Book of the week: The New Meditation Handbook by Gyatso

 Book of the week 

The New Meditation Handbook (full title: The New Meditation Handbook: Meditations to Make Our Life Happy and Meaningful) 

By Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

We’re looking this week a popular book that can also be purchased as a great audiobook.

It is a popular book on Buddhist meditation written by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, a prominent Tibetan Buddhist teacher and founder of the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT).

Published by Tharpa Publications (with editions dating back to around 2003 for the version commonly referenced, including a US 2nd edition), it’s designed as a practical, accessible guide especially suited for modern practitioners, including Western readers. The book draws from traditional Tibetan Buddhist teachings, specifically the Lamrim (the stages of the path to enlightenment), based on commentaries by Je Tsongkhapa.

Key Features and Structure

•  Core Content: The book presents 21 concise meditations that form a complete cycle. Practitioners are encouraged to focus on one meditation per day, repeating the full cycle every 21 days. This structure allows readers to progressively cover essential Buddhist teachings and deepen their understanding and experience over time.

•  Three Scopes (traditional Lamrim divisions):

•  Initial Scope — Meditations on topics like our precious human life, death and impermanence, the danger of lower rebirth, refuge, and karma (actions and their effects).

•  Intermediate Scope — Developing renunciation for samsara (the cycle of contaminated rebirth).

•  Great Scope — Advanced practices including equanimity, recognising all beings as mothers, compassion, taking and giving (tonglen), bodhichitta (the mind of enlightenment), tranquil abiding, superior seeing (insight), and relying on a spiritual guide.

•  Introductory Sections: Part One covers foundational topics like what meditation is, its benefits, how to begin, required background knowledge, and practical instructions on how to meditate (including preparatory prayers).

•  Goal: The book emphasises developing inner peace to make oneself and others happy, transforming daily life, fulfilling spiritual potential, and ultimately progressing toward enlightenment. It teaches how to apply these meditations practically for lasting happiness beyond temporary pleasures.

It’s suitable for both beginners and more experienced meditators, offering step-by-step guidance. Many readers appreciate its clear, structured approach that integrates theory with practice.

The book is widely available through sites like Amazon, Tharpa’s official store, and Kadampa centers, in paperback, eBook, and even audiobook formats.

If you’re interested in Buddhist meditation from a Kadampa/New Kadampa perspective, this is considered one of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s key introductory/practical works (often recommended alongside books like Transform Your Life for more detailed explanations).

Here is a clear summary of each, grouped by scope, including the meditation’s primary focus and purpose:

Initial Scope (Foundational meditations on precious human life and motivation to practice Dharma)

1.  Our Precious Human Life — Contemplate the rarity and great potential of this human rebirth to motivate using it for spiritual practice rather than worldly pursuits.

2.  Death and Impermanence — Reflect on the certainty and unpredictability of death to reduce attachment and prioritize meaningful actions.

3.  The Danger of Lower Rebirth — Consider the sufferings of lower realms (hell, hungry ghost, animal) as consequences of negative karma, generating fear of non-virtue.

4.  Refuge Practice — Develop firm reliance on the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) as protection from suffering and the path to liberation.

5.  Actions and their Effects (Karma) — Understand cause and effect: virtuous actions lead to happiness, non-virtuous to suffering; cultivate ethical conduct.

Intermediate Scope

6.  Developing Renunciation for Samsara — Generate strong determination to abandon the cycle of contaminated rebirth entirely, seeing all samsaric experiences as inherently unsatisfactory.

Great Scope (Mahayana meditations on bodhichitta and advanced realizations)

7.  Developing Equanimity — Cultivate impartial love toward all beings by overcoming attachment, aversion, and indifference.

8.  Recognizing that All Living Beings are Our Mothers — See every sentient being as having been our mother in past lives, fostering a sense of closeness.

9.  Remembering the Kindness of Living Beings — Recall the immense kindness received from others (as mothers and in general), building gratitude.

10.  Equalizing Self and Others — Recognize that self and others are equal in desiring happiness and fearing suffering.

11.  The Disadvantages of Self-Cherishing — See how self-cherishing (ego-clinging) is the root of all personal and worldly problems.

12.  The Advantages of Cherishing Others — Understand how putting others first brings joy, harmony, and spiritual progress.

13.  Exchanging Self with Others — Mentally swap self and others, taking on their suffering and giving them happiness (foundation for tonglen).

14.  Great Compassion — Develop deep wish for all beings to be free from suffering and its causes.

15.  Taking (Tonglen: Taking) — Visualize taking on others’ sufferings (and their causes) into oneself to purify ego and generate compassion.

16.  Wishing Love — Cultivate the wish for all beings to have happiness and its causes.

17.  Giving (Tonglen: Giving) — Visualize giving away one’s own happiness, virtues, and body to others.

18.  Bodhichitta — Generate the spontaneous mind that aspires to attain full enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.

19.  Tranquil Abiding (Shamatha) — Develop single-pointed concentration on a chosen object (e.g., breath or visualized image) for stable, peaceful focus.

20.  Superior Seeing (Vipashyana) — Cultivate special insight, often into emptiness (ultimate nature of phenomena), to cut through delusions.

21.  Relying Upon a Spiritual Guide — Develop faith and proper reliance on a qualified teacher to receive blessings and guidance throughout the path.

These meditations build sequentially: the early ones create renunciation and ethical foundation, the middle ones develop universal compassion and bodhichitta (altruistic intention), and the later ones provide methods for deep concentration and wisdom. Each includes preparation (e.g., Prayers for Meditation), contemplation of key points, single-pointed meditation on the determination/resolution, dedication of merit, and application in daily life.

Practicing them cyclically helps integrate the entire Buddhist path into daily experience, leading toward lasting happiness, compassion, and enlightenment. For full instructions, including how to meditate on each (contemplation + placement), refer to the book itself, as each is presented concisely with practical steps.

Audio Book Edition

On 4 CDs .

Published 2005 by Tharpa Publications 

4th Edition 

ISBN-10	0954879007
ISBN-13	978-0954879006

https://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Meditation-Handbook-Meditations-Meaningful/dp/0954879007

https://tharpa.com/uk/the-new-meditation-handbook

Also available as paperback and hardback editions 

Paperback book version details:

ISBN13	9780948006906
ISBN10	0948006900
Number Of Pages	224

Newest edition 2013

Published: Tharpa Publications 

https://tharpa.com/uk/the-new-meditation-handbook

https://www.awesomebooks.com/book/9780948006906/new-meditation-handbook-the-meditations-to-make-our

About the author 

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso  was a fully accomplished meditation master and internationally renowned teacher of Buddhism. Geshe-la, as he is affectionately called by his students, is primarily responsible for the worldwide revival of Kadampa Buddhism in our time. He passed away in 2022 aged. 91.

From the age of eight Geshe-la studied extensively in the great monastic universities of Tibet and earned the title "Geshe," which literally means "spiritual friend." Under the guidance of his Spiritual Guide, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, he then spent the next eighteen years in meditation retreats in the Himalayas.

In 1977 he accepted an invitation to teach at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre in England, where he has lived and taught, giving teachings and guidance to an ever-growing group of students.

Geshe-la has often given teachings and empowerments at the International Kadampa Festivals attended by thousands of people from all over the world.

Geshe-la has established three unique study programs and 1200 centers and groups around the world, trained hundreds of qualified Teachers and a flourishing ordained community, and created a project to build Buddhist Temples in every major city in the world.

In his teachings Geshe Kelsang Gyatso emphasizes the importance of meditation and how to apply it in daily life. He reveals practical methods for developing wisdom, cultivating a good heart, and maintaining a peaceful mind through which we can all find true and lasting happiness. Demonstrating these qualities perfectly in his own life, Geshe-la has dedicated his whole life to helping others find inner peace and happiness.

For more information on his books, audio, artwork, meditation supplies, and cards visit www.tharpa.com/us. For books in Spanish visit www.tharpa.com/us-es.

For more information on his meditation centers across the US and around the world visit www.kadampa.org

Carrie’s cabinet of curiosities: 4711 Cologne

 Carrie’s Cabinet of Curiosities 

The 4711 Eau de Cologne: a forgotten scent thats great for hot days and headaches 

The 4711 which you can see in the pictures from our cabinet of curiosities is one of the most historic and iconic fragrances in the world—widely regarded as the original Eau de Cologne and the namesake for the entire category of light, refreshing colognes.

It used to be very popular and was often used to cool the head and body on hot days and it’s a miracle worker when it comes to headaches and even migraines. Its cooling qualities is its main selling point and it can stay fresh in bottles for years. Like this bottle which is many years old but still does its job well!

History of 4711

The story dates back to 1792 in Cologne, Germany (Köln in German). According to the brand’s legend, a young merchant named Wilhelm Mülhens received a secret recipe for a miracle water (“aqua mirabilis”) as a wedding gift from a Carthusian monk. He began producing it in a small factory located at Glockengasse No. 4711 in Cologne. That house number—4711—eventually became the brand name itself, especially after Napoleonic times when buildings were numbered and the address stuck as the identifier.

•  It was initially marketed more as a medicinal tonic or refreshing “Kölnisch Wasser” (Cologne Water) rather than a modern perfume.

•  The French occupation and Napoleon’s 1810 decree requiring ingredient disclosure shifted it toward a cosmetic/fragrance product.

•  The original Johann Maria Farina (another famous Cologne-based perfumer from earlier in the 18th century) created a similar citrus-based water, and there’s historical rivalry/overlap in claims to being the “first,” but 4711 became the most famous and enduring version under the Mülhens family.

•  The brand has survived wars (the original building was destroyed in WWII bombings but rebuilt), ownership changes (including a period under Procter & Gamble before returning to German ownership with Mäurer & Wirtz in 2006), and remains in production today.

•  As of 2026, it’s still actively sold worldwide, with an official flagship store/museum/experience at Glockengasse in Cologne, and the brand continues to celebrate over 230 years of history.

Scent Profile

4711 is a classic Citrus Aromatic fragrance, very light and refreshing (true to the Eau de Cologne concentration, which means low perfume oil percentage and short longevity, often 30–90 minutes on skin, longer on clothes).

•  Top notes — Bright citrus burst: lemon, bergamot, orange, sometimes listed with peach or basil accents.

•  Middle notes — Herbal/aromatic: lavender, rosemary.

•  Base notes — Softer florals and green touches: neroli (orange blossom), petitgrain.

People often describe it as:

•  Freshly sliced lemons and oranges

•  Clean, soapy, slightly herbal

•  Like a vintage barbershop splash or old-school aftershave

•  Uplifting, cooling, and medicinal in a pleasant way (some compare faint echoes to things like English Leather)

It’s unisex (marketed for both women and men), and many appreciate it as a quick refresher, travel scent, or layering base rather than a long-lasting signature perfume.

Modern Availability & Fun Facts

•  Still produced in the classic blue-and-gold bottle (the Molanus bottle shape is iconic).

•  Available in various sizes from travel sprays to large splash bottles (e.g., 100ml, 200ml, 400ml+).

•  The brand has expanded into flankers (like Acqua Colonia series with modern twists) and intense versions, but the Original remains the purest classic.

•  You can visit the House of Fragrances 4711 in Cologne for tours, a small museum, and custom experiences.

•  It’s affordable compared to modern niche fragrances and remains a cultural staple in Germany and Europe.

You can buy 4711 new in small and larger bottles as well as handy handbag friendly sealed wipes to place on your head.

https://amzn.eu/d/04148Fcs

Alchemy: Passionflower

 The Alchemical Passionflower: 

Spagyric Transmutation of Passion into Peace

In the alchemical laboratory, where the prima materia of the plant kingdom undergoes solve et coagula—dissolution and coagulation—Passiflora incarnata emerges as a subtle yet profound agent of inner transformation. 

Native to the Americas and unknown to classical European alchemists like Paracelsus, passionflower entered the Western materia medica only after the 16th-century encounters of Spanish missionaries. Yet once embraced, it found a perfect home in the spagyric tradition: the art of separating a plant’s three philosophical principles (Mercury/spirit, Sulfur/soul, Salt/body), purifying each, and recombining them into a living elixir that heals on physical, astral, and spiritual levels simultaneously.

The spagyric preparation of passionflower begins with its fresh or carefully dried aerial parts—leaves, stems, and the astonishingly complex flowers. These are macerated in a tailored hydroalcoholic menstruum (the philosophical Mercury), drawing forth the volatile spirit and essential virtues. The spent marc (plant residue) is then gently dried, calcined at low temperatures, and leached to yield pure crystalline mineral salts—the fixed Salt principle, representing the body of the plant. These salts are recombined with the tincture, often after a period of digestion or circulation, creating a preparation far more than a simple extract: it is a microcosmic reunion of the plant’s tria prima, said to be more potent, bioavailable, and holistically intelligent than ordinary tinctures. Modern spagyric houses such as Natura Sophia, Phoenix Aurelius, and others produce these elixirs, noting their acrid-bitter taste and affinity for the nervous and musculoskeletal systems.

Physically, the spagyric passionflower calms anxiety, quiets insomnia, eases spasms, and soothes the racing mind—mirroring its folk uses across Indigenous traditions and later Eclectic medicine. But in alchemical terms, its action transcends the material. The plant’s signature is unmistakable: spiraling tendrils that bind and climb speak to the looping, entangled thoughts it dissolves; the corona of filaments, once interpreted as Christ’s crown of thorns, becomes in the spagyric crucible the very instrument that transmutes suffering (passio) into luminous equanimity. The five wounds encoded in the flower’s geometry remind the alchemist that true healing arises not by denying agony but by purifying it—separating the volatile passions (Sulfur), fixing the essence (Salt), and reuniting them under the guidance of Spirit (Mercury).

Astrologically and elementally, passionflower aligns with Venus (ruler of its showy, sweet-scented blooms and twining habit) and the Water element—cool, receptive, harmonising. It dampens excessive desire rather than inflaming it, cooling libido, softening relational friction, and cultivating platonic or compassionate love. In Victorian floriography it symbolized religious fervor; in magical practice it binds one stably to a desired outcome (a job, a home, inner peace) while easing the heart’s grip on suffering. As a “wounded healer,” it knows the crucifixion of the passions and offers the resurrection of serenity—ideal for dream pillows, sleep sachets, heart-anointing oils, or meditative elixirs where one seeks to enter the nigredo of emotional dissolution without despair.

In the Great Work of the soul, passionflower serves as a gentle arcanum for the melancholic or overstimulated adept. A few drops of the spagyric tincture before meditation or ritual quiets the inner chatter, allowing the higher Mercury to flow. It assists in the alchemical marriage of opposites: agitation and calm, desire and detachment, the cross of incarnation and the crown of awakened presence. Where ordinary sedatives dull consciousness, the spagyric form refines it—preserving clarity while releasing what no longer serves.

Thus the passionflower, once a New World curiosity turned Christian emblem, becomes in the hands of the modern alchemist a living teacher of redemption through separation and reunion. Its brief bloom and persistent vine embody the entire opus: fleeting passion yielding enduring fruit. To work with it spagyrically is to participate in the same mystery the missionaries glimpsed in its form—to witness how the crown of thorns, when properly calcined and exalted, reveals itself as the radiant halo of inner peace. In an age of ceaseless stimulation, this humble vine offers the alchemical secret par excellence: true passion is not extinguished but transmuted, until only the golden stillness of the Self remains.