The Lost Teachings of Lama Govinda: Living Wisdom from a Modern Tibetan Master Richard Power Foreword by Lama Surya Das 248 pages 6x9 $19.95 paper 978-0-8356-0854-1

The Lost Teachings of Lama Govinda offers a precious glimpse into the consciousness of an extraordinary scholar and mystic, shedding new light on Govinda’s legendary role as both a pioneer and a prophet. Born in Germany, Lama Govinda was one of the first Westerners to introduce Tibetan Buddhism as an initiate in the tradition. His famed works, The Way of the White Clouds and Foundations of Tibetan Buddhism, live on as some of the best in the field.

In this collection of essays and dialogues, Govinda delivers insights that are both timely and timeless. Ranging in issues and themes, including transpersonal psychology, drugs and meditation, Christianity, Theravada and Zen Buddhism, and the I Ching, editor Richard Power brings together Lama Govinda’s rarest material—some never before published, some long out of circulation.

Power starts off with a compelling and comprehensive introduction to Govinda’s life and work, dividing this section into three parts. These include 1) a biography of Lama Govinda, 2) a perspective on his role in bringing Dharma to the West and his legacy for the 21^st Century, and 3) an exploration of the major themes and insights in four of his masterpieces: The Way of the White Cloud, Fundamentals of Tibetan Mysticism, Psycho-Cosmic Symbolism of the Stupa and Creative Meditation and Multi-Dimensional Consciousness.

Every chapter of the book is one of Govinda’s essays, each standing alone on its own strengths while also fitting together with the others to form a multi-dimensional look at practical Buddha Dharma in relation to Western psychology, mystical Christianity, Chinese Taoist philosophy, and scientific explorations in consciousness. Both beginners of Tibetan Buddhism and those interested in expanding their knowledge of the basic tenets of the tradition will find great value in this book.

Reviews

The modern Western perspective that Lama Govinda brings to this study of Vajrayana Buddhism imbues it with a rare clarity and vigour - and is especially valuable for anyone seeking to explore the deeper reaches of Buddhist "whole body" meditation. I found it richly rewarding.
—Victoria LePage, author, Shambhala

Fascinating! All of the many admirers of Lama Govinda will be grateful to Richard Power for bringing together the Lama's lost teachings.
—Ravi Ravindra, author, Centered Self without Being Self-Centered and co-author, The Inner Journey

Lama Govinda’s work has changed my life and work. I find in him the rarest fusion of majestic realization, philosophical depth, and exquisite literary ability. Anyone interested in mysticism and its role in our current crisis will find this brilliant book both useful and profoundly inspiring.
—Andrew Harvey, author, The Direct Path and Dialogues with a Modern Mystic

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Audio CDs by Lama Govinda:

• Concepts of Buddhism
• Development of Buddhism

Richard Power has spoken at conferences, delivered briefings, and led training sessions for security and intelligence professionals, government officials, business leaders, and general audiences in over 30 countries. He has researched cyber crime and economic espionage for over a decade. His current work is focused on what he calls “The Dissonant Convergence: The 21st Century Security Crisis,” which include at its hub, issues of climate change, sustainability, and human rights, etc.

Richard Power has spoken at conferences, delivered briefings, and led training sessions for security and intelligence professionals, government officials, business leaders, and general audiences in over 30 countries. He has researched cyber crime and economic espionage for over a decade. His current work is focused on what he calls “The Dissonant Convergence: The 21^st Century Security Crisis,” which include at its hub, issues of climate change, sustainability, and human rights, etc.

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