Dragon Thunder: My Life with Chögyam Trungpa by diana mukpo
this is an account of the life of the eleventh incarnation of the Trungpa Tulku (Rinpoche) as told by his english wife. she talks candidly about her life with the guru who brought tibetan buddhism to the western world.
i found two things interesting - one was his belief in "crazy wisdom" which he describes as "an innocent state of mind that has the quality of early morning—fresh, sparkling, and completely awake" and can be seen as playful, eccentric, rude, unconventional, ball-busting, and making fun and overturning traditions. he also called it "wisdom gone wild" in another interview, which cracks me up b/c this was before the girls gone wild nonsense. it's also something i've been coming across in various sources and books for a few months now. when i come across a concept (or book title) more than three times from totally different sources, then i know it's something i need to investigate further. i think this is something i could integrate into the storytelling project i've been brainstorming.
the other point i found interesting is more from different reviews i've read - everyone makes such a big deal over the arrangement he and his wife had. they both had relationships on the side. every review of the book has to mention that, like that's the craziest thing Rinpoche was known for - not for introducing buddhism to the west and helping to spread as quickly as it did. are people really still that provincial? and should it really matter to others what the two of them decided was best for their relationship? wtf
current mood: spacey
current noise: "bone broke" by the white stripes
this is an account of the life of the eleventh incarnation of the Trungpa Tulku (Rinpoche) as told by his english wife. she talks candidly about her life with the guru who brought tibetan buddhism to the western world.
i found two things interesting - one was his belief in "crazy wisdom" which he describes as "an innocent state of mind that has the quality of early morning—fresh, sparkling, and completely awake" and can be seen as playful, eccentric, rude, unconventional, ball-busting, and making fun and overturning traditions. he also called it "wisdom gone wild" in another interview, which cracks me up b/c this was before the girls gone wild nonsense. it's also something i've been coming across in various sources and books for a few months now. when i come across a concept (or book title) more than three times from totally different sources, then i know it's something i need to investigate further. i think this is something i could integrate into the storytelling project i've been brainstorming.
the other point i found interesting is more from different reviews i've read - everyone makes such a big deal over the arrangement he and his wife had. they both had relationships on the side. every review of the book has to mention that, like that's the craziest thing Rinpoche was known for - not for introducing buddhism to the west and helping to spread as quickly as it did. are people really still that provincial? and should it really matter to others what the two of them decided was best for their relationship? wtf
current mood: spacey
current noise: "bone broke" by the white stripes
People always try to stick their noses in other folks' business. Their arrangement is their arrangement and it worked for them, so who cares? I know a couple that has an open marriage...works for them. I know another girl who is into polyandry...and it works for her. There's nothing wrong with "alternative" arrangements if both parties agree to the rules they create and respect those rules in their behaviour. Can't we just all get along?
~Ang