Book Reviews
Buddha Mind, Buddha Body: Walking Towards Enlightenment
Thich Nhat Hanh
Parallax Press, 2007
Buddha Mind, Buddha Body opens with a short but powerful story: a thousand-petaled lotus grows from the earth, supporting a student on one leaf and his teacher on another. Each petal then transforms into a new lotus, complete with its own thousand petals. The point, explains author Thich Nhat Hanh (often known as Thay), is “the one contains the all.” Buddha Mind is much like a thousand-petaled lotus. Though slim, the volume teems with metaphors and parables, interweaving stories from the lives of both Buddha and Thay with insights gleaned from sources as diverse as Heraclitus, David Hume, Zen Buddhism and the pictorial symbolism embedded in the Chinese alphabet. Each insight, though self-contained, has infinite creative potential.
Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk and prolific author, explores the mechanisms of the mind in the realms of reality, free will and happiness. Free will is self-generated and cyclical; we must attend to the kinds of seeds we put in our “store consciousnesses” (the third layer of consciousness, as taught by the Buddha, where information is taken in, preserved, and processed) if we want them to germinate and produce conditions that facilitate mindfulness. Mindfulness, in turn, is the best kind of attention to give our seeds.
Philosophical metaphors, from the seeds Thay describes to Henri Bergson’s equation of the mind with a cinematographic mechanism, are balanced with down-to-earth strategies for making happiness habitual. In particular, Thay recommends reconnecting the mind with the body through walking—a practice with potential to heal the earth, the self and humanity. When the mind is unruly, the feet can bring intention; one purposeful step after another gradually builds an extended moment of awareness, and the mind naturally follows.
Beginning with as few as seven steps, Thay guides practitioners into a fully-developed walking meditation practice. Collectives are built one individual at a time; this is where strategy and metaphor merge. As he explains, “the truth [is] that the one contains the all. The smallest atom can contain the whole cosmos.”
by Rebecca Joly
Krishna Das
Flow of Grace Chanting the Hanuman Chalisa
Sounds True, 2007
For those of you waiting for Krishna Das to release his next CD, for those of you anxious to read a book by Krishna Das and for those of you hoping for both a book with some music, rest easy. Here it is in Flow of Grace, a book about the Hanuman Chalisa, with two accompanying CDs.
The Chalisa is an epic hymn of 40 Hindi verses, praising the life, character and exploits of Hanuman. Hanuman is the monkey deity, an incarnation of Shiva, who embodies our ultimate potential, devotion and service.
The Chalisa is one of the most beautiful chants I’ve ever heard. It was made famous to bhakti students by Krishna Das along with his devotional brothers Bhagavan Das and Jai Uttal from the Neem Karoli Baba camp (don’t get mad if you’re out there saying “and me too” – we know you’re all out there helping Hanuman remember himself).
Many versions of the chant have been released by many devotees. Here, KD recorded his definitive slant on the sacred Chalisa, and wrote about why we chant the Chalisa, how he learned it, what it meant to his guru, the poem’s translation and how the words should be pronounced.
Flow of Grace has a whimsical voice with childish intrigue into the myth and breath of illusion and its applications to real life. There is no doubt that KD is an authority on the chant, and his intention in writing this book is educational and gives us a chance to be happy. How can a chant make a person happy? Don’t think about it, just listen to the words on the discs and read the transcripts from KD’s heart.
I love that Krishna Das has taken the time to keep me from butchering the Chalisa pronunciations every time I have tried to awkwardly follow lyric sheets. I’m not afraid to admit that I have sung (or should I say mumbled) the vibrations of the Chalisa thousands of times and never got it right. KD gives me a fighting chance. For anyone who has ever wanted to correctly chant the Chalisa and to master its meaning without having to crawl into a cave in India, buy this book and enjoy the journey.
by Michael R. Mollura
Yoga Beyond Belief
Ganga White
North Atlantic Books, 2007
Yoga Beyond Belief, the title of Ganga White’s book released earlier this year, could be a play on words. Its author is a noted iconoclast who believes in questioning tradition and authority, is also co-director of the White Lotus Foundation near Santa Barbara, California, and a pioneering yogi who studied with luminaries and opened some of the first large yoga studios in Los Angeles. In Yoga, White encourages questioning.
Beyond all belief and expectation, yoga can be a powerful force for awakening, and a practice we can incorporate into our everyday lives. It can also take us to realms beyond our ordinary beliefs, even giving us the potential, as White suggests, to “have true inner visionary experiences.”
While White poetically describes the internal alchemy, or transformative processes of hatha yoga, where I feel the book excels is in his reminders to bring practice to everyday life. These reminders come from anecdotal experience drawn from decades of his own practice along with those of his students and friends. White reminds the reader that we can practice asana in the backseat of a car, take our yoga practice into the halls of a museum and feel the cycles of nature in our meditation. In discussing discipline, White espouses the importance of regularity as well as the benefits of down times which can often allow for more strength and flexibility.
In his discussion of competition and comparison, White provides insight. “We constantly compare ourselves,” he says, and suggests that this should contribute to learning, instruction and inspiration, not to winning or defeat.
White also reminds us that not only should we bring our practice to everyday life; our entire life is our practice. In the section titled “Meditation is Your Life,” White states that “We cannot see all of ourselves without a mirror, a reflection….Relationship and daily life offer that reflection.” We bring practice into relationship and relationship into practice.
by Felicia M. Tomasko
Yoga and Multiple Sclerosis
A Journey to Health and Healing
Loren M. Fishman, MD and Eric L. Small
Demos Medical Publishing, 2007
Having taught yoga to people who live with multiple sclerosis (MS), I have come to appreciate the ever-changing variables involved in bringing yoga to this population. I often rely on adapted Iyengar yoga techniques with significant contributions from Los Angeles-based yoga teacher Eric Small, who incorporates insights from his own journey with the neurological condition.
Small is a hale and hopeful example for people who live with various health challenges and a formative force in the adaptive yoga scene. He began yoga soon after being diagnosed with MS at the age of 22, and has been teaching since the 1960s.
Small partnered with Dr. Loren Fishman to distill his decades of experience into Yoga and Multiple Sclerosis—an invaluable book that will serve the MS population, and equally as important, the people who work with them on their path to improved health.
The book is comprised of an introduction to yoga followed by a treasure trove of poses laid out in a series-specific guide for practitioners and their caregivers/teachers. Practices include yoga in a wheelchair, seated poses and relaxation and breathing techniques.
One highlight is the section outlining the authors’ approach to working with people with functional impairments, utilizing what they describe as function-directed yoga. In this section, a spectrum of poses is given: classic or standard poses geared towards those with mild MS and/or good balance; entry-level for those at the opposite end of the spectrum and/or beginners; and intermediate, transitioning students between the other two.
While some poses can be dauntingly technical, with complicated arrangements of straps, blocks and bolsters, over time students and teachers can become fluent with the arrangements.
Yoga and Multiple Sclerosis is a timely read, as therapeutic yoga makes greater inroads into mainstream consciousness. This is a useful refresher for those immersed in the field and an introduction and addition to hands-on training for those interested in the realm of therapeutic yoga.
by Amy Wong
CD Reviews
akhand
akhand
Kosmic Music
An unorthodox collection of Vedic chants, akhand is a compilation of compositions that explore the mantra (prayer or verse) “one reality, many forms,” with a tremendous amount of shakti (spiritual energy) going on. I was literally transported into the arms of my teachers while listening to this beautifully produced, performed and composed album. What an unexpected result.
There are 16 bhajans (devotional chants) on akhand and each has an alchemy that flows naturally into the other. I nearly didn’t realize that one had ended while another began, something like being in the presence of Ammachi late at night when you’re just so blissed-out you don’t realize one bhajan has transitioned to next. I don’t mean this as a criticism, in fact, quite the opposite. The flow is so important on bhajan albums and part of the genius in the production of akhand is not only the choice of chants, but the sequence in which they are placed on the record. The bhajans are not call-and-response, but traditional South Indian compositions led by an ensemble of able musicians playing everything from tabla, sitar, flute, to violins, guitars and keyboards.
Featuring the revelatory lead chanting by Krishnaraj ji and arrangements by Sathyaprasad G., ahkand never loses its energy and only climbs with spiritual attunements that keep the vibrations blissful and, most importantly, egoless. One of the most inspiring elements of an album like this is that the musicianship is amazing and yet, it is played with modesty and heart. The results feel as if it is not their intention to call attention to their playing, but to their devotion. Bombay S. Jayashir’s soul-stirring rendering of the bhajan is a total blessing. There isn’t a sung note on this entire album that didn’t move me on some level. This is certainly a release worth checking out by anyone who loves bhajan, is practicing a path, or is a fan of South Indian music in general.
by Michael R. Mollura
Suphala
Blueprint
Suphala Productions
Edie Brickell, Vernon Reid, Rakesh Chaurasia, Harper Simon, King Britt, Furor Thin, Mazz Swift, and Vikter Duplaix are just a few of the artists featured on Blueprint, a unique blend of harmonium, tabla, violin, flute, samples, sequences, electronica and fragmented vocals. The first track, “Maybe There’s A Place…” incorporates almost all of these instruments at once, which can sometimes be a bit overwhelming on the senses.
With moments of genius, mixed with chaotic production accompaniment, one never knows where these compositions are going to take us. The alchemy of this release is groove-heavy and artistic. The mosaic of sounds is unpredictable, trippy and interesting. The tabla playing on “The Blank Page” is amazing, and the electric guitar tracks by Simon sound like Hendrix-influenced leads. It’s not an album to meditate to, but it would seem that the compositions here would go best in a chill-out lounge late at night. The tunes are not necessarily ego-based, but they are definitely well-thought out and cerebral.
I like this album a lot and I have tremendous respect for the way the tracks were performed and laced together. The level of creativity at work on every beat is special. Check Suphala out, if you’re into world-groove chill music to lounge out to and if you’re a really creative yoga instructor who likes to mix things up a bit, Blueprint can make it happen.
by Michael R. Mollura
Various Artists
Eden
Six Degrees
From Six Degrees Records, Eden is a new compilation of sacred sounding world-groove tunes with elements of mystery, benevolence and intrigue laced into every beautiful note. Leading with Azam Ali’s familiar echoing chant calls under Niyaz-accompanied patches, the album generates a hypnotic energy that is sustained for most of the chosen tracks.
The second piece follows the energy perfectly, featuring the distinctive sitar performance of Anoushka Shankar playing along with a groovy rhythm track and the echoing sounds of sweet flute harmonies. With Cheb I Sabbah offering another track (“Toura Toura”), the listener gets the feeling that this is one special compilation that is a must-have for anyone into the world groove scene. But the big surprise comes with Shrifts’ mix of a Real Tuesday Weld number, “Wee Small Hours.” Weld happens to be one of my favorite cut-and-paste artists and here he is treated with a lot of respect with fantastic repetitions and beats.
From one track to the next, the alchemy of Eden never fluctuates too much from the cool, chilling groove of excellent production, to the refined performances by some of the best world musicians of our time. I recommend this CD for all types of environments. It can certainly be used for massage, yoga classes and even better, for just chilling out at the end of an evening.
by Michael R. Mollura
John Osborne
present moment
Art of Living Foundation
John Osborne is a veteran singer from the Art of Living Foundation path and sings from his heart with devotion for his teacher Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. This collection of 11 tracks is beautifully produced by Andrew Behla with good sound quality and impressive harmonies to accompany Osborne’s pleasant delivery. With every note, the love and heart of this proud yogi shine through admirably with little distraction.
The songs are primarily melodies sung in English, with the one exception being “Ananda,” rather than call-and-response Sanskrit-based chants. Being that I tend to personally enjoy Osborne’s Sanskrit chants, I was a little disappointed he didn’t record more of the call-and-response tracks I’ve heard him sing – but perhaps that’s another project.
For this present moment, Osborne has chosen to sing in a more traditional format and the lyrics are all intended to generate a sense of peace, love and hope. Osborne shows his talent for songwriting and, though devotional, some numbers almost fall into an inspirational smooth jazz category. Many of these songs almost feel Christian-influenced and could easily be performed for church purposes or at Agape International Spiritual Center in Los Angeles. Osborne’s production is professionally done and with help from Michele Krolik on harmonium and backing vocals, present moment presents an abundance of light and serenity.
by Michael R. Mollura
eccodek
Voices Have Eyes
White Swan Records
Musician and composer Andrew McPherson leads this lively gathering of musicians through a series of 14 ambient mixes. eccodek is an electronica/world-dub blend that succeeds in creating an enchanting vibe. The music is professionally recorded and primarily instrumental with some vocalized chants which are cut-and-pasted into the blanket of rhythmic grooves.
Voices Have Eyes is the kind of album that falls in an ambiguous category. While ambient, it is also upbeat and busy, too much so for meditation or healing environments. It might work in a lounge that features a world beat atmosphere, but even at that it gets distracting. There are some nice patchwork production gems here and it is apparent from the beginning that McPherson has learned from listening to the masters like Cheb I Sabbah. The album might be more distinctive if it featured more organic musicianship and as it stands the attitude doesn’t stick to the root of the heart the way it should. I recommend it to fans of the electronica genre, though.
by Michael R. Mollura
DVD Reviews
Chakra Theory and Meditation
Paul Grilley
Pranamaya, 2007
At some point, we may feel stuck in the wheel of samsara, the cycle of suffering, reliving our samskaras, defined by Paul Grilley as “habits of action, of want and longing that manifest in certain ways.”
There is a way out. In the lectures and practices on his new DVD Chakra Theory and Meditation, Grilley convinced me that one method of escaping the aforementioned fate involves awakening the chakras through meditation. The practices Grilley teaches illuminate what needs to be examined in our lives in order to transcend the physical body and create a conscious, unending and blissful experience.
This is a heady subject, indeed. Chakra Theory contains four hours of theoretical lectures describing the seven primary chakra centers, which are the spiritual wheels of energy located in the subtle body in the areas of the brain and spine. These control the flow of chi or prana, our life-force. Grilley explains what each chakra governs and how to access them energetically. Fortunately, his lucid and accessible explanations are captivating throughout.
Viewers eager to incorporate theory into practice will enjoy the series of nine-minute guided meditations: manageable alone or as a grounding entry into a longer meditation session. More intricate practices involve integrating the bandha (energetic locks). Special features offer recommendations for further study.
Chakra Theory is an info-packed weekend workshop in a box viewers can visit again and again. The set also includes meditations in mp3 format, perfect for downloading to experience chakra awakening anywhere.
by Amy Wong
Film Reviews
The 11th Hour
Are we in our 11th hour? This is a question, and a good one, posed in the film of this name coproduced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio and directed by sisters Leila Conners Petersen. The feature film is part nature documentary with cool visuals, and part interviews with talking heads giving their views on what has gotten us into this mess in the first place. These aren’t ordinary interviews; more than 50 public figures from a range of fields including Mikhail Gorbachev, physicist Stephen Hawking, environmentalist and entrepreneur Paul Hawken, former CIA Director R. James Woolsey and visionary Bioneers co-founder Ken Ausubel lend their voice to the story. What got us in this mess? Lack of vision, corporate greed, ignorance, even the very unconscious structure of our industrial society. It may be easy to fall into despair, but 11th Hour doesn’t allow the audience to succumb that easily. Take action, the film urges. What will save us is a collective shift in consciousness, in how we use energy. It may be trite and overstated, but the Earth will survive in one form or another; we need to save ourselves. Take action. When you get home from the film, log onto www.11thhouraction.com.
