Someone who visits this blog sent me a very nice review although I only sent her three quarters of the book. This is typical. When she told me that, I had to re-send the book to Stan the Man, an agent. He hasn't gotten back to me yet, but that's okay. Here's what she said. I'm sure she won't mind me inserting it here.

I FUCKIN loved the book!

The title intrigued me from the start - you dont hear much about the dakinis! It took me a while to work out the heathen girlfriend is the dakini???!!!! wow - I mean , I get it  if I were her it is a bit close to the bone but jeez john what a wonderful description of the 3 glass psychotic syndrome - beautifully observed - I could see myself. HOWEVER the inner heat the inner heat - well blow me down with a feather , right enough I have been experiencing it for 15 + years easy but not till the moment that you spoke about the irony of sitting next to a spontaneously boiling dakini did I recognise it as a blessing, have a giggle and breathe out!

You manage to get some of that esoteric stuff across in the most enjoyable readable terms - im inspired to have a go at the vase breathing myself now i know i can produce the inner heat haha! The anecdote of the WHACK was alsomagnificently done -

The carryons are delightful and It´s also just a lovely wee record of the development  down the years of the Samye Ling centre  - so well done indeed amigo!

In the version you sent me, chapter 16 ends 

                The reader hasn't gotten back to me yet, so maybe the end effed it up for her. Because of her impressions, someone in St Lucia asked to see that book. That was about ten days ago, so no word from her either. The first person to read it was someone I was on pilgrimage with in India and she said it was "really good". The first person I sent it to was a friend of mine, someone I've known for ever, but she never got back to me so it wasn't for her, or she deleted it, or ...

                I wasn't able to send the book to Luath Press since I don't have a printer these days, but they are hosting readings from their authors next Sunday morning, so I got notice of this in my emails a couple of days ago. I guess I'm on one of those lists. No problem going. It's free.

                I came to write this post because of the change in the meditations. The dial has definitely moved. It like something gradually "opening".  You can feel the change in the after-effects of the vase breathing, but just sitting there is a bit different: more bliss. Hard to describe this kind of thing, but I sent my friend in Belgium an email about this change.  

                While this was going on at the start of last week, I was having the worst time psychologically. I was not a happy bunny. And in this condition it is hard to calm the mind. The development in the inner heat stuff seems to be ongoing despite anything I feel about life otherwise. Anyway, there was a story about Marpa, the guru of Milarepa, having depression. I couldn't realise how you could be enlightened and depressed, but I've got a better insight to that now.  The meditation sessions won't make up for you living your life like a moron. And the after effects of being an idiot are going to leech in. 

                    I've been to four plays in the Fringe. The best one by far was The Grand Opera House Hotel, which was brilliantly performed and most enjoyable.