The Psychology of Buddhist Tantra

The author succinctly relates Tantra & psychology, mostly Jungian, with relevant parallels to alchemy. A former electronics engineer & a practicing psychotherapist, he brings a Western scientific & practical mental-emotional perspective to his practices as meditation teacher & tangka painter, showing the psychological parallels to Tibetan deities, dakinis, mandalas & increasing the reader's understanding & insight while appreciating the value of devotion, visualization, attunement to nature, & ritual. Taking a balanced view of both worlds enables a greater appreciation for each. He adds personal experiences with patients & meditators to ground his presentation. His analysis of ego death is enlightening--he places it in the context of psychological change theory involving an unfreezing of assumptions/concepts/viewpoints, followed by a transformation period; & culminating in a new paradigm. As he points out, this is similar to the famous Zen saying of a mountain being a mountain until a realization experience when it is no longer a mountain, but followed by a period of enlightenment when it once again is a mountain. Similarly, the ego "dies" is transformed, & finally is reborn anew. This is the best description I have read of this process.He also provides a number of useful exercises/meditations. He promotes mutual cross-fertilization between Western psychology & Tantric Buddhism, noting that Buddhism has previously adapted to new countries/cultures & can adapt to the West as well. But this requires filtering out some Tibetan cultural peculiarities. He also delineates important differences between psychotherapists & Buddhist teachers & dangers for certain types of students, noting that: pp. 107-8: "In Buddhist psychology, there is no developmental model of the processes that unfold in childhood, as it assumes that the development of the ego has already been established. For this reason many Eastern teachers do not easily understand the nature of the wounding that often happens to Westerners as we grow up. They are surprised by how much damage has occurred to our sense of identity." Furthermore, p. 191: "The forces of the Shadow become demonic because they are not given appropriate recognition, conscious understanding, or respect" & that properly employed psychotherapy & Buddhist practices can turn demonic into daimonic such that the deities/archetypes of the unconscious transform from obstacles into stepping stones.Most of the book is non-sectarian, but it seems to me to have a slight Gelugpa orientation, esp. regarding Mahamudra (MM) placed before Tantric generation stage practice & described as a basic meditation (see the Dalai Lama's book on Mahamudra)--not, IMHO, the Kagyu view of MM, & it relates poorly to Nyingma Dzogchen. Further, he uses "samadhi" as his Sanskrit translation of "Shine" vs. the usual "Shamatha", has IMHO misleading diagrams, e.g. Self is incomplete, provides no diagram listing, & seems at times a bit naïve. Still, this is a very fine book, well worth your time esp. for relating East & West.

When traveling in a foreign land, an excellent guide eases the journey. That's certainly true with the spiritual, and to the western mind Tantra can be a very strange journey. Before you choose Tantra as a spiritual path and invest your time, it's a good idea to find out what you might be getting yourself into. Tantra based on the Tibetan model is certainly wide spread in the United States, yet there is much about it still shrouded in mystery, myth, and misinformation. This book provides a welcome overview of what the practice of Tantric Buddhism entails. Rob Preece approaches the subject in a traditional way (Sections; Ground, Vessel, Process, Fruit) overlayed with western psychology, first describing its origins and then the role of the teacher. This can be a game stopper for many because the role of gurus has often been controversial. There are ways of getting around the dangers and the author briefly discusses them. If you believe ahead of time you can't get past the guru, skip that section and go to the next, although it may prove equally alien to many in the west; deities, not as gods, but the projection of archetypes. The author relates the subject to Jung's theories. Once past the section on deities you should be in for the long run. That will include discussion of chanting, prostrations, lung-prana (energy winds), the bodhisattva vow, retreats, sadhana with visualizations,dakas and dakinis, tummo (heat) practice, chakras. and mandalas. It is indeed a very different journey There are two sections that should be read very carefully because they can easily be employed in a daily practice: A crystal clear description of the basic practice of Mahamudra beginning on page 126, and living in the Mandala of formation, transformation and recreation beginning on page 236. If you already have some familiarity with the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, you are ready for this book. It has taken a very esoteric subject and made it reader friendly. Whether or not you decide Tantra is your cup of tea, it will leave you well informed on the basic psychology of Buddhist Tantra.

I have read many books on this topic and have found this book to be so well written and descriptive while still very easy to comprehend. As I read, I kept thinking how much I loved this book and knew a review was important for others considering purchasing this book. Props to the author for this beautiful material! The only suggestion I would make for a revised edition is to add page numbers to the places in book where you refer to images so the reader can more readily locate images of the dieties. Other than that, I have only positive feedback and am really grateful for this material!

Wonderful book that depend my understanding of Tantra. Having been initiated into Tara and Vajrakilaya Tantric practice, this book really depend my understanding and meaning. born and raised in Arizona, the meanings given by maters made sense but this book helped me to connect more deeply to the deities, gurus, and the students place within the practice. In a way, this is clear light revelation of secret Tantra, relation ship of the student-guru-deity, and the psychological transformation and healing in the mind.If you haven't received initiation/empowerments for real Tantra, do not hesitate to research and find a teacher that will offer it. Just check into lineages, reasons for a particular deity, and make sure it is a practice that you are willing to undergo and develop.

I am going through the book right now. It's an amazing book and I love how it clarifies Tantric Buddhist practice and integrates it with Western Psychology. I'm getting new insights with this book. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Buddhist Tantra.

A very valuable book for those interested in the practice of Tibetan Buddhist tantra. Traditional teachings rarely give much insight into the emotional and psychological aspects of tantric practice. For modern Western students, it is essential to have an understanding of these aspects to avoid what Preece refers to as a type of "spiritual pathology." The author explains many aspects through a psychological lens, including the symbolism of the deity, the relationship with a teacher/guru, the mandala, the importance of ritual, and the process of transformation that is central to the tantric path. As a Jungian psychologist, he focuses on how tantra uses archetypal forms in order to access and transform powerful emotional and psychic states that may lie unknown, or buried in the unconscious. I find this type of work to be an essential step in the project of producing a mature Western Buddhist tradition, without losing the power of the traditional teachings.

The book arrived on time in good condition.Fulfilled all my expectations. In depth overview of Tantric practices for the western mind

This book has provided me with useful insight into tantric practice. Written with a Western audience in mind, it clarifies many of the esoteric features of tantra to good effect, especially for the novice

This is great stuff, excellent explanations for new & more experienced students.The title however,doesn't show that the book exists as "Alchemical Buddha"by another publisher.Such a useful book, but I don't need it twice.

The book reveals the why's and how's of intricate tantric methodology and practices, not commonly explained by most Lamas. It makes the teachings understandable to Western mind. I have heard Lamas who said: if you understand it, it's good. But if you don't understand it, just do it, it will work anyway! Well, the practices are so uncommon that I personally need to understand, at least a little. This book really helps. Thank you so much Rob Preece.