The Myth of Freedom and the Way of Meditation

(Paperback)

Available Formats

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Ch gyam Trungpa's classic examination of what it means to be free and how perceptions, attitudes, and patterns can bind even the most dedicated practitioners-reissued for its 50th anniversary. Freedom is generally thought of as the ability to achieve goals and satisfy desires. But what are the sources of these goals and desires If they arise from ignorance, habitual patterns, and negative emotions, is the freedom to pursue these goals true freedom-or is it just a myth In this book, Ch gyam Trungpa explores the meaning of freedom in the profound context of Tibetan Buddhism. He shows how our attitudes, preconceptions, and even our spiritual practices can become chains that bind us to repetitive patterns of frustration and despair. He also explains how meditation can bring into focus the causes of frustration, and how these negative forces can aid us in advancing toward true freedom. Trungpa's unique ability to express the essence of Buddhist teachings in the language and imagery of contemporary American culture makes this book one of the best sources of the Buddhist doctrine ever written. This edition also contains a foreword by Pema Ch dr n, a close student of Ch gyam Trungpa and the best-selling author of When Things Fall Apart.

Reviews

"All is made painfully clearwe are routed out of our little 'cubby holes', all of our excuses are brought out into the open and exposed for what they are. . . . If it is reality you want and not illusion, this is it. . . . An ego-shattering experience." The Middle Way

Author Bio

Ch gyam Trungpa (1940-1987)-meditation master, teacher, and artist-founded Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, the first Buddhist-inspired university in North America; the Shambhala Training program; and an international association of meditation centers known as Shambhala International. He is the author of numerous books including Shambhala- The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, and The Myth of Freedom.