Reddit reviews Shambhala: Sacred Path of the Warrior

Wow! I never thought I'd see Pema Chodron quoted on reddit!

>To be without a reference point is the ultimate loneliness. It is also called enlightenment.

Her book Awakening Loving-Kindness (abridged version of The Wisdom of No Escape) was my first introduction to all things related to Buddhism as is truly a masterpiece of simplicity and wisdom.

Her master was Chögyam Trungpa, who was (one of?) the first to introduce the very-much secular tradition of Shambhala to the Western world. From wikipedia:

>Although Chogyam Trungpa, founder of Shambhala International, came out of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, in his teachings Shambhala vision has its own independent basis in human wisdom that does not belong to East or West or any one culture or religion [5]. Shambhala kingdom is seen as enlightened society that people of all faiths can aspire to and actually realize. The path to this is provocatively described as the practice of warriorship — meeting fear and transcending aggression, and of secular sacredness — joining the wisdom of the past and one's own culture with the present in nowness.

All you jaded atheists should check out Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior. All the spiritual goodness without religious bullshit!

You're sure to find The Book of Five Rings cheaply and/or at a library. I've only read excerpts, but a lot of it, surprizingly, sounded like Uechi to me.

Here's another easy find, written by the father of the author of Turning the Mind into an Ally: Shamballa Warrior

You might want to look into Shambhala Buddhism. I've read Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior and attended an introductory meditation session at one of their centers, and as far as I can tell, it's entirely secular.

I am really into this book right now. Read the description and see if it interests you.

http://www.amazon.com/Shambhala-Sacred-Warrior-Chogyam-Trungpa/dp/0877732647

I too had a hard childhood, and to cope with it detached myself and was emotionally dead. I deluded myself into thinking I was doing something very Buddhist by doing this. This book certainly helped me 'open up' and realize that the detachment I was practicing was further adding to my neurosis, when Buddhism is supposed to help us deal with it, see through it, work with it. This book really helped me change my views of what I wanted out of my practice, how to deal with emotional and life issues, and gave me a healthy way of viewing my past, present, and future. Shambhala: Sacred Path of the Warrior.

I was once working as a janitor at a psychiatric institution. One of the doctors there and I got along quite well, and he would invite me to sit in on the group meditations. He had numerous copies of the book listed below, and gave one to me. Obviously there are some people who were in there that need medical help, but for the lost, scared, and confused this book seemed to help them immensely. He gave me a copy, and while I don't suffer from chronic depression, it certainly helped me through those 'bad' days. I have recommended and bought the book for every person I know that has talked to me about their depression and everyone who has read it has thanked me. I really like that Kabat-Zinn incorporates western science with eastern philosophy, and that it is very effective in treating people and their issues. Part of the problem with some people learning meditation or mindfulness from Buddhists is their preconceived notion of religion, or what Buddhism is.

A great book for depression in regards to meditation is by a renowned medical doctor, Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn. The Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness

Amazon Product Description:

If you’ve ever struggled with depression, take heart. Mindfulness, a simple yet powerful way of paying attention to your most difficult emotions and life experiences, can help you break the cycle of chronic unhappiness once and for all.

In The Mindful Way through Depression, four uniquely qualified experts explain why our usual attempts to “think” our way out of a bad mood or just “snap out of it” lead us deeper into the downward spiral. Through insightful lessons drawn from both Eastern meditative traditions and cognitive therapy, they demonstrate how to sidestep the mental habits that lead to despair, including rumination and self-blame, so you can face life’s challenges with greater resilience. Jon Kabat-Zinn gently and encouragingly narrates the accompanying CD of guided meditations, making this a complete package for anyone seeking to regain a sense of hope and well-being.

I really think you should read both books, and genuinely believe they will help, as they have helped me and others.

Namaste

You may consider this trite, and I certainly do not pretend to understand your circumstance or know you as a person, but this book really helped me to understand and connect with my happiness.

http://www.amazon.ca/Shambhala-Sacred-Warrior-Chogyam-Trungpa/dp/0877732647

Either way, I hope that you find some success in the future. Depression is difficult to cope with, but it is doable. The sooner you start working on it, the more of your life you get to take back and enjoy before you die.

http://www.amazon.com/Shambhala-Sacred-Warrior-Chogyam-Trungpa/dp/0877732647