<DIV>What would you see if you looked directly at your mind? The Tibetan Buddhist teachings on mahamudra are known for their ability to lead to profound realization. Peaceful and infinitely adaptable, these teachings are as useful for today's busy world as they have been for centuries. Written by the tutor to the seventeenth Karmapa, <i>Essentials of Mahamudra</i> is a commentary on Tashi Namgyal's famous <i>Moonlight of Mahamudra</i>?a text that the sixteenth Karmapa had identified as the most valuable for Westerners. Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche recognized that Western meditators don't just need to know how to maintain meditation practice; they need to know why they should do it. Unmatched in its directness, <i>Essentials of Mahamudra</i> addresses both these needs, rendering one of the most advanced forms of meditation for our everyday lives.</div>