Tibetan Sound Healing
by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, the founder of the Ligmincha Institute in Virginia, is a teacher of the Bön Buddhism
tradition and the author of five books. In his latest, Tibetan Sound Healing, he offers Western seekers
access to the secrets he learned as a student in Tibet. But the word "secrets" may tinge what he presents as some
sort of mystical, supernatural, or arrogant training that can help us solve all of our problems, such as "the
secrets of weight loss" or "the secrets of happiness," as if by merely discovering these methods, we can somehow
grasp THE ANSWER. That would diminish what Rinpoche is presenting.
In reality, he does offer us valuable and practical insights into how we can help ourselves. Like any truth,
his wisdom is succinct. In 91 pages, he lays out a method for us to begin to understand our outer behaviors and
perceptions, our inner experiences, and our secret motivations. Through what he calls the Five Warrior Syllables,
a tone for each of five chakras or energy centers in the body, he leads us to the Four Immeasurables (love,
compassion, joy, and equanimity). After an introduction that explains the background of this method, he devotes
a chapter to each warrior syllable. Accompanying the book is a CD Rinpoche has prepared to help us make the
correct sounds that correspond to each chakra.
His explanations are easy to understand, though you may wish to reread them over and over for deeper meaning.
Rinpoche, however, would rather his students spend more time working on singing the warrior syllables and less
time discussing the ideas. He feels that practice will lead us more quickly to our own enlightenment than years of
discussion. I found that concept refreshing, because we Westerners usually do spend too much time intellectualizing
our spiritual practice instead of doing it. Rinpoche teaches that once we discover our secret motivations, we will
understand our inner perceptions, and then we can begin to share the Four Immeasurables with others.
Rinpoche recommends the reader take each warrior syllable at a time in the beginning. Read the first chapter,
ponder it, and see how it applies to your life, then listen to the track on the CD that corresponds to the warrior
syllable. Each track has a meditation on a single warrior syllable. The final track is a complete meditation on all
five warrior syllables. He also includes tsa lung exercises to open up our breathing and suggests these be done
before singing the syllables each time.
What I found most helpful is Rinpoche’s suggestion to begin where we are. If we are in pain, feel frustrated,
have treated someone badly, or have just lost our joy, start there. Then consider what antidote (love for hate,
compassion or self-centeredness, etc.) would correct that feeling or behavior. Use this antidote to focus
meditation on the warrior syllables and their corresponding chakras. Then, don’t leave the enlightenment you have
learned on the floor where you sat. Move into the world and manifest the antidote you found.
Tibetan Sound Healing is an excellent tool to begin to work through the blocks in our spiritual lives
and in our connection with others. Highly recommended. |
The Book |
Sounds True |
January 2007 |
Hardcover with CD |
ISBN10: 1591794277
ISBN13: 978-1591794271 |
Self-help - Inspiration, spiritual |
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Excerpt |
NOTE: |
The Reviewer |
Janie Franz |
Reviewed 2007 |
NOTE: Reviewer Janie
Franz is the author of Freelance Writing: It’s a Business, Stupid!, Relaxation
Techniques for Children, Relaxation Techniques for Adults; Co-author of The
Ultimate Wedding Reception Book and The Ultimate Wedding Ceremony Book. Coming
Soon: The Ultimate Wedding Workbook, Get Rich on Love, and Sacred Breath
(a sound recording of relaxation meditations). |
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