Bøger af Alexandra David-Neel

The classic account of a woman's extraordinary journey to Tibet in the 1920s.

In order to penetrate Tibet and reach Lhasa, Madame Alexandra David-Neel used her fluency of Tibetan dialects and culture, and inked skin and tackled some of the roughest terrain and climate in the World. This title presntes her intensive study and daring adventure in mysterious territories of the East.

Initiations and Initiates in Tibet is a book written by Alexandra David-Neel, a French explorer and spiritualist who traveled extensively in Tibet during the early 20th century. The book is a detailed account of her experiences and observations of Tibetan initiation ceremonies and the role of initiates in Tibetan Buddhism.David-Neel describes the various types of initiation ceremonies and the qualifications required to become an initiate. She also provides insights into the spiritual practices and beliefs of Tibetan Buddhists, including their views on reincarnation, karma, and the nature of reality.The book includes vivid descriptions of the rituals and practices of Tibetan initiates, including the use of mantras, visualization techniques, and meditation. David-Neel also discusses the role of initiates in Tibetan society, including their responsibilities and duties.Overall, Initiations and Initiates in Tibet is a fascinating and informative book that provides a unique perspective on Tibetan Buddhism and the role of initiates in this ancient tradition. It is a must-read for anyone interested in spirituality, mysticism, or Eastern philosophy.This is a new release of the original 1959 edition.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

This is a new release of the original 1934 edition.

(LARGE PRINT EDITION) This book is a facsimile reprint and may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages.

This is a new release of the original 1934 edition.

This is a new release of the original 1959 edition.

1934. The Gesar of Ling Epic is the Iliad of Central Asia. The origin of the work has come under much discussion. Some declare it is Buddhist, others see in it a solar myth that symbolizes winter and spring. The version presented here was the result of the author having the opportunity to hear the story told by the wandering Rhapsodists and was then able to note down their recitations.

Travel with an Intrepid Explorer into the Heart of TibetMy Journey to Lhasa is a riveting account of one woman's determination to achieve her goal in the face of numerous formidable obstacles. Written in 1927 by Alexandra David-Neel, a French-Belgian explorer and spiritualist, the book chronicles her arduous journey to the sequestered city of Lhasa, Tibet's religious and administrative capital.By 1923 David-Neel had already traveled extensively throughout Asia, and because of her keen interest in Buddhist philosophy and culture, she was determined to reach Lhasa. Disguising herself as a Tibetan pilgrim and traveling for months on foot, she endured freezing temperatures and blizzards, living in caves, monasteries, and nomad camps, always wary of being discovered by the authorities. Her journey was fraught with danger and obstacles, including harsh weather, treacherous terrain, and hostile encounters with bandits and officials who sought to prevent her from reaching her destination.David-Neel arrived in Lhasa in 1924, and there she spent several months living among the Tibetan people and studying Buddhism. She met with high-ranking lamas and gained unique insight into Tibetan culture and religion at a time when the country was largely closed off to the outside world. Her account is vivid and evocative, bringing to life the harsh beauty of the Tibetan landscape and the warmth and hospitality of its people.My Journey to Lhasa is not only a unique and captivating account of an extraordinary woman's willpower and resourcefulness; it serves today as a valuable historical and cultural document.This book is also available from Echo Point Books as a paperback (ISBN 1648373275).

This is an account of the Madhyamika (Middle Way) school of Buddhism, a method of mediation and enlightenment that was developed by the great Indian teacher Nagarjuna. In a collaboration between the Frenchwoman Alexandra David-Neel and her friend, the Tibetan lama Aphur Yongden, these teaching are presented clearly and elegantly, intended for the layman who seeks a way to practice and experience the realization of oneness with all existence."...this is the most direct, no-nonsense, and down-to-earth explanation of Mahayana Buddhism that has been written. Specifically, it is a wonderfully lucid account of the Middle Way method of enlightenment worked out by the great Indian sage Nagarjuna." -Alan Watts, The Book

Nestled amid the high peaks and eternal snows of the Himalayas and other mountain ranges, Tibet is home to a centuries-old Buddhist tradition, rich in mystic rites and rituals aimed at helping adherents achieve spiritual bliss. In this fascinating volume, a noted authority delves into the nature and sources of Tibetan mysticism, providing readers with a wealth of information regarding Lamaic rites of initiation and the teachings given to initiates, both during and after the initiation ceremonies.The author first defines Tibetan mysticism and examines the role of the spiritual guide and the choice of a master. This is followed by a discussion of the nature of the esoteric doctrines and traditional oral instruction. Madame David-Neel then recounts in detail the various kinds of initiations and their aims, including initiations with and without "activity," the "Mani" initiation, and the different meanings of Aum mani padme hum! Also covered are the magic rites known as dubthabs, the "gymnastics" of respiration, daily spiritual exercises, the contemplation of sun and sky, the dalai lamas, different kinds of morality, and many other topics.Alexandra David-Neel was a historian of religion and a resident of Tibet for 14 years. As a practicing Buddhist, she participated in many of the spiritual rites and practices described in this book, which gives her account a special immediacy and authenticity. Lucid, objective, and highly readable, Initiations and Initiates in Tibet is a treasury of fact and lore offering valuable insights and information to students of religion and Tibetan Buddhism in particular.

First published in France in 1929, Magic and Mystery in Tibet tells the story of the author's experiences in Tibet, among lamas and magicians. Alexandra David-Neel's memoir offers an objective account of the supernatural events she witnessed during the 1920s among the mystics and hermits of Tibet--including levitation, telepathy, and the ability to walk on water! She tells of great sages and sorcerers that she met; of the system of monastic education; the great teachers and their disciples; Tibetan folklore about these spiritual athletes; reincarnation and memory from previous lives; elaborate magical rites to obtain enlightenment; the horrible necromantic magic of the pre-Buddhist Bonpa shamas; mental visualization exercises to create disembodied thought forms (tulpas); visions; phenomena of physical yoga, control of the body heat mechanism; breathing exercises; sending "messages on the wind"; and much similar material. An unusual aspect of her book is that she herself experienced many of the phenomena she describes, yet she describes them with precision and in a matter-of-fact manner, permitting the reader to draw his own conclusions about validity, interpretation in terms of psychology, and value. Particularly interesting for the modern experiencer are her detailed instructions for tumo (the yoga of heat control) and creation of thought projections. This deluxe edition has all of the original photographs plus additional photos and maps, as well several introductions. Chapters include: Tibet and the Lamas; A Guest of the Lamas; A Famous Tibetan Monastery; Dealing with Ghosts and Demons, Disciples of Yore and their Contemporary Emulators; Psychic Sports; Mystic Theories and Spiritual Training; Psychic Phenomena in Tibet--How Tibetans Explain Them; more.

2017 Reprint of 1960 Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. "...this is the most direct, no-nonsense, and down-to-earth explanation of Mahayana Buddhism that has been written. Specifically, it is a wonderfully lucid account of the Middle Way method of enlightenment worked out by the great Indian sage Nagarjuna." -Alan Watts, The Book"The Secret Oral Teachings in Tibetan Buddhist Sects by Alexandra David-Neel and Lama Yongden, is always on my night stand. I return to it again and again in different stages of my life." -Marina Ambramovic"David-Neel herself is often relegated to the ranks of "women adventurers"; this despite the production of some forty-odd books, several of which have wielded an extraordinary influence." -Harry Oldmeadow, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Australia

EASTERN RELIGION "Everything she had to say about Tibet in general and Buddhism in particular was stamped with poetry and insight." --Lawrence Durrell, author of The Alexandria Quartet The question of what occurs to the individual personality after death is one of the fundamental quandries of the human experience. The famed traveler and mystic Alexandra David-Neel, one of the first Western women to see the forbidden city of Lhasa, Tibet, examines here the various Eastern concepts concerning life after death. Contrary to Western belief, which sees the human being as composed of moral body and an immortal soul, many Easterners believe in both the immortality of the body and the soul. Alexandra David-Neel gained firsthand knowledge of these beliefs and the practices they engendered in the course of her travels at the beginning of this century. In Immortality and Reincarnation she puts them together for a unique look at reincarnation and eternal life in a religion that had not yet been touched by the modern world. ALEXANDRA DAVID-NEEL led one of the most fascinating lives of this century. When she died at the age of 101 she had written over thirty books on Buddhism and on her adventures in Asia. The first woman to interview the thirteenth Dalai Lama, she spent much time in Tibet, while it was still closed to foreigners, and learned from personal experience the occult practices and doctrines that characterize Tibetan Buddhism. She is the author of Magic and Mystery in Tibet, My Journey to Lhasa, and Secret Oral Teachings in Tibetan Buddhist Sects.

King Gesar, renowned throughout Tibet and Central Asia, represents the ideal warrior—the principle of all-victorious confidence. As the central force of sanity, he conquers all his enemies, the evil forces of the four directions, who turn people''s minds away from the true teachings of Buddhism. These enemies graphically represent the different manifestations of cowardly mind. As Chögyam Trungpa explains in the Foreword: "When we talk here about conquering our enemy, it is important to understand that we are not talking about aggression. The genuine warrior does not become resentful or arrogant . . . It is absolutely necessary for the warrior to subjugate his own ambition to conquer at the same time that he is subjugating his other more obvious enemies. Thus the idea of warriorship altogether is that by facing all our enemies fearlessly, with gentleness and intelligence, we can develop ourselves thereby attaining self-realization." The legends of Gesar usually take weeks for a bard to recount. Filled with magic, adventure, and the triumphs of this great warrior-king, the stories will delight all—young and old alike.