BOOK REVIEW � � � Tony Somlai I've said just as well by cleaning rhe toilet." His "daily life" teaching is presented as a way to break through the ethereal rheories of highly educated and intellectual students found in Breath rhe West. So, no matterwhat rhe feeling, when it's time to clean by Breath: the toilet- clean rhe toilet. That takes care of feelings! The Liberating The tetrad of "Breathing with the Mind" is focused on the Practice Buddha's teaching rhat "everything is right where you are right o/Insight now: your suffering, and the end to your suffering." Everyrhing Meditation in "Breath by Brearh" has been building to this chapter on by studying rhe mind as rhe source from which everyrhing comes. Larry Rosenberg Rosenberg points to thoroughly experiencing the mind, mo­ with David Guy ment by moment. He says, "What you need to do is look into Shambhala your mind, which is itself a space, in fact an infinite space." Publications, The final tetrad, "Breathing wirh Wisdom" is best ex­ Boston, 1998 pressed from Master Lin Chi's term "true person of no rank." Very simply, rhere is no meaning. Rosenberg describes this wisdom and no meaning as practicing wirh emptiness. "The mind silent, with effortless alertness. The observer Larry Rosenberg, author ofBreath by Breath, is a medita­ gets falls There is no from rhe You're not tion teacher who draws a clear practice map for srudents on away. separation object. to attention; it." He sees human rhe path of insight meditation. He uses the four tetrads trying pay you're just doing as not some exercise in but (body, feelings, mind, and wisdom groups) of rhe Buddha's problems problem-solving simply rhe awareness rhat comes from Surra as rhe compass to aid meditation students dissolving rhrough practice. "We because we have in their practice. The book is drawn from a series of forty stop suffering stopped grasping." The final of Breath Breath all the tetrads talks given over a rhree year period and is particularly portion by brings to in our lives. to Zen flavored wirh stories and insights for western students. Larry functioning daily Rosenberg gives respect Master Sahn as his first Buddhist teacher who intro­ Rosenberg acknowledges rhe influences ofhis spiritual teach­ Seung duced him to rhis of The was rhat at ers: ]. Krishnamurti, Vimala Thakar, Seung way practice. teaching at dishes wash Sahn, , and Thich Nhat Hanh. This sitting time, 100% sit, and washing time, 100% dishes. The activities were not to be and life was to acknowledgment of rhe teachers who influenced him is a separated be treated as one "seamless web." strengrh of Breath by Breath. Larry Rosenberg is an honest a in Buddhist teacher who has deep respect for his "roots." Rosenberg provides helpful guide making and our a ofour lives. But The "Breathing with the Body" tetrad investigates the teachings practice own, part everyday don't let him fool He is at The relationship of rhe brearh wirh rhe four postures of sitting, you. always pointing practice. is but rhe is "It is standing, walking, and lying down. He instructs his students package exquisite, message straightforward. to sit even on when don't feel like it. If to "disappear into the breathing and leave all the bones important days you you sit when want will know the mind that behind, all rhe preoccupations, worries, plans, fears, all the only you to, you only likes to sit." It doesn't matter if, rhis life, you have been stuff rhat makes up rhe mind." He likens rhis mind to a during one week or Breath Breath "yenta" rhat gossips about orhers, berates itself, and continu­ practicing only twenty years. by rhe clear of this breath function ously makes things. Brearh meditation helps us to accept life conveys teaching making moment-to-moment. as it is. What is more important, Rosenberg has students "use rhat calm mind, even the joy rhat comes from it, to look deeply into ourselves." He points to a direction that is always toward knowing. PERCEIVE WORLD SOUND ZEN CHANTING "Breathingwith Feelings" was the one section ofthe book Now available on Disc where I made very few notes for this review. Perhaps it comes Compact $23 ($28 international) from and biases as a a postpaid my prejudice psychologist against Primal"}" Point Press culture rhat spends way too much time investigating (read 99 Pound Road becoming attached to) emotions and feelings. Rosenberg Cumberland, RI 02864 [email protected] clears this up best when he says, "You can learn everything

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