Some things are surprising, you know? I am always surprised that the Seven Chapters are not widely practiced in the West. I don't know of a Nyingma monastery or nunnery anywhere in the world where this isn't one of the core, daily recitations.
Maybe the problem had something to do with translation, although I don't see why it should. Mike Dickman made an attempt in A Treasure Trove of Blessing and Protection a while back, but for some reason it never caught on. These are prayers by Padmasambhava himself, so why aren't they more popular at the various (ugh) "dharma centers?"
Now, Namse Bangdzo Bookstore, which is my favorite online source for Tibetan translations, can send you a copy of Chhimed Rigdzin Rinpoche's 2008 translation of Padmasambhava's Seven Chapters of Prayer, beautifully presented in English, Tibetan, and as a transliterated performance guide.
I got one of these as a birthday present for a very dear friend of mine, and was thoroughly delighted when it arrived. This is a nicely done "prayer book" edition from Germany, 316 pages, and quite definitive. If you are looking for one book to take along on the cruise, deployment, hospitalization, incarceration, flight to Australia, waiting in line at DMV, retreat, etc., etc., this is the one.
Very, very, very highly recommended.
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