Kindness Mind

"So - in respect of dharma - please never tell anyone that they are doing it wrong. Please never tell anyone that they should not do what they are doing. Please never tell anyone that they cannot do this before they have done that; or that they should not make offerings in such a way; or that they are not ready for whatever. This is not a helpful or kind way to behave. You will see this behavior in many Buddhist centers - just don't emulate it. Observe the harm and friction it causes and maybe if the circumstances are right - help to pick up the pieces . . . if you can. People can be fragile. Fledgling practitioners can easily become discouraged by facist behavior. I've seen new people who never return to a center after this kind of treatment - and to be responsible for turning someone away from practice is grave to say the least."

— Ngakpa Chögyam, Rays of the Sun

Quoted on Facebook : 
http://www.facebook.com/notes/sergio-dubois/kindness-mind/10150245262961359

Rays of the Sun is available from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and Lulu

Tanzin Rinpoche review

"In Relaxing into Meditation, Ngakma Nor’dzin, an English-born Buddhist lama with many years’ experience teaching meditation in community education, takes her readers on a journey, a journey of self-discovery through greater openness and awareness."

http://ngakma-nordzin.blogspot.com/2011/01/tanzin-rinpoche-review.html

http://bit.ly/nrprim

Book Launch Event - an odd boy - Doc Togden

Aro Books worldwide are very happy to announce the launch of an odd boy on 24th July at pm BST (which is midday in East Coast USA and 9am West Coast).

Please join the author for the Facebook event at http://on.fb.me/docaobv01evt


Volume one of an odd boy is a memoire of an eccentric aficionado of Bach and Blues, poetry and painting. A portrait of the artist as a lad, set in the experimental cultural ferment of the late 1960s. It is a coming-of-age adventure, both surreal and innocent, humorous and poignant, depicting an era when the Arts set a generation’s imagination on fire. The author’s life is a rare roulette wheel of childhood wonder and tragic debacles; a debilitating stammer and a powerful singing voice; bad luck and fierce good fortune. At 16 he’s travelled far in human experience from the midnight expedition he made to the crossroads at the age of 12. 

Read more about the book here http://bit.ly/docaobv01

Read excerpts at anoddboy.com

Via: http://aro-books-worldwide.blogspot.com/2011/07/book-launch-event-odd-boy-doc-togden.html 

C. J. Tozer on 'an odd boy'

"On his search for the essence and understanding of a musical form that his birth roots and tribal memories had no perception of he leads you by the curiosity of those first eerie haunting sounds that arrived via the gramophone of an elderly neighbour to the unsuspecting and absorbing ear drums of a young disciple , sounds that would drive him ever onward into adulthood on a quest for that elusive mystery that is 'Blues' "


http://www.aro-books-worldwide.org/shared/text/b/book_pb_05_an_odd_boy_v01_12_review_tozer_eng.php

you can't accidentally drink reindeer urine

The odd boy lay down by the football field – took out a slim volume of Mallarmé, / The centre-forward called him an imbecile – it’s an odd boy who doesn’t like sport. / Sport, Sport, masculine sport – equips a young man for society, Yes, sport turns out a jolly good sort – it’s an odd boy who doesn’t like sport.
Vivian Stanshall—Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band—Sport (the odd boy)—Keynsham—1969

http://aro-books-worldwide.blogspot.com/2011/07/odd-boy-you-cant-accidentally-drink.html

Spacious Passion by Ngakma Nor'dzin via iTunes

"A Buddhist book exploring the sutric teaching of 'The Four Thoughts that turn the Mind to Practice' as vividly relevant to our everyday lives: the extraordinarily precious opportunity to live as an honourable human being; the experience of impermanence that pervades our existence as an opportunity to awaken; the emotional and psychological patterning which dominates our lives (karma); and the seemingly endless cycle of dissatisfaction in which we imprison ourselves. Each chapter ends with a series of questions and answers which are both pragmatic and inspirational. Ngakma Nor'dzin has been a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism for more than twenty years."

http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/spacious-passion/id444416733?mt=11

Joanna Lumley on Relaxing into Meditation

Photo: Nick Clegg

"This is a wonderful introduction to relaxation and meditation - its message offers peace and tranquillity in this stressful world"

-- Joanna Lumley

http://aro-books-worldwide.blogspot.com/2011/07/joanna-lumley-on-relaxing-into.html

Relaxing Into Meditation @ Google Books

"What exercises and practices will help us to live a life free of stress? Ngakma Nor'dzin, a Western Buddhist Lama, guides us through relaxation and breathing exercises that lead into meditation. The meditation methods are described in friendly and accessible language, and will enhance the lives of those who practise them."

http://books.google.com/books?id=4UCscQAACAAJ

Aro Tradition Practice Book - via iTunes

The practice book of the Aro Lineage.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/aro-tradition-practice-book/id444965810?mt=11

Bookbuzzr interview with Ngakma Nor'dzin

Ngakma Nor'dzin has been interviewed by book publicists Bookbuzzr:

Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am 56 years old, have just celebrated 26 years of marriage, and have two grown up sons. I live in Cardiff with my husband. I have been a Buddhist for over 30 years and have been a teacher for all my professional life. I teach Buddhism, Tibetan yoga, meditation and relaxation. I also practice pulse diagnosis and reflexology. I was brought up in the West Midlands of England but moved to Wales at the beginning of the 1980s after completing a design degree.

Read more: http://www.freado.com/users/interview/23759/nordzin-pamo

---

Ngakma Nor'dzin is the author of Relaxing into Meditation
Aro Books worldwide  ISBN 978-1-898185-17-8 http://bit.ly/nrprim

Available from Lulu.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, Wisdom Books, and other bookshops worldwide.

Forthcoming: an odd boy by Doc Togden

Volume one of an odd boy is a memoire of an eccentric aficionado of Bach and Blues, poetry and painting. A portrait of the artist as a lad, set in the experimental cultural ferment of the late 1960s. It is a coming-of-age adventure, both surreal and innocent, humorous and poignant, depicting an era when the Arts set a generation’s imagination on fire. The author’s life is a rare roulette wheel of childhood wonder and tragic debacles; a debilitating stammer and a powerful singing voice; bad luck and fierce good fortune. At 16 he’s traveled far in human experience from the midnight expedition he made to the crossroads at the age of 12.

Ladies are splendid magical beings like unicorns, albatrosses, owls, or flying fish. They hit the surface of reality like whales surging up from a hundred fathoms. They’re suddenly there—sparkling like the very Christmas tree at the end of time—decked out with every delight imaginable. Ladies are Art. Not in the demeaning objectified sense sans personality – but radiant presences residing in the space of life.
— Doc Togden

… like all the beautiful love stories I've ever read in a few paragraphs. Incredibly touching. The love and daring of a young boy in search of the Muse at an age when all dreams can be made real and the joy of art lives in the heart and doesn't boggle the mind.
— Sugar Blue

an odd boy will be published in 2011. To read excerpts from the book, please see http://anoddboy.com

[http://aro-books-worldwide.blogspot.com/2011/02/forthcoming-odd-boy-by-doc-togden.html]

Aro Books worldwide - An overview - by Mick Rooney

"transforming the experience of everyday being, rather than achieving an esoteric or spiritualised mode of existence."

http://aro-books-worldwide.blogspot.com/2010/03/aro-books-worldwide-overview-by-mick.html

Ngakma Nor'dzin - Indian sub-continent publishing

"Relaxing into Meditation has created quite a lot of interest and has been picked up by an Indian publisher.  Zorba Publishers of New Delhi will be producing an Indian sub-continent version of the book. "


http://ngakma-nordzin.blogspot.com/2010/11/indian-sub-continent-publishing.html

Relaxing into Meditation : Book review by Rossinna Ippolito

Relaxing into Meditation is the best book on meditation I've ever read, and I've been browsing them since the mid-70's. I say this because of the distinction made between relaxation and meditation, and the explanation of why relaxation must happen before meditation can begin. I have never seen it spelled out so clearly before, and in such a gentle, non-didactic manner. The writing draws you in and you come to love the teacher as if you were also a member of one of her meditation groups. I love that the chapters are short and not overwhelming. The author doesn't talk down to the reader and isn't too folksy. It is simple, but not “meditation for dummies.”

Some years ago I was watching a cable-access show presented by one of the guru-types that so frequently make appearances on such venues. One thing he mentioned came through loud and clear. In his discussion on meditating the guru explained that one can't just jump into meditation and expect it to “work.” Rather, he said that “the secret” is that your focus should be on “becoming meditative” rather than “meditating.” That is, if you stop putting the emphasis on attempting to have the perfect meditation experience and just relax by performing
the preliminaries, a meditative state will come upon you in a natural, non-forced manner.

This struck me, for having read various meditation books through the years I would become motivated to practice but would stop and start, becoming bored or frustrated with my lack of “progress.” Thus, hearing about the idea of not trying so hard at it, but just relaxing into "becoming meditative" was very appealing. Unfortunately, I never saw that presenter's show again so I never learned what it meant to “become meditative” – that is, until I read Relaxing into Meditation.

The beauty of the text is in the presentation of the ways of becoming meditative, i.e. through breath-work, song or movement. Each exercise is enough in itself. There is no pressure to move on to the next technique, and the benefits of each level are given respect. That is not to say one is not invited to try other meditative techniques, just that each one is whole and respected in itself.

The illustrations of the text along with the warm and friendly manner in which it is written make attempting each new meditative technique a real pleasure. This is a fabulous book for those who have been curious about meditation but were a little hesitant, feeling they didn't have “the right stuff” to be successful at it. The text is gentle and fun and calmly inspiring, and even if you have dabbled in meditation before you'll learn new ways to think about what you have been doing. Relaxing into Meditation is sure to become a classic.

---

For more information please see Aro books worldwide

Why a Good Author Photo Goes a Long Way

"Many authors came with a sample of their book or had a handout with a little blurb and a photo of themselves. It was interesting to see how different each author’s photo was and how much some stood out in my mind – even after talking with so many people. I realized that many people new to the writing profession might not know how important a good photo of themselves is or how much it can help further their career."

http://www.lulu.com/blog/2010/06/04/why-a-good-author-photo-matters/

"A good author photo really helps with marketability. Almost always, when the media wants to highlight an author in a piece, they will ask for a hi-resolution image of the author and book cover. I have heard of instances where some reporters found a book that is perfect for a piece, but have to go with someone else because the photo they receive from the author is not very good and they can’t use it. It pays to have a quality headshot or even just a clear, straight-on picture of yourself in front of a nice background. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, it just shouldn’t be a picture from a bachelor party of the author hanging out on the couch."

Photograph of Ngakma Nor'dzin, from Relaxing into Meditation

Relaxing into Meditation

From a review of a forthcoming book by Ngakma Nor'dzin Pamo

"[...] it's the best book on meditation I've ever read, and I've been browsing them since the mid-70's. I say this because of the distinction made between relaxation and meditation, and the explanation of why relaxation must happen before meditation can begin. I have never seen it spelled out so clearly before, and in such a gentle, non-didactic manner. The writing draws you in and you come to love the teacher as if you were also a member of one of her meditation groups."

-- Rossinna Ippolito (http://www.indocsindexing.com/)

Aro Books worldwide on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aro-Books-worldwide/190690053382

Aro Books worldwide blog: http://aro-books-worldwide.blogspot.com/

The Social Media Press Release

We've finally found the time to look at writing Press Releases.  A little research reveals that the Press Release is not held in particularly high regard in the world of interconnected social media.

"It’s incredibly hard to get a social media community interested in a press release, and it’s not because they hate hearing about what your company is up to, it’s just that they hate the way you’re telling the story."  (copyblogger.com)

What we need, apparently, is a Social Media Press Release, which is more suited to to media such as Blogs, Facebook and Twitter.

As a step in this direction we've produced the first of several Press Releases via PressDoc a company based in Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

So here's our first foray into this field, if you are interested, please follow this link - http://pressdoc.com/p/00035d - and if you feel so inclined, please share it with your social circle.