Turning the Mind Into an Ally
by Sakyong Mipham · first published 2003
100% recommend
Why HN recommends it
A practical, approachable guide to meditation, grounded in everyday life and free of preachiness. It suits newcomers easing into mindfulness practice.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Strengthening, calming, and stabilizing the mind is the essential first step in accomplishing nearly any goal. Growing up American with a Tibetan twist, Sakyong Mipham talks to Westerners as no one can: in idiomatic English with stories and wisdom from American culture and the great Buddhist teachers. Turning the Mind Into an Ally makes it possible for anyone to achieve peace and clarity in their lives.
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Stop Reading the News. Hook that in with The Subtle Art of Not giving a fuck, and finish with Turning the Mind into an Ally, and I find reflecting on all three has helped me to focus on what's important. I no longer waste so much time on trivial unimportant nonsense. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stop-Reading-News-information-overl...…
on “Ask HN: Any interesting books you have read lately?” ↗Check out the book, "Turning the Mind into an Ally" by Sakyong Mipham. I used the techniques in that book to silence those random, erratic thoughts. I fall asleep within a minute of hitting the pillow now.
on “Twitch streamers who spend years broadcasting to no one” ↗They prey on weak minds. The best defense is through a long-term meditative practice such as that detailed in "Turning the Mind Into an Ally" by Sakyong Mipham and Pema Chodron. Years ago I dabbled in Golden Dawn ritual and almost lost my mind. A Buddhist friend told me I needed to chill out and gave me that book. After a month of 30 minute…
on “Practical Magic in a Suffolk Village” ↗I like Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche and the Shambhala approach. Some of his best books IMO: Turning the Mind Into an Ally and Running with the Mind of Meditation. I like his approach since it has a more modern appeal and his writing is very approachable for those new to meditation (at least to me).
on “Ask HN: I feel like I've destroyed my attention span. How do I get it back?” ↗…temperature regulation. Immunity to being startled by loud or sharp noise. 4-5 hour attention spans. The 15 minute daily routine gave me all that. I used the method described by Sakyong Mipham in Turning the Mind Into an Ally
on “The effect of meditation on brain structure (2012)” ↗Recommend the book, "Turning the Mind into an Ally" by Sakyong Mipham.
on “Ask HN: What do you guys think of meditation?” ↗Turning the Mind Into an Ally - is a great book to ease your way into a mindfulness practice. Great, practical, real-world, without being preachy. http://amzn.to/90fIv1
on “Buddhism and Happiness: Sitting Quietly, Doing Something” ↗…(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikantaza) to very detailed instructions on posture, states of mind, etc. I thought the manual part of "Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond" was very well written. Another good one is "Turning the Mind into an Ally". Good luck and remember to enjoy the journey!
on “Ask HN: Should I and how to start meditating?” ↗…Tibetan buddhist meditation, I extended my attention span to well over five hours. I found I could retrain my mind to be silent and do what I wanted. The form of meditation is detailed in the book "Turning the Mind into an Ally" by Sakyong Mipham and Pema Chodron.
on “Boredom is not a problem to be solved, it's the privilege of a free mind” ↗