4 comments about Meditations for Relaxation and Stress Reduction.

1. I highly recommend this audio tape to people who are trying to incorporate meditation into their lives. Dr. Borysenko has a very soothing voice and the exercises are effective. I think this tape may be especially appealing to women; there is some content that I know some men may find corny. However, I found the both the breathing exercises and the stretching to be relaxing and very beneficial.



2. This tape has helped me relax on many, many occasions. I have almost worn out my tape. Joan's voice and the music are exceptionally soothing. You don't even have to pay attention to it, in order to get benefit from the tape. I just wish it came in CD.



3. I've found the 30-minute body relaxation exercise to be a great stress relief on my way to work or when lying in bed. Having listened to the CD regularly for the past few weeks, I am finding that it is making a profound difference in my ability to relax. I am so happy to discover that the "relaxation response", the brain's response to quiet meditation, is real, and actually reverses the effects of stress. It's making a bigger difference than I would have imagined. Having experienced increasing stress over the past year, I am so grateful and relieved to find something that helps. Many thanks to the author for her peaceful voice and healing images.



4. I've read several of her books and decided to try the CD. I have a severe to profound Hearing loss and use a neck loop for my music. I decided if I wanted to relax I was going to try with out any aide. I could hear the music but not her speaking but it must have been just the touch because I woke up 3 hours later. Her voice is very soothing. Well worth buying if you have problems with stress. Put it on and stretch out after a long hard day!

5 comments about How to Meditate With Pema Chodron: A Practical Guide to Making Friends With Your Mind.

1. This is a set of five instruction cds on the process of meditation, not a meditation cd. Contains five one hour (approximate)sessions, each building on the last, with a short meditation time included. For those looking not for guided mediation but for instruction on "fully awake" meditation, this is perfect. As is everything that Pema Chodron does. Great value for the money.



2. I am new to meditation and thought that a CD set with a title of "How to Meditate" would be a good choice to learn. Not with this set. This was recorded at a 5 week retreat, so most people there would know something about meditation. And this knowledge shows in how the teacher speaks. There are postures and other terms used that a new person, like myself, would not know. Some are described, but "like this" does not help when listening to a CD. If you know how to meditate this maybe good to further your meditations. But if you are new, start somewhere else.



3. In this 5 CD set, Pema Chodron expands on her prior works (but see Pure Meditation), honing in on Buddhist Shamatha (tranquil or calm abiding) meditation. This is a basic, eyes-open, being-fully-present technique (akin to mindfulness practice). It differs greatly from transcendental types as well as from Vipashyana (insight) meditation. Total time=5:52:48 in 46 tracks (CD1=65:18/9 tracks; CD2=63:29/10 tracks; CD3=69:54/9 tracks; CD4=74:53/9 tracks; CD5=79:14/tracks). Her presentation is comprehensive, including: Physical--much detail on 6 points of posture (seat, legs, torso, hands, eyes, & mouth); Emotional--being fully present, attention to tension, observing your pain/stress; Mental/Psychological--generosity, patience, sense of humor; & Spiritual/Mystical--(per Trungpa Rinpoche) "Mixing mind and space." Each CD includes a meditation experience & practices for the ensuing week.
   
   Ani Chodron explains the basic Tibetan Buddhist/Vajrayana approach of transforming poisons (kleshas or afflictions) into medicine (wisdom/enlightenment). This is similar to judo (vs. karate) & to transcendental alchemy (The Secret of the Golden Flower: A Chinese Book of Life) with kleshas being the prima materia. Tibetans differentiate between pain and suffering; the latter being more psychological than physical--reaction to pain vs. pain itself. She, thus explores Shenpa, the process of getting hooked--see Don't Bite the Hook: Finding Freedom from Anger, Resentment, and Other Destructive Emotions. Pema also briefly discusses Tonglen (exchanging oneself for others), a highly empathetic technique--see Tonglen, the Path of Transformation or Good Medicine: How to Turn Pain into Compassion with Tonglen Meditation; & includes some more advanced Mahamudra meditation, which I find particularly helpful, quoting a poet: "Thoughts are like clouds in the sky; they shimmer when they fly." Her use of sounds, sights, touch over the body is reminiscent of both the Western allover (or overall) exercise (Wisdom of the Mystic Masters) & the Dhyani Buddha families (The Mandala of the Enlightened Feminine). Overall, Pema's voice & presentation are extremely peaceful & meditative--quite conducive to these practices, though she aims at you becoming "your own meditation instructor." To have a more complete appreciation of Pema, see her Good Medicine video. This set is valuable for newbies (though some of the terminology may be unfamiliar) as well as those who have practiced meditation before. It is also a nice refresher.



4. Pema Chodron is a wonderful teacher, of whom I have the greatest respect. This is another example of her down-to-earth, humorous and loving teaching style. For me, it was an excellent choice. However, just so you are not disappointed, be aware this is a specific type of meditation. She is teaching Tibetan Buddhist meditation techniques, which are a little different from other styles. In this style your eyes remain partly open to maintain a level of awareness. It is not the type you use to generate a trance state.
   
   If you are unfamiliar with meditation and this is your first exploration, you may want to look at "The Art of Meditation by Daniel Goleman". It is an excellent first step.
   
   Pema's training can take you to a deeper level of understanding, but may be a little too deep for your first attempt. Also, the fact her CD is speaking to those who have a background in Buddhism does'nt mean you won't learn from this CD. Buddhist are experts at meditation because it is part of their belief. The techniques taught can apply to any faith.
   
   Pema's Chodron is an excellent speaker and this is another excellent example of her work. With the understanding that I would not advise this as the first meditation book I would read/listen to, I believe it is a valuable resource for those interested in this style of meditation.
   
   Namaste



5. While there are valuable ideas and suggestions in Pema Chodron's CD series, it is decidedly from a Buddhist perspective and seems to assume the listener is an active or aspiring Buddhist as well. A great series if that is one's desire. If not, there are decidedly better resources available.

5 comments about When Perfect Isn't Good Enough: Strategies for Coping with Perfectionism.

1. I've struggled my whole life with a number of issues: perfectionism, low self-esteem, self-destructive behaviour.
   
   This despite the fact that I'm intelligent. Intelligence isn't always enough. Some of us need practical help to see where our thinking patterns and actions are flawed or self-defeating. Without external help it's difficult to be objective about this.
   
   "When Perfect isn't Good Enough" is a practical self-help book to assist you in identifying and changing perfectionistic thinking patterns. I only bought the book recently, but I've already been bowled over by the number of insights I've gained from its pages. I plan to study and fully integrate the info over time. I can only imagine how doing so will contribute to my productivity!
   
   Other exceptional self-help books that I would like to recommend are:
   * The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
   * The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem by Nathaniel Branden
   * Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
   
   None of these books are quick-fixes. Integrating their contents takes a lot of work and courage, but the results are of inestimable value!



2. This book contains exactly what I was looking for the past 10 years. I've learned much about myself. I would probably not read the last section b/c it's just a repeat of what's in the book, but being a perfectionist, I had to. If you can stand it, only read what applies to you in the last section and save your time for something else.



3. After reading Leman's "The Birth Order Book" and seeing that my wife and myself have been struggling with the predicted first-born power struggles and head butting for the last 10 years, both of us as "discouraged perfectionists" were looking for a book to offer pragmatic solutions for change.
   
   In looking at the overwhelmingly positive reviews for this book, I purchased it. The book has some major draw-backs:
   
   1. The text addresses perfectionism according to Hewitt & Flett, and Frost; however, the typical treatment of perfectionism is one usually of an aggressive perfectionist, such as a "nag" or a critical boss; this is not reflective of the "discouraged perfectionist" and often leaves one thinking "ok... this would be a good strategy if I was a freak-out, but it doesn't really apply to me"
   
   2. The authors have an ideological bias that is evident throughout the text which I would describe as "open-minded liberalism" combined with "anti-religious," which is really quite disturbing. Examples that stick out in my mind include:
   p46 - a comparison of "the right way" to wash dishes is compared with "wrong" ways leads to reader to accept that "washing" may entail soaking dishes in water without soap is somehow equally acceptable (as if sanitation is invalid as a basis for a "right way")
   p50 - Attending church services are an outlet of attempting to confirm perfectionistic beliefs rather than seeking out experiences that "challenge" those beliefs
   p180 - where a therapist convinces a patient that the daughter comes home from college with a lip-piercing isn't as big of a deal as it feels
   
   3. The demeanor the authors use is almost as if they are not addressing a condition that affects people in very personal ways which causes internal conflict and real heart-ache. They might as well be addressing bicycle repair, how to implement work-arounds in Chebyshev filter design software, or dog-training. These are exactly the kinds of individuals I strongly suspect of total hypocrisy, and I wonder how screwed up their own marriages and children are
   
   In conclusion, this book may be very good for a certain cross-section of people (which is why I gave it two stars instead of one), i.e. perfectionists who are obsessive, angry, controlling neat-freaks. But for the rest of those who might be considered relatively "normal" or who are just looking to relate better with others, this book will probably be inadequate.



4. It was a blow for me when I learned that I am a perfectionist. I started reading about it, and this was my first book. It was hard from time to time to face the truth that this book was presenting me.



5. Hardly user friendly, though it attempts to be a book for a lay audience, it fails miserably succeeding only in writing a watered down academic article. If you are a fan of superficial platitudes masquerading as strategy, then this is book for you. Might as well save your 10 or 13 dollars, google perfectionism, and read the ehow version--you're getting the same thing minus the money and the time wasted sifting through bad writing and even worse style.

5 comments about Overcoming Anxiety for Dummies.

1. This is NOT a self-help Book. If you want a Self-Help Book, do your research and buy one. This book is a REFERENCE book about anxiety disorder. and is a GOOD ONE~!



2. I love the dummies series. Despite thier name they are typically a well written, well researched and balanced resource. The authors of this one included a comprehensive look at anxiety with a wide variety of interventions to suit many people. Helpful without being dry or preachy, it's great for clinician and self-helper alike. A must-have for your bookshelf if you work with people with anxiety or have anxiety yourself.



3. i bought this book.
   i recommend you not buying this.
   didn't like it's content at all.
   didn't help me in anyway.



4. Take a look at the spine--overcoming anxiety by Eliot Smith. No joke but kind of funny in a sad sort of way.



5. This is an invaluable book for these times of high anxiety! It's a practical guide to dealing with fears, worries and anxiety attacks. The authors' writing style is appealingly laid-back and friendly and their advice is sound, whether they're talking about the triggers to anxiety, remedy options, or how to know when professional help is needed. I highly recommend this book.

5 comments about Meditations for a Miraculous Life.

1. This two cd set is wonderful! I use it almost every day. There are meditations for all your every day scenarios. The key to living a happy loving life is to let go of the all the negative things we tend to hang on to in our lives. This set helps you to be able to let go of those things you do not need any more. I would highly recommend this set for any one.



2. I'm so new at meditation and this tape has literally 'saved' me it terms of returning peace to my life. I listen to the message in the morning while I'm having my coffee and the words seem to permeate my day with beautiful thoughts and images.
   
   I didn't know where to go to begin with adding meditation to my life and Marianne showed me the way.
   
   I'm also a devout Christian and I was somewhat 'uncomfortable' with Eastern techniques. Marianne's tape fit me perfectly.
   
   HIGHLY reccommend it, especially if you don't know where or how to fit meditation into your life!



3. This disc seems very basic compared to the volume of meditation options available. I really enjoy Marianne's work, but would skip this- unless you're looking for something really basic. Because it is a mediation directed toward very specific aspects of life (work, relationships, etc.), it is hard to imagine me using it routinely. In that regard, money could be better spent on music-based or other meditation disc.



4. I am really enjoying this CD. I didn't think it would arrive before I went on vacation, but it did (thanks Amazon!) & I took it with me. I've had chronic pain for almost 18 years & her meditation for pain really helped me. The morning & evening meditations are a great way to begin & end your day. The meditations are all fairly short, so anyone can take the time to listen, & it will change your attitude.



5. I thought this was going to be more of a guided meditation or visualization but actually it was a long prayer on each topic. Not so impressed.

5 comments about Overcoming Fears.

1. she is an angel on earth her books fill my shelves this cd will make you see life from a different light, it will show you the light within she makes you feel calm just listening to her voice, the affimations, truely work helps you feel better about your life,
   a book the calling of your true self also made me look at life in a new way both uplifting and inspiring helps you understand what we can change with our thoughts by sending them out



2. What ever you do don't listen to this while you drive! It will put you right to sleep. It did not speak to me at all. This was not useful. I prefered the what the bleep do we know.



3. I found this to be somewhat of a duplicate of some of her other works.



4. Thank you for sending the CD so promptly. I really appreciate the price.
   Sincerely,
   
   Lynn



5. I listen to this CD at least once a week, especially when old issues come up. It's always astounding to me how the media and even friends and family can perpetuate the Fear Factor, but like Louise would probably say, When an issue arises, it's there to be released. Thought is power and we can create a safe place in the world by changing our thoughts (which then change our actions). We can create our world. We are safe, secure and protected by love at all times. Blessed be!

5 comments about Breathing: The Master Key to Self Healing (The Self Healing Series).

1. I thought I was pretty good at breathing; after all I've made it to 60 years old quite well with what I knew ;-) but this opens up a completely different way of approaching the subject and one I have really enjoyed.
   
   I have just started on my learning journey, but I am enjoying it immensely.
   
   I do have to agree with one of the other reviewers though, once you have heard the lecture on the first CD, you really don't have to ever listen to it again.



2. This could probably have been condensed into 1 CD as it seems to go on a long time with description before getting down to the breathing exercise bit. (Although it is very soothing to listen to with all the new age music in the background!) The breathing exercises are very effective and it is certainly easier to follow along with Andrew Weil as he does the exercises than to try to figure it out from a book description.



3. Haven't opened the package yet. Seller shipped product as agreed upon and it arrived in fine condition.



4. Focusing on your breath is the easiest thing in the world and the hardest thing in the world. Weil offers a good introduction to the notion of breath and then gently leads the listener through his exercises. With practice, I have become a different person.
   
   For those of us who face stressful situations everyday, the tools on this little cd are life changing. Better than an hour of therapy....try it!



5. I paid $25 for this in a retail store, and I regret it. I was looking for a CD that would take me through guided breathing exercises, the way some CDs take you through a guided meditation. I have asthma, and I'm pregnant, and I wanted to focus on better breathing. I'm still not sure if this CD has guided breathing exercises or not, maybe it does. Everytime I listen, I fall asleep before I hear him get to any part like that. Everything I've heard sounds like I'm back in a (boring) college lecture. Even if there are breathing exercises you can do along with the CD, I wouldn't be able to skip forward to them since this CD is a one-track deal.

5 comments about Anger Releasing.

1. Thank you for this wonderful info. I hope to help many people.
   Sincerely
   Lynn



2. (4.5 stars) I have mixed feelings about this CD, because I think it's brilliant and empowering, yet there are aspects of it that scare me. That's probably something that is just part of my own personal progress, because I must say that this CD has helped me leaps and bounds in dealing with my anger issues. Working with the visualizations on this CD have made me feel more in control of my anger and that's good. I also feel more empowered, knowing that these issues are arising for a reason and that I need to let them go. But the part of the visualization process that is tricky for me is the idea of "disintegrating" the people who are upsetting me. There's just something a little too... intense about that for me. I know Louise's point is that anger can be so destructive, and as she says, "That's really not the way you want to be." I realize that this part of the process is there to help us feel all powerful over the people who are making us angry, and to destroy that ugly energy that we feel is attacking us. However, for my peace of mind, I find it best to make this section of the exercise like I'm at a carnival, shooting tin "bad guy" versions of these people that have hurt me. It seems to help.
   
   And then there is the all important forgiveness section which is really empowering and enlightening. Louise guides the visualization to see the inner pain of that other person, to see where they're coming from, and while that might not seem like something you'd like to take into consideration since you're angry with this person, because you've been able to vent your anger with this person in the first part of the exercise, this last "forgiveness cycle" really seems to affirm your safety, strength, empowerment, and it opens the mind.
   
   I'm still working with this CD and it truly has been a life-saver in many situations. Getting the anger out in ways that are safe for ourselves and others is truly a helpful experience.
   
   Good luck with your journey!



3. I did not fully know how the anger I carried was affecting me until I listened to this CD and did the exercise. It was very enlightening.



4. I found this meditation to be really helpful. I also like the Releasing Resentment meditation from Epic Meditations. It walks you through letting go of old anger and resentment. I don't see it on Amazon, but you can download it at iTunes. The website is www.epicmeditations.com.



5. Another great self-help tool from Louise Hay. I've used this CD once so far and have received healing from anger already. I recommend this for almost anyone.

5 comments about How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.

1. I highly recommend this book. I read it many years ago for the first time and it helped me a lot. Now I am reading it again!



2. Even if you think that you have made progress in overcoming worry as your life has progressed, this book will still help clear out some of the remaining pockets of worry in your life.
   
   My grandfather used this book in a Dale Carnegie course he took in the Fifties, and he gave it to me about 20 years ago. I read it at the time, and then looked at it only rarely after that.
   
   However, this is not a book that should be read once and then put on the shelf and forgotten. If you spend a few minutes daily reviewing concepts in the book, over time you will begin to apply the principles in the book at the outset of worry situations, and combat worry situations much more quickly and effectively than you did before. After a while, it almost seems as though you are learning how to play a type of chess against your worries...and winning more frequently.
   
   The book was written in the 1940s, but its examples and stories remain as relevant today as they were when the book was new.



3. In order to turn your life around and enjoy it you must stop stressing out. My parents had this book years ago in their book collection. I believe I read it years ago. With stress being the culprit that makes most of us unhappy these days I decided to get a copy of this book again. It's an excellent book on how to stop worrying and start enjoying your life again. The advise still stands today. It's a great book.
   It arrived in the time promised and was in fine condition.



4. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living focuses on the importance of ones attitude. It is as applicable today as when it was written. A good attitude is crucial in helping a person improve his or her life and relationships with others. Although we all know these principles, this book is a great reminder that by appreciating life we enjoy life.
   
   The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking



5. I'm not sure what influenced me to buy this book but I sure am glad I did. The author, Dale Carnegie, has been dead for over 50 years but the principles in this book are timeless.
   
   You dont have to sit and read the book from cover to cover either. To be blatently honest, its a great bathroom reader. Each chapter is independent enough so that you do not have to really read them in any order. Or if someone just happened to pick it up, they could read the first chapter and walk away with something and not have to read the rest.
   
   The principles that he covers in this book are ones that we knew were right in our minds already. The problem is, we dont incorporate them into our lives even though we know better. What this book really does is enables you to trust yourself on what you already know. I know this sounds odd, but no matter how well you know yourself and trust your own judgement, the things said in the book will still help you. Plus there are plenty of examples of how people have incorporated the doctrines into their lives and it made all the difference in the world to them.
   
   Final Note: The way things have been going for myself and pretty much every one that I know in life, times have gotten fairly tough. Everybody hates their job or doesnt have enough money to make ends meet. Its really easy to find yourself in a gloomy state of being. Anyone that comes to me and says their having problems dealing with this or that, i recommend they pick this book up. So far nobody has complained that it didnt help them.

5 comments about Radical Self-acceptance.

1. This book is brilliantly written by a therapist with great depth and kindness. As a Buddhist for over 20 years I applaud her presentation of Buddhist beliefs and as a person training to be a psychotherapist, she has given me lofty goals. My meditation practice will be far stronger.
   
   Thank you Tara for sharing so much of your heart....wonderful job.
   
   Danny O'Neill



2. Tara's gentle, soothing voice makes this a great CD to own. The companion book, Radical Acceptance, teaches the wisdom of understanding the self and appreciating the present.



3. Lot of people suffer from self hatred inspite of so much material progress..The refreshing and stimulating approach of Tara sees the fundamental problem of suffering. It offers great approach to NOT rate the Self and 'accept things the way they are' without judgement. Then we are better equiped to not hate ourselves. Self-improvement is myth although behaviour can be altered with acceptance.
   Contemporary approach worth listening to for problem of self-hatred by Buddhist Psychologist.



4. A very good personal develpment aid. Integrates a psychodynamic, buddhist and humanistic approach. As a psychiatric nurse I work hard to provide groups for people who are looking for ways forward and feel desolate and lost. This CD helps me live and helps me help others too.



5. Radical Self-Acceptance is a lovely guide to healing and bringing understanding and acceptance to all areas of life, from a buddist perspective. Not only will it bring healing to those listening to it, but to all beings. For when one person's energy shifts, it has the ripple effect on all those that are connected. We are all one. Peace and enjoy this gentle healing journey.