Bøger af 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.

Lawyer Erin Tsong knows how to put on her game face, intimidate an opposing witness, play tough, but there's such a thing as carrying intimidation too far. At least that's what the judge says when she grows snakes out of her head. And Erin finds herself without a job, without a boyfriend, and with the threat of her mother coming to take care of her. Unfortunately, what happens to Erin is not unique--all over America, people are being transformed--and Erin is caught up in the backlash. A human retrovirus has exposed long-suppressed DNA sequences, sequences that carry the genes for vampires, giants, shapeshifters, and even Gorgons. As the world struggles to deal with the consequences of the transformation, Erin finds herself caught in the middle. She's involved in a high-profile legal case, one aimed at classifying the transformed as violent criminals, but she's also threatened by a group of vampires who believe she's a traitor to the transformed community.

Matt Carnecero doesn't fit with his family of shape-shifting predators. For his 'protection' he's sent to the School for Advanced Fae studies. What neither he, nor his family, realize is that the school is far more dangerous than the outside world. With an angry mage, a failed mermaid, and a satyr who's ashamed of his talent as reluctant allies, Matt struggles to survive in a 'school' that's more prison than supportive, and where the most dangerous and deadly rise to the top.

Seeing ghosts has always been something of a curse for Annie Neeter but when talking to a ghost makes her a suspect in an attempted murder, she realizes it's gone too far. Still, does she have any chance of convincing the sexy police detective she isn't crazy. Unfortunately, the head of the local mob is a believer and he's thinking of all sorts of ways she, and her ghosts, can help him make crime pay.

Abandoned on a medieval-technology planet, Jake Borenski wants nothing more than to return to 'civilization.' But as he learns about the planet, he realizes an entire civilization may vanish unless he does something about it.

A retrovirus mutates human DNA--exposing long-suppressed 'junk DNA, ' and manifesting supposedly magical creatures. When vampires, trolls and werewolves rage out of control, only the Warders stand against darkness. Except, as warder Danielle Goodman finds, sometimes reality is more complicated than myth

Ewan drops into Tia Burns's life like Lucifer falling from the skys. His eyes hold ancient secrets, and from the moment he arrives, she's constantly under threat. Her girlfriend guesses he's a vampire, a creature of the night. Ewan isn't a vampire--exactly. But he hungers for Tia in a way she can't understand, won't accept, yet finds herself unable to resist. Ancient beyond human imagining, Ewan has never needed anyone before, especially not one small woman. For the first time in his existance, he needs Tia. If he can win her, gain her worship, feed off of her strength, he may yet overthrow the bonds put on him over two thousand years earlier. Ewan calls himself a god--but he's a kind of god Tia has never imagined. Her straightforward beliefs hold no place for anyone like him, yet she can't deny the sense of compulsion that draws them together.

Iraq is dangerous enough with insurgents firing, anger over US bombing of local mosques, and the general lawlessness there, but fellow Americans are supposed to be on your side. Life gets a lot more dangerous for US National Guard Sergeant Ivy Newland when the secretive spy-type she's guarding decides that she's seen too much and tries to kill her. What she's seen is the True Cross--hidden in what is now Iraq for hundreds of years since it was captured from crusaders by Saladin. The Foundation, a secretive US organization, has big plans for the Cross--but considering they tried to kill her, Ivy isn't at all certain she wants to help move those plans forward. What if, as the agent claims, the Cross is the ultimate weapon of mass destruction? Ivy, accompanied by US Army Captain Zack Herrera are chased by the Foundation, by CIA drones and CIA-sponsored pesh merga, by insurgents, and by the US Navy as they flee across Iraq, Turkey, Greece, and finally Italy. Guided by a mysterios vision, or possibly a dream, Ivy knows she must seak something first in Istanbul, then in Venice. But getting there is more than half the problem--as the power of the Cross ensures that the Foundation is never far between. Their journey lets Ivy and Zack explore a growing attraction, puts them in contact with a number of unlikely allies and enemies, and explores both the history, faiths, and people of this crucial section of the world.

Investigating a murder, cop Olivia Jardan uncovers evidence that the death was an assassination, violating the great compromise between the corporate consensus and the religious Interfaith--the organizations that rule what was once the United States. Jardan knows too much and both sides need her silenced--permanently. Author Rob Preece extrapolates on current social and technological trends to deliver a fast-paced thriller from a near-future that just might be real.

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.

When circumstances are challenging how do we react? This book offers methods to help us develop greater inner strength and openness to life by changing the habit of what Rob Preece calls "self-preoccupation"-the tendency to act from a narrow perspective dominated by insecurity and isolation. When we learn to look outside this mentality and truly cherish others as well as ourselves, we create a happier, relaxed mind and more fulfilling relationships, as well as realizing our life's purpose in a meaningful way. A long-time Buddhist practitioner and psychotherapist, Preece shares traditional meditations and practices for awakening the mind and heart, including tonglen, but he also offers a Jungian perspective on these and his own sense-cultivated during many years experience-of the ways in which Westerners may need to re-see these practices to benefit most from them. Preece's insightful fusion of East and West will help readers tap inner resources of compassion and integrity in order to flourish in times of uncertainty, and ultimately generate the altruistic aspiration to realize the awakened mind for the benefit of all living beings. Preece offers meditation practices at the end of many chapters to help the reader digest and integrate the book's information.