Bøker av Rob Preece

If you have been practicing Buddhism for a while, why do you still have so many problems? And how do you balance the sometimes different needs of spiritual and psychological perspectives? Rob Preece draws on his personal experience-over two decades as a psychotherapist and many years as a meditation teacher-to explore and map the psychological influences on our struggle to awaken. For psychological and spiritual health, acceptance of imperfection is key. Wisdom does not always come as a flash of inspiration but from the slow, often painful, workings of experience. As we detach from our ideals of perfection and develop our acceptance of imperfection, our love and compassion can grow in ways that are both psychologically and spiritually healthy. The Wisdom of Imperfection delves into this journey of individuation in Buddhist life, articulating the psychological processes beneath the traditional path of the Bodhisattva.

This book masterfully clarifies the nature of tantric practice. In contrast to the approaches of conventional religion, tantra does not attempt to soothe the turmoil of existence with consoling promises of heaven and salvation. The tantric practitioner chooses to confront the bewildering and chaotic forces of fear, aggression, desire, and pride, and to work with them in such a way that they are channeled into creative expression, loving relationships, and wisely engaged forms of life. In order to make the processes of tantra psychologically intelligible for a contemporary reader, Rob Preece makes judicious use of the work of modern psychotherapy, forging a compelling link between a Western tradition that hearkens back to the alchemical traditions of our own past and the comparably alchemical strategies of Tibetan Buddhist tantric practices. In keeping with the pragmatic and therapeutic aims of both psychotherapy and Buddhist meditation, The Psychology of Buddhist Tantra never loses sight of the central importance of applying these ideas to the concrete realities of day-to-day life. By illuminating the richly symbolic language of tantra through the intermediate language of psychology, The Psychology of Buddhist Tantra points to the transformative nature of tantric practices.

We live in a time when our relationship to power has become a critical concern, both personally and collectively. Even in the Buddhist world, the nature of power often goes unaddressed - despite the power dynamic embedded within the authority of the traditions and in teacher-student relationships. When we deny, ignore or fear our power, it can become hidden in the shadow and then manifest in destructive ways. How then do we discover a healthy relationship to its presence? To a bodhisattva, the power of the awakened mind is the capacity to be effective and beneficial in the service of others. The deity Vajrapani gives us a means to clarify, awaken and transform our innate potential to skilfully embody the power to be effective in our lives. His wrathful appearance provides a channel of transformation for the destructive energy often buried within our anger and rage. At this crucial time, Rob Preece brings both Buddhist and Jungian understanding to clarify a healthy relationship to power as an innate potential in our nature.

Chenrezig - Embodying Compassionate PresenceChenrezig or Avalokiteshvara in Sanskrit, is probably the most familiar Tibetan Buddhist deity. As the Buddha of Compassion he embodies the compassionate presence that is central to a bodhisattva's capacity to serve the welfare of others. Compassionate presence is possibly the most healing quality we can offer another. It is needed if we are to begin to heal some of our core emotional and psychological wounds both within ourselves and others. This book delves into the psychological roots of our human suffering from early wounding onwards to explore how the practice of Chenrezig can be a profound and powerful healing resource. Rob Preece brings together years of experience as both psychotherapist and Buddhist teacher to illuminate a way of practice that is fresh, creative and highly relevant to health and well-being in our contemporary life.

We live in uncertain times, and to engage in the world to serve the welfare of others requires great courage and dedication. In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is one whose life is dedicated to awaken in the service of others. A bodhisattva's intention of bodhicitta, the awakening mind, is rooted in compassion, love and the courage to live in a challenging world, transforming adversity into the path of awakening. In Heart Essence, Rob Preece brings a fresh enquiry into the qualities that support a bodhisattva's journey, including many of the psychological challenges encountered in the process of awakening. He draws on his years of experience both as a psychotherapist and a tantric practitioner to explore what needs to be cultivated to enhance the qualities of bodhicitta and also how we can embody these in our lives. This will be of value to those who aspire - particularly as tantric practitioners - to the life of a bodhisattva.