Books
Surfing the Himalayas
by Frederick Lenz
Charged with energy, humor, and insight, this is the engaging story of a young American snowboarder who travels to the Himalayas seeking the ultimate high—but surfs into an experience more transcendent than he could have ever imagined.
In an accident of karmic destiny, the young man plows into a Buddhist monk named Master Fwap who takes him on as a spiritual apprentice.
Using snowboarding as a path to enlightenment, the charming and learned Master Fwap shows how, by freeing the mind and challenging the soul, one can master any mountain—and master oneself.
“Nothing can die, and nothing can be reborn. Things only change their outer appearance. When you see within things and people, you discover that their essence is changeless, perfect light. We are all nirvana: that which is our essential form is the essential formlessness of perfect existence.“
Snowboarding to Nirvana
by Frederick Lenz
A mysterious voice heard while flying down a mountain on a snowboard. A crazed and enlightened monk known as the Oracle of Nepal. The timeless wisdom of the aged Master Fwap. A striking and spiritual Danish woman named Nadia…
A profound adventure takes a young American snowboarder from the high mountain passes of the Himalayas to an intimate encounter in Kathmandu, a dark night of the soul in Los Angeles, and then back to the Annapurna range for the ultimate peak experience: snowboarding directly into nirvana itself.
Snowboarding to Nirvana takes you on a wild ride on the razor’s edge of the deepest teachings and mysteries of Tantric Buddhism and serves as a guide for reaching your own enlightenment.
Insights: Tantric Buddhist Reflections on Life
Insights: Tantric Buddhist Reflections On Life is Rama – Dr. Frederick Lenz’ book of poems that immerses you in the magical, cosmic, poignant, radiant, courageous, and silly world of Tantric Buddhism, also known as the fast path to enlightenment. Life is not what we think, this book teaches us, and only by learning how not to think can we gently and deeply probe life’s mysteries. Along the way, we learn the importance of giving it up, dancing alone, and letting go.
Insights illuminates spiritual topics with poems on yoga, enlightenment, meditation, karma, dharma, happiness, mortality, immortality, self-knowledge, and freedom. Insights also provides the enlightened perspective on so many aspects of life including love, sex, fear, death and everything in between.
Any time life seems confusing and you could use some guidance and inspiration, pick up this book, read its poetry and dive into wisdom, brightness, and humor.
The Enlightenment Cycle: Teachings on Meditation and Enlightenment
The Enlightenment Cycle series of talks is Rama – Dr. Frederick Lenz’ introductory material for the new student of meditation and enlightenment. Rama explains how to meditate and specifically how to meditate in modern times, when we are living on a very crowded planet. He introduces his unique approach of combining traditional powerful methods of meditation with music that connects us directly to higher states of awareness.
He describes what enlightenment is and why it’s worth seeking. He discusses fundamental and profound Buddhist and yogic concepts in a down-to-earth manner that’s easy for people today in both the East and West to relate to. We learn about mindfulness, power, balance, wisdom, personal happiness, reincarnation, and the miraculous—directly from a modern day enlightened master.
This series of talks explain the core principles of practice with Rama’s unique blend of clarity and humor. Since Rama was focused on updating Buddhist and yogic teachings for our age, he also describes how career can be used as part of the practice, especially technology and computer science careers.
Each chapter in this book is a transcription of a recorded audio talk. The talks reflect the spontaneous tone that typified Rama’s live seminars, which combined sophisticated descriptions of deep spiritual truths with warmth and humor, recalling stories of the Buddha and other enlightened teachers conversing with their students. Rama’s words will guide you on an entertaining and profound tour of meditation, magic, and enlightenment.
Tantric Buddhism: Talks on Meditation and Enlightenment
The twenty-seven talks in the Tantric Buddhism series were recorded by Rama – Dr. Frederick Lenz in 1989 and 1990.
In these talks, Dr. Lenz describes various aspects of the form of Buddhism that would characterize the rest of his teaching career. He called it “Tantric Buddhism.”
Historically, Tantric Buddhism has been associated with Buddhist practice in Tibet.
Although Dr. Lenz drew much from Tibetan Buddhism, he also wove in significant aspects of American culture to create a modern version of Tantric Buddhism that is as solidly grounded in ancient practice as it is fully engaged in modern life.
Through the wise and interlaced talks in this series, Tantric Buddhism leads you through the shadings and nuances of tantra, and ultimately to the clear light of reality.
Zen Tapes: Talks on the Essence of Enlightenment
Practical Zen for Anyone?
In 1986, as Rama – Dr. Frederick Lenz prepared for a major public lecture series, he sought to present a path to enlightenment that would be most understandable to the largest group of people. He selected Zen as most relevant to his current and future students and called his teachings “Tantric Zen.”
“What I term Tantric Zen, I could also refer to as old Zen, the original face of Zen, or new Zen, contemporary Zen practice—no mind, the mirror of existence.
“Bodhidharma, who brought Zen from India to the Orient, taught a very pure type of Zen.
“Zen is meditation, the actual experience of life—directly, immediately, with no buffers.
“Tantra is for someone who is really broad-minded, and that’s the kind of Zen that I teach, which is what I feel Zen is.
“It is Bodhidharma Zen, your Zen, my Zen.”
—Rama
Insights: Talks on the Nature of Existence
“There is another side to life other than that which most people are conscious or aware of, that side will bring you freedom and perfection.”
“You can go beyond life and death in this world now.”
“You can become free and luminous and no longer of this world although you will be in it, for a time.”
–Rama
On the Road with Rama
Remember that outside of time, outside of space, outside of duality … there is something.
And that something is wonderful. Absolutely wonderful beyond understanding.
It’s endless light. It’s awareness.
The universe is actually alive. It’s intelligence — an intelligence that so far surpasses anything that has yet been seen or dreamed or imagined, and you enter into that intelligence. You are it. You’re a reflection of it.
To see it all, to be it, to be that totality, that’s what attracts a few of us to perpetually go forward into it.
—Rama
