Resources

Books: ‘Natural Freedom’ and ‘The Deep and Vast Freedom of the Dharma’

November 2, 2025

If you haven’t yet come across this selection of teachings, edited by Barbara Terris and compiled by Divya Gupta… I’ve recommended this book in a review on Amazon .
I think you’ll find it worth a lot more than every penny it costs!

The amount of work from beginning to end involved in the production of these works for our benefit is not necessarily obvious…but the number of hours and the attention to detail…with writing and re-writing typing and retyping… editing and re-editng recording transcribing design /layout selection of material management of printing , working with Amazon and other sellers …and other aspects involved in making these books available… is a staggering…display of love!

And so it is that… the long awaited ‘Deep and Vast Freedom of the Dharma’ is now available … my copy is on it’s way ; currently there are a few others available with more in the pipeline.
I’m sure many of us will share in the enjoyment of the fruit of these labours! : )
Machig’s Way, the Book…. text by James Low with images by Diana Collins

April 24, 2025

Full moon… in the early hours, Sunday April 13th

I bought this book, Machig’s Way, to read on my birthday…
it was so very moving…
I’ve just got around to writing a review of it on Amazon…and thought I’d also publish it here so more people might have the pleasure and appreciation of this work of art and heart, with it’s invitation to us all…

‘About twenty years ago I read a book which had a profound impact on the course of my life…
It was ‘The Yogins of Ladakh’… by John Crook and James Low…

It offered many extraordinary insights, including a sense of the depth of James’ wisdom and capacity… which, as a student, deepened and confirmed my confidence…

It also introduced me the story of how, despite the many obstacles in her way… the great dakini Machig Labdron persisted until her goal… of a life of dharma practice… was attained.

Her example illuminated that possibility, and stayed with me …

She had inexorable determination and courage… and although In our day and age, we may have much more freedom to follow the dharma path than she had, these qualities are vital if we want to to use our freedom wisely… and do as she did – responding to the dharma’s heart call and ‘walking the walk’, freeing ourselves from samsaric snares as we go…

This wonderful book, arising as the flower of warm collaboration, is a vivid re-telling of her life.
It brings together Diana’s beautifully evocative images… and James’ expression of Machig Labdron’s words of wisdom…into a dance with us…
so as we immerse ourselves in this, we may resonate with their truth…

She was an inspiration to practitioners of long ago …. and still is, through time, today.
The invitation offered by the dharma, by Machig Labdron, by this book (buy this book!!!) is, as James writes is…

~ to be returned to our own simplicity… and set our own lamp of awareness ablaze ~ ‘

Wonderful indeed!
A Treasure-chest of books of Wisdom is available… plus some help to buy, if needed …

November 16, 2021

This post will be ‘book-ended’ by audio-recordings from two of James Low’s books – the one in the previous post of the Dhammapada from Finding Freedom… and the next will be a chapter from The Collected Works of C.R. Lama.

These books, with others that James Low has written… often re-presenting texts which were the effulgence of the realisation of teachers of a different time and place in ways which make them more accessible to us… challenge, soften, inspire, and invite… helping to bring us closer to realising the ever-present truth of our existence…

One could not put a value to these books, which can be true lifetime companions…rather than a ‘once read – finished’ affair!
Priceless indeed, yet price may put them out of reach.
If this so for you then hopefully the information below will help to bring the book(s) you’d love into your hands, with a smile.

Sponsored Book Fund

Some people find the price of the books to be unaffordable and sadly this stops them accessing the books.
Thanks to the generosity of a kind sponsor, a book fund has been set up to help whoever wants to buy books by James Low, in whatever language is useful for them.

The Fund has been created to give as many people as possible the opportunity to read, reflect and meditate on the teachings and practices in these books.
The aim is to help as many people as we can who want to buy a book but cannot afford to.
As far as possible the Fund will support people in buying a single copy of one, some, or all of the books written by James Low, including the books that have been translated into languages other than English.

It will run for a trial period to see if it works well.

If you would like to make use of this Fund, or have any questions, please email jameslowsbooks [at] pm [dot] me
We will reply explaining how it works and what to do.

Please note that for the security of your personal and financial details PayPal will be used to reimburse you.

There is a permanent link to this information on the Books page on simplybeing.co.uk
Revealing The Great Completion:

July 13, 2021

On the back cover of this book – ‘THIS IS IT’ – you’ll find James has written some explanations.

In the first paragraph he explains how the six distinct parts of the book offer key insights into the Buddhist understanding of how to free ourselves… whilst within the very situations which trap us.

Sounds good?

Then he explains the depth of the resource –
‘It offers diverse resources for study and practice.
Covering detailed analysis of phenomena, tragedies of blind arrogance transformed through tantra, and awakening in the presence of Dzogchen.’

and follows this with two paragraphs of truth to contemplate and realise…each infinitely more valuable than a king’s ransom:

‘The past is gone, the future never comes, and our present is obscured by echoes of our vanished past…
and dreams of our imagined future.
Living in the miasma of our own mental activity we are the pulsations of our thoughts, feelings, sensations and perceptions. We invent what we take to be occurring and then believe that life is what we imagine it to be.

The Buddha dharma offers us many ways to awaken from this delusion and bring us ever closer to the actual.
When we are present in and as our unchanging awareness the mistake of duality vanishes.
Resting in our non-dual presence, every moment is complete in itself and our anxious need to do something, anything, falls away.
No more make-believe, no more illusion, just ease and contentment in the simplicity that: THIS IS IT’

I have been engaging with this book for just a little while but would say, from my own experience, that opening to the variety of teachings therein…
and responding to the images – beautiful, symbolic, striking,
facilitates transformational connections outside of time and space with multiple manifestations of the truth of the buddha-dharma…not essentially different from those around us just now.

My own gratitude is deep, not just for the author’s wisdom but for all those who collaborated in bringing the book to life, applying their unique skills and loving energy… for our delight and ease-ing.’

* Paragraphs reproduced with James approval.