Almost all visitors to Thailand will come into contact with Buddhism in some way. There are more than 200,000 monks in Thailand so you will see monks and novices out and about on the streets. There are more than 30,000 temples (wat in Thai) so you will see and may visit a temple, or several. Those lucky enough to spend some time with a Thai family will find themselves witnessing and even participating in many of the rituals and customs that are part of everyday Buddhism in Thailand....

Travel To Exotic, Mysterious IndiaFor about 5,000 years India has been celebrating life and all its pleasures.Despite the changes and diversities in India, the country is still a picturesque and a unique tourist destination. If you want an adventure holiday then travel to India. You will find a unique civilization and culture in India.The country's civilization is among the oldest in the world. The imaginations of tourists are always captivated by India's legends an...

In 1996, a revered Hawaiian elder befriended an American anthropologist, and from their rare and intimate rapport, something miraculous emerged. Through the words and teachings of the kahuna wisdom-keeper Hale Makua, Dr. Hank Wesselman was gifted with an enhanced perspective into the sacred knowledge of ancient Hawaii.Before his passing, elder Makua encouraged Dr. Wesselman to convey much of what had passed between them to the wider world, giving him permission to share his spiritua...

The myth of Shangri-la originates in Tibetan Buddhist beliefs in beyul, or hidden lands, sacred sanctuaries that reveal themselves to devout pilgrims and in times of crisis. The more remote and inaccessible the beyul, the vaster its reputed qualities. Ancient Tibetan prophecies declare that the greatest of all hidden lands lies at the heart of the forbidding Tsangpo Gorge, deep in the Himalayas and veiled by a colossal waterfall. Nineteenth-century accounts of this fabled...

"The best book on Bali for the serious visitor…Has the freshness of personal experience."—Dr. Hildred Geertz, author of Kinship in Bali and Professor of Anthropology at Princeton UniversityIn Bali, what you see—sekala—is a colorful world of ceremony, ritual, dance, and drama. What you don't see what is occult—niskala—is the doctrine underlying the pageants, the code underlying the rites, and the magic underlying the dance. In this book, author Fred Eiseman...

This book will help you to appreciate the timeless wisdom of the oldest form of Buddhism in existence today, to understand what it means to be a Buddhist, to recognize the key practices and traditions of Theravada Buddhism, and to avoid faux pas in conversation, in traveling, and in personal relationships.Access the world's religions with Simple Guides: Religion a series of concise, accessible introductions to the world's major religions. Written by experts in the f...

Achaan Chah spent many years walking and meditating in the forest monastery of Wat Ba Pong, engaging in the uncomplicated and disciplined Buddhist practice called dhudanga. A Still Forest Pool reflects the quiet, intensive, and joyous practice of the forest monks of Thailand. Achaan Chah's humble words, compiled by two Westerners who are former ordained monks, awaken the spirit of inquiry, wonderment, understanding, and deep inner peace.Attachment, according to Achaan Chah...

Bhante Gunaratana - Bhante G., as he is affectionately called - has long been among the most beloved Buddhist teachers in the West. Ordained at twelve, he would eventually become the first Buddhist chaplain at an American university, the founder of a retreat center and monastery, and a bestselling author. Here, Bhante G. lays bare the often-surprising ups and downs of his seventy-five years, from his boyhood in Sri Lanka to his decades of sharing the insights of the Buddha, telling his sto...

The real charm of Chiang Mai are the many forgotten lanes and temples, quite a few of which aren't even in the guidebooks. Take a leisurely stroll through the old walled city of Chiang Mai, the capital of the ancient kingdom of "Lanna", founded more than 700 years ago. Visit ancient temples, colorful fresh markets and other cultural attractions in this pleasant walking tour. In addition, this ebook covers several other 'hidden' gems of the ancient city, including colorful markets and the r...

For any first-time visitor to Bangkok, there are certain "must see" sights that you have to visit. While "the Big Mango" is home - literally - to hundreds of museums as well as assorted palaces, temples and other tourist spots, there are three destinations that most will say you need to visit to have "done" Bangkok: The Grand Palace, Wat Po (The Temple of the Reclining Buddha) and Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn.)In addition to the 'big three' I've also selected a dozen or so other si...

For much of the second half of the 20th century Cambodia was racked by war and famine. Considered a sideshow in the Vietnam War, the country was nevertheless invaded by both North and South Vietnam, bombed to smithereens by the United States, and—worst of all—ruled, between 1975 and 1979, by Pol Pot’s genocidal Khmer Rouge regime.Things were so bad that the very name Cambodia became synonymous with pain and suffering. Yet it was not always so. Before its rice fields were stained wi...

It is rare for a foreign woman to be accepted for instruction in intensive meditation in a Buddhist temple in Thailand. Jane Hamilton-Merritt writes about this experience from the inside, describing the extraordinary journey into the self, the expansion of her consciousness. In a personal account of her struggles, her fears and her experiences - some euphoric, some terrifying, some beautiful in the form of psychedelic visions and some that were genuinely threatening. A Meditator's Diar...