Healing with Form, Energy, and Light: The Five Elements in Tibetan Shamanism, Tantra, and Dzogchen

"If you have a shamanistic bent this book is jam packed with the kind of useful information that usually requires an apprenticeship to acquire. It is one of the three most practical books I've encountered. If you play around with the practices and hints in this book you will experience amazing wonders in a very short time. Through two practices in particular you might even recognize the basis of your mind or be visited by deities. Don't think for one more minute, just buy the book and do the practices for the ride of your life."
~ Written on 2008-02-26

"Forgive me if I respond first to the review below that said "watch out! This isn't Buddhism!" What that person doesn't know is Tenzin Rinpoche's books are usually prefaced by the Dalai Lama--that's how accepted this is as a legitimate spiritual pathway. This isn't like western religions where diversity means you have to burn somebody at the stake. Everybody is openly accepted for what of value they can offer and Bon has a very alive dzogchen transmission that is second to none. Sorry for this digression.

Anyway, what I liked about his book--other than the fact that Tenzin Wangyal is tops in the Tibetan community in his ability to communicate clearly with westerners (you'll be amazed)is the fact that this book is kind of a lesson in how Tibetans think--which is not required certainly, but if you are studying Tibetan spirituality and are really serious it's something you will find helpful.

LIke his book on Dream Yoga it is extremely readable and is something you can digest with no forehead massaging. I have met Tenzin Wangyal and he is a really good person and nice guy and I always remember in the sleepy period after lunch him chuckling looking out at the sleepy group and saying, "It's earth-element time."

This is a painless way to fill in a gap in your attempts to understand the culture and spirituality of Tibet. "
~ Written on 2007-05-05

"If you have a basic understanding of other five element practices, this book is a great resource to round out understanding from the Tibetan Bon teaching. It also covers what in TCM are the Jing, Qi and Shen levels of the Bon approach. Very clearly and openly. I thoroughly enjoyed the author's writing style and felt the generousity of spirit in his writing. But remember that information does not make a practice, only a practice makes a practice. "
~ Written on 2007-03-10

"As the teachings of Buddhism cross the pacific ocean, it is very difficult to know what is true and what is false. this is false teachings. We here in the United States think that we live in a world that there are many choices and that we can pick and choose.
Our deluded thinking that we have the ability to choose what is best is absolutely wrong.

this book steals from Vajrayana Buddhism but is aligned with Bonpo. All buddhist and those that are trying to learn about Vajrayana Buddhism, just do not buy. Look to the sacred text of true Vajrayana teachers such as Padmasambava, Patrul Rinpoche, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Dudjom Rinpoche, Thinley Norbu.

In Tibet, only those that are regarded a true teachers have the right to teach and be a guide. Beware of those that come with nice sounding words but have not wisdom.

You want to follow Bonpo, then buy this book as well as those from Namkai Norbu. But for the rest, those that seek full awakening through the path of Vajrayana buddhism, this book will only lead you astray."
~ Written on 2006-11-23

"The title is not a put-down of books like "Rainbow of Liberated Energy" or "The Five Wisdom Energies". They do particular justice to the subject of the five 'elements'. The point that I want to make is that I liked this one best, not just because of the friendly and precise writing style, but because this one goes to the roots of the system - the primordial basis of Tibetan metaphysics.

Rimpoche, rather that relying on abstraction and theoretical discourse, covers the subject in a way that is so jam-packed with teaching I had to stop every few pages to make sure I hadn't read a hundred. For me, that is real praise, because I tend to skim for the interesting points and ignore repitition and redundancy etc. I couldn't find anything to ignore in this book.

This is not a treatment of the jungwa as a topic - it is a workbook; a training manual on approaching meditation/tantra/shamanic practice from the standpoint of balancing and harmonizing the workings of the five elements in the physical body. It's a field guide to working with the Panchamahabhutas, or five great states, in a simple and practical way. I would recommend it to anyone interested in Tibetan mystical practices, Yoga, Asian spirituality, Tantra, or Alchemy - it's a good way to get started on a path that will take you where you want to go."
~ Written on 2006-06-07