Product Description

Within the ancient teachings of Tibetan Buddhism lies a meditation tradition for facing - and dissolving - our greatest fears and attachments in life. Now one of contemporary Buddhism's most experienced and respected teachers, Tsultrim Allione, adapts this practice to the challenges unique to our time, on Cutting through Fear. Based on the traditional Tibetan practice of Chud (literally "to cut"), this method was developed by a legendary Tibetan yogini, Machig Lapdron, almost 1,000 years ago and is practiced within all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. To this day, Chud is still used in Tibet to treat mental and physical illness and as a path to awareness. On Cutting through Fear, Tsultrim Allione shares the fascinating history of this practice, and interprets it especially for Western students of meditation and psychology. Drawing from root visualization practices, Tsultrim Allione shares a four-step process that can help you meet and release what the ancient Tibetans called "demons" - the fears, obsessions, illnesses, and hopes that can be faced and dissolved with this powerful meditation technique. We all encounter the demons of addiction, compulsion, anger, and other difficult emotions, too often as a daily event. Now we have a rare and useful tool to stop struggling against them, and instead liberate them, with Cutting through Fear.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #217181 in Books
• Published on: 2005-10
• Format: Unabridged
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 3
• Binding: Audio CD

From AudioFile
A Tibetan Buddhist nun, the author explains the history and practice of Chöd, the method used by Tibetan Buddhists to embrace and dissolve fears, worries, and troublesome needs. Though the approach shares some features with Western psychotherapy, it relies more on awareness than effort to work these problems out. Face your conflicts, and they will become integrated into the whole of your being, sometimes appearing again, but in a healthy knowing context, rather than being surprising or overwhelming. The meditations offered may take practice; some of the graphic symbolism will take some adaptation. But overall these ideas are similar enough to Western notions of conflict resolution and healing catharsis to make sense to Westerners. A deeply sensible approach to fears that Buddhists and non-Buddhists will understand. T.W. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About the Author
Tsultrim Allione is an author, teacher, and founder of the Tara Mandala retreat center. Ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist nun in 1970, Tsultrim studied with H.H. the Dalai Lama, Kalu Rinpoche, Apho Rinpoche, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and other great lamas. She received her master's degree in Buddhism / Women's Studies from Antioch, and has taught at Harvard, Rutgers, Columbia, Smith, the Omega Institute, Naropa University, and Esalen.Tsultrim Allione is the author of the bestseller Women of Wisdom.

Customer Reviews

Very Good intro to Chod for Westerners
I heard the audio tape version. It reminded me of Allione's "Feeding the Demons: Relaxing Dualism" tape set that I'd listened to ages ago. I think they are different; I cannot find the old title listed anymore though. The author is best known for her classic text, "Women of Wisdom." She was one of the very first (if not the 1st) Western Tibetan Buddhist nun(s) & has done much to forward their cause ever since. She has also contributed essays for some of Karma Lekshe Tsomo's (or others') anthologies addressing women Buddhists.

This set (about 3 hours in length) primarily addresses Chod traditionally ascribed to Machig Labdron. I'd recommend Jerome Edou's wonderful book on Machig & the Chod of Mahamudra. Chod can be a very elaborate magical ceremony (as described in Sarah Harding's book on Machik) or, as Allione describes it, as a simple but powerful psychological act. Indeed, it strongly resembles (at least in part) Jung's technique of Active Imagination, modern Neuro-Linguistic Programming, & Voice Dialog. But, this is not unusual--there are a great many modern books comparing Tibetan Buddhism & Western Psychology. Indeed, Allione describes Chod as a type of alchemy. Both Jung & Vajrayana emphasize transformation. In Chod one offers up one's most precious possession (one's body) to the demons/gods (i.e. inner complexes, split off parts of one's psyche, etc.). Allione, however, points out the value of ascertaining beforehand what one's inner demons want/need. I think this is highly advantageous. Also, her simplification of a complicated procedure IMHO makes Chod accessible to modern Western practitioners.

In addition, Allione relates Chod to Mahamudra & Dzogchen as well as to Powa & the Bardos (see Sogyal Rinpoche's incredible "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying" or Tsele Natsok Randrol's classic "Mirror of Mindfulness"). She also provides a fine interpretation of the dedication procedure--for connectedness to the earth & everything else. This is a fine, though basic, presentation of some very complicated material. It's only drawback is in Allione's rather monotone delivery (not up to Pema Chodron standards) and a few faults on the recording. It sounds extemporaneous--maybe from an outline, but perhaps not before a live audience. I'd recommend it as a good introduction to Chod. Then read Edou.

Well Done Indeed
The producer of this tape, the company Sounds True, is known for the high quality of its products, and this two-cassette lecture is no exception.

The lecturer, Tsultrim Allione, is one of the leaders of the modern movement to find a feminine face in Buddhism. As a former Tibetan Buddhist nun, she has a great deal of knowledge of Tibetan practices, and this tape is a somewhat simplified adaptation of an ancient practice designed to help the listener deal with difficult situations and emotions. In even more simplified terms, the listener is invited to visualise his or her demons and then feed them to satisfaction. If this appeals to you, this tape will tell you exactly how to do it, and why, in the Buddhist realm, you would want to do so.

Allione's presentation is apparently delivered live, or at least extemporaneously, because she does not appear to be reading from notes, and there are two minor sound difficulties early in the tape where she appears to have turned her head away from the microphone. Allione does not have a particularly appealing speaking voice, enunciating with an odd sort of muffled heaviness most of the time, but the content of her presentation is such that any annoyance at her speaking mannerisms drops away quickly. This tape is both clear and content-rich and I listened to it eagerly several times over the space of a single week.

Well worth a listen.