By Rich M
Date Added: Sunday 11 January 2009
I've wondered why no one has reviewed these CD's yet. I think that Reggie and his students (of which I am not formally one) have a lot of integrity and are holding off from publicly praising their own work/teacher. So...allow me. I cherish these CD's. Part of me is tempted to call this work a "Fourth Turning of the Wheel," but I know that is really just looking at the first three "turnings (especially the third)" through different lenses in order to allow for the full embodiment of the wisdom already buried in these teachings. This bridging of buddhist philosophy and sensitivity to the somatic-experiential has been--for me, anyway--the perfect medicine. Of course I cannot say how it would resonate with anyone else.
First I have listened to the 20 CD's (10 in volume #1 and 10 in Volume #2) sequentially, over the course of three weeks, in the evening after work as kind of a home retreat. Each one has a dharma talk and then a guided exercise. I enjoyed doing this just to get the lay of the land. Now I am going back and working with them more slowly and deeply. Certain exercises have jumped out as being particularly fruitful for me.
I have worked with a lot of body/mind techniques and philosophies...straight Zen and Vipassana meditation, Taoist meditation and chi kung, shamanic journeying, etc.--and have benefitted greatly from all of them. But, Reggie seems to really get where a lot of westerners are now--that is, very good at thinking about their bodies, but not very good at feeling them. I'm coming to realize how much that describes me as well, and am having pretty profound results using the techniques he offers. His book, Touching Enlightenment, has also become a source of many insights and inspirations for me.
To sum up, I would say that I think Reggie has described a kind of "blind spot" in the spiritual lives of many contemporary practitioners--mainly about the body being a neglected yet essential starting point for the cultivation of awareness of any kind. Buddhist tradition is by no means mum about this blind spot, it's just that many people have not looked at it with the lenses that would allow them to truly mine the riches that are available there. Reggie goes straight to this place, and I can only say that it resonates with me and that I have benefitted from it greatly. I am deeply grateful and obviously would recommend it highly to others.
By Shawn Kirby
Date Added: Thursday 12 November 2009
This course is an excellent companion to Reggie's new book and to his approach to meditating with the body. The title might lead one to believe that this is a course on Tibetan pranayama, but this is actually a profound meditation system.
The practices contained herein my seem simple but they are, nonetheless POWERFUL. I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in spiritual growth, healing past trauam (karma), and becoming an authentic human being regardless of your spiritual orientation or path. I give it the highest possible rating. Well done.
