by sixth-century Buddhist master Chih-i. Stopping and Seeing, the first translation of this essential text, covers the principles and methods of a wide variety of Buddhist meditation techniques and provides an in-depth presentation of the dynamics of these practices.

"The Tao that can be spoken of is not the real Way," reads a famous line from the Tao-te-ching. But although the Tao cannot be described by words, words can allow us to catch a fleeting glimpse of that mysterious energy of the universe which is the source of life. The readings in this book are a beginner''s entrée into the vast treasury of writings from the sacred Chinese tradition, consisting of original translations of excerpts from the Taoist canon. Brief introductions and notes on the translation accompany the selections from the classics; books of devotional and mystical Taoism; texts of internal alchemy; stories of Taoist immortals, magicians, and sorcerers; ethical tracts; chants and rituals; and teachings on meditation and methods of longevity.

These dialogues between Robert Aitken Roshi, one of the first American-born Zen masters, and Brother David Steindl-Rast, the Roman Catholic monk and hermit, took place during a week-long retreat the two old friends undertook in 1991 in a remote part of the island of Hawaii. Their aim was to approach the dialogue between Buddhism and Christianity in a fresh way, one that takes as its starting point a comparison of the personal experiences of the dialoguers—as a Buddhist and as a Christian, respectively—rather than abstract concepts. The result is the discovery of a surprising amount of common ground—the kind of shared experience that forms a solid foundation for further dialogue.

Jewish mystics from biblical times to the present have explored the hidden secrets of the Torah in quest of a single goal: to lose the self in the Infinite "No-thingness" (Ein Sof) and be at one with God. In language accessible to the layperson, this Shambhala Guide provides a detailed introduction to the complex world of Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism. With an extensive background in meditation practice, Perle Besserman emphasizes Kabbalah''s spiritual disciplines, grounded in righteous living, devotional practices, and meditation. She discusses the Kabbalistic universe, including the four worlds and ten sefirot; Jewish meditation techniques and instructions for beginning meditation; mystics and teachers from Rabbi Akiva and the Baal Shem Tov to Aryeh Kaplan; the often uneasy relationship between Kabbalah and mainstream Judaism; and incorporating the ancient wisdom of Jewish mysticism to life in the world of today.

Dream Conversations is a collection of a renowned Japanese master''s written replies to questions about the true nature of Zen. In short, simply worded teachings, Muso Kokushi (1275-1351), also known as Muso Soseki, exposes common misconceptions with unprecedented clarity, offering psychological insights designed to lead the reader into the depths of authentic Zen experience. These incisive teachings will be especially valuable for today''s Zen students, as they struggle with their own confusion and misunderstandings about the true path of Zen.

Insightful lessons from the great traditions of Asian thought on:    •  The essentials of wise leadership    •  Decision-making without prejudice    •  Inspiring loyalty and maintaining authority    •  Determining an individual''s true character    •  Encouraging the best in people    •  Achieving success without sacrificing happiness

This extraordinary collection of teachings and commentaries illuminates the many profound mysteries of inner alchemy, one of the most important dimensions of the Taoist tradition. The science of inner alchemy consists of meditation practices that enable the individual to have a more intimate, energizing, and inspiring relationship with life. Although these techniques are described in the sourcebooks of ancient Taoism, they are often couched in cryptic symbolic language, making it difficult for today''s seekers t put these teachings into practice. Some classical Taoist writers, however, did adopt a more explicit manner of expression. Practical Taoism is a collection of writings from these more accessible commentators on the traditional alchemical texts, compiled by a seventh-generation master of the Northern Branch of the Complete Reality School of Taoism known as the Preserver of Truth.

Newly selected poetry from previously published and unpublished works, Timely Rain is the definitive edition of poems and sacred songs of the renowned Tibetan meditation master.

Master Hua-Ching Ni uses straightforward language and personal experiences, as well as traditional stories and teachings of the ancient masters, to impart the wisdom of Taoism, the Integral Way. His teachings promote a simple, natural, healthy, and happy way of life that lays the foundation for spiritual self-cultivation. Master Ni emphasizes that it is important first to establish a good understanding of basic spiritual principles and then begin to realize this wisdom in daily life by adopting practices and attitudes that help to conserve, nourish, and refine the subtle energy. Among the topics he discusses in short, accessible passages are:    •  Basic spiritual self-protection    •  Self-reliance   •  Emotional balance    •  Do''s and don''ts for a healthy, natural lifestyle    •  Sleeping and dreaming    •  Diet   •  Love, sex and marriage    •  Meditations and invocations from the Taoist tradition

Our ancient ancestors believed that sports were a gift of the gods—that they were potent rituals, which, if performed correctly, would placate unseen powers, honor departed heroes, or improve the harvests. Today, sports still speak to deep yearnings, imaginings, and the irreducible need people feel to resonate with themselves and their world. But the hidden meaning, or "secret life," that lies at the heart of sports and gives them their force and magic goes largely unnoticed. The old baseball hand Wes Westrum once said, "Baseball is like church. Many attend, but few understand"—and the same could be said for sports in general. In Playing in the Zone, Andrew Cooper explores this inner dimension of sports, drawing on mythology, the history of religion, his observations on popular culture, and a wonderful array of stories and anecdotes about the world''s most accomplished athletes. The author—a clinical psychologist and longtime Zen student—compares the intense focus of the mind that is often required in spiritual practice with the experience of "playing in the zone"—that quality of mind where the most remarkable athletic feats seem to occur effortlessly. He explores the "dark side" of sports, its brutality and violence, showing how it can also provide fertile ground for self-awareness and self-transformation. Particularly insightful is the author''s discussion of how the heightened drama of sports offers a powerful vehicle for the expression of mythic imagery and symbols in popular culture.

Maurine Stuart (1922–1990) was one of a select group of students on the leading edge of Buddhism in America: a woman who became a Zen master. In this book, she draws on down-to-earth Zen stories, her friendships with Japanese Zen teachers, and her experiences as a concert pianist to apply the inner meanings of Buddhism to practicing the basic ethics of daily living—nowness, unselfishness, compassion, and good will toward every living being. She emphasizes that inner growth comes through our own efforts and intuition, especially as we cultivate them through meditation practice. We can then take what we have learned in meditation and use it to respond to our daily lives in a straightforward and creative way, guided not by concepts or dogma, but by direct insight into the reality of the present moment.

Marpa the Translator, the eleventh-century farmer, scholar, and teacher, is one of the most renowned saints in Tibetan Buddhist history. In the West, Marpa is best known through his teacher, the Indian yogin Nâropa, and through his closest disciple, Milarepa. This lucid and moving translation of a text composed by the author of The Life of Milarepa and The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa documents the fascinating life of Marpa, who, unlike many other Tibetan masters, was a layman, a skillful businessman who raised a family while training his disciples. As a youth, Marpa was inspired to travel to India to study the Buddhist teachings, for at that time in Tibet, Buddhism has waned considerably through ruthless suppression by an evil king. The author paints a vivid picture of Marpa''s three journeys to India: precarious mountain passes, desolate plains teeming with bandits, greedy customs-tax collectors. Marpa endured many hardships, but nothing to compare with the trials that ensued with his guru Nâropa and other teachers. Yet Marpa succeeded in mastering the tantric teachings, translating and bringing them to Tibet, and establishing the Practice Lineage of the Kagyüs, which continues to this day.

The ancient Chinese regarded the written word as a transformative force able to move heaven and earth and unite the reader with the source of all things, the Tao. The power of writing, especially poetry, is celebrated here in short texts that present both practical instruction and spiritual insight:    •  Lu Ji''s essay in verse, "The Art of Writing," reveals the inner process every writer must go through in preparing for the creative act.    •  Sikong Tu''s "Twenty-four Styles of Poetry" teaches that poets must perfect themselves internally in order to achieve perfection in what they write.    •  "Poets'' Jade Splinters" contains aphoristic prescriptions and humorous anecdotes about poetry, poets, and the rules of composition. Assorted commentaries and critical evaluations focus on Chinese lyrical poetry.

Of particular interest for its application to business strategizing, this edition of the well-known ancient Chinese classic I Ching (The Book of Changes) guides readers through the intricacies of group dynamics and relationships within organizations of all kinds. The root text is supported by a commentary from the eleventh-century scholar Cheng-Yi, founder of the movement known as Lixue, the "study of inner design." Cheng contended that by understanding the pattern of events—the inner design of nature—one can bring about mutual understanding and cooperation among people in groups, thus facilitating the accomplishment of any tasks they might undertake. The translator''s extensive introduction gives specific, systematic guidelines for consulting the I Ching for greatest understanding and best results. Included in the afterward is a profile of the modern and Japanese organizational genius Matsushita Konosuke, founder of Panasonic and other multinational corporations, whose success has been built on the principles of the I Ching.

Lao Tzu, the legendary author of the Tao Te Ching , is also credited with the authorship of the Hua Hu Ching , which embodies some of his later teachings. During a time of political turmoil in the fourteenth century, all copies of this work were banned and ordered to be burned. Thus, few if any complete and accurate manuscripts exist today. Fortunately, the complete teachings of the Hua Hu Ching have been preserved through the oral transmission of generation after generation of Taoist masters to their disciples. In this book, Master Ni, heir to that orally transmitted wisdom, offers a superlative rendering of this reassured teaching.

The Parents'' Guide to Alternatives in Education is the first book to describe the full range of current alternatives in education. It highlights some of the current trends in education and then deals in detail with twenty-three different education alternatives. For each it gives the history, philosophy, practice, a description of a representative school, and a resource section including sources of more information and suggestions for further reading.

A Tibetan patriot and unswerving follower of the Dalai Lama, Lobsang Gyatso emerges from these memoirs as a master storyteller, a fearless social critic, and a devoted Buddhist monk. With unusual wit and realism, he provides a picture of his country from the perspective of a common Tibetan, recounting his early life in Kham as a herder and a rambunctious young monk, his travels to Lhasa, his life in one of Tibet’s most famous monasteries, and his flight into exile. Outspoken and critical of both himself and his society, Lobsang Gyatso’s memoirs tell the story of his struggle for personal religious transformation and his fight to create a new vision for his country.