Snowboarding to Nirvana

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Summary: Buddhist Revelations from the Snowboard...
Review: Of course I was going to buy ths book! I read the first release, Surfing the Himalayas, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. The first book explained meditation and mindfulness in a more clear and entertaining way than any other Buddhist or Eastern philosphy-type book I've ever read.The second go 'round of Frederick Lenz's intense adventures in the snow covered peaks of the world's largest snowboard park had me crazily wanting to go there myself. I started boarding after reading the first book, and it has effected my whole life - literally. The second volume of Tantric Buddhist knowledge and wisdom is a western Buddhists crown jewel! These days, people who practice self discovery need something different to re-inspire their journey to enlightenment. If you want a new slant on ancient Buddhist teachings, this is what you've been looking for. It's easy to say, but the messages were so clear that I'm literally a changed person because of them. If you read this, Thank you, Frederick Lenz! I love snowboarding, and I love your books! THANK YOU! I am eagerly awaiting your next epic.

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Summary: Dont' read this book - it might change your life!!
Review: Snowboarding to Nirvana is so exciting that I finished it in only 2 nights - I couldn't put it down. There are really cool spiritual lessons in this book that I will never forget. I've read plenty of books on Eastern philosophy and religion but this one is by far the most fun and inspiring. The meditation techniques explained in the book are great - they are easy to practice and they really work. My intuition is stronger, I feel I'm more energetic throughout the day, I'm happier and more optimistic, and negative feelings and anxieties don't stick around as much! On top of that, the book is full of many adventures and romantic encounters intertwined with some really cool tips on this awesome sport - snowboarding. After reading this book I had to give it a shot! For the women out there - you gotta try it! Read this book and get on the slopes. But beware - you'll get hooked!

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Summary: Little snowboarding, less buddhism, no originality
Review: When I started reading this book, I was expecting snowboarding and mountaineering adventure stories, with a little Buddhist perspective thrown in. The author claims to have been snowboarding the Himalayas, but apparently he didn't even have basic avalanche testing gear with him: shovel, probe, clinometer, etc. The action scenes are basically "I was getting bored so I went snowboarding. When I returned..." Most of the book is dialogue between the author, two prankster gurus and various characters they meet on their wacky, unlikely trek through the Himalayas.

I was surprised at the descriptions of spiritual ideas and teachings. I was expecting Buddhism, but all the ideas seemed like generic new-age fluff, and had little to do with Buddhism aside from a lot of borrowed (and misused) terminology. Towards the end, it became apparent that the entire book is a rip-off of Carlos Castaneda's work. The supposed Tantric Buddhist monks even use terminology like the "second attention" that belongs exclusively to Castaneda, and perhaps to Yaqui Native American shamanism.

It seems to me the author copied the plot of a Carlos Castaneda book, put Buddhist names on two of the trickster gurus and most of the metaphysical ideas, and then threw in lots of uneducated blather about enlightenment. Even the grand finale, the mystical teleportation of the central characters, is stolen from Castaneda.

Aside from that, the writing is poor and the characters are flat. If you liked the new-age spirituality described in this book, go read Carlos Castaneda for a more authentic and thorough description of Yaqui shamanism. If you want Buddhism explained in a simple, entertaining way, go read "Hardcore Zen" by Brad Warner, or "Zen mind, Beginner's mind" by Shunryu Suzuki. If you're looking for snowboarding or mountain adventure books, look somewhere else. This book sucks!