Transformative Learning's topics - tribe.net

basic breath practice and basic mantra practice : nadi shodhana pranayam and White Tara mantra

2008-08-15T17:08:11Z

Re: what to engage in yoga - breath practices and mantra

Re Jennifer on tribe tantra
"What is a good form of yoga to get into for beginners? "

Hi Jennifer.
A simple and profound practice is "pranayama", or breath modulation.
It is used by yoga practitioners at all levels.
It requires no specific religious philosophy.

It is used for many purposes, such as psychological balance, energy balancing, mind-body co-ordination, physical workout warm-ups and warm-downs, kundalini yoga, and as a key practice in Buddhist yogas of primordial pure awareness, such as Great Perfection and Great Seal.

There are also Buddhist kung fu breath modulation practices for martial arts which are sophisticated and powerful.

There are many excellent books available on pranayama.
A basic and most useful pranayama practice is alternate nostril breathing, which is taught in many variations, among the Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists. In Sanskrit this is known as nadi shodhana pranayam.

As with most yoga practices, be careful regarding sensitive times such as pregnancy or illness and do not practice when the stomach is full.

A major source of teaching on pranayama is the 3H0 Sikhs and Yogi Bhajan, who brought a tremendous amount of this material to the West. Do a google search for "kundalini yoga" + pranayam + "yogi bhajan". You can get 3H0 books on kundalini yoga from Ravi Singh and Guru Rattan Khaur Khalsa.

I have and use many texts on tantra and yoga as practitioner and as guru, and pranayama is always of enormous importance in the different lineages, and in my own practice. I began doing pranayam in 1980, and on at least one occasion it has saved my life.

Another major and most useful kind of practice is Sanskrit recitation, or mantrayana.
You can find a basic description of the Vajrasattva mantra at my tribe home, under the picture for "Hundred Syllable Mantra".

The primary source for transmissions of this kind of yoga is the esoteric Buddhist tantra, known to the public under the name "Tibetan Buddhism."

I have completed ten thousand hours of mantra.

A most basic and openly available mantra for healing and developing inner spiritual connections is the Buddhist goddess mantra for Tara:

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MA ME AYU PUNYA JNANA PUSTIM KURU SVAHA

This is for wisdom ( jnana ), long life ( ayu ), noble qualities ( punya ), and spiritual energy ( pustim ). This is a good mantra for protection, for removing obstacles, and cleansing the magnetic field.

A basic practice would be to recite this 100,000 times, and it works better with visualization, pure intention and so forth.

There are many Buddhist books and practice texts for Tara, for example from Snow Lion Publications, at
http://www.snowlionpub.com/

See the book
"Skillful Grace: Tara Practice for Our Time"

at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Skillful-Grace-Tara-Practice-Time/dp/9627341614

If you can do some effective pranayama and some effective mantra then you are a functional yoga practitioner.
If you lack both pranayama and mantra, your practice will remain very very very limited.

Best,

Acarya KT

Sarva mangalam! Siddhi rastu!

posted in Transformative Learning - 0 replies

Manjusri - the Buddhist angel of wisdom / awareness development - references, teachings, orientation

2008-05-18T01:07:10Z

I just posted the following event to tribes centered on Buddhist teachings, meditation practice and so forth.
It fits the definition of this tribe. Perhaps it will be helpful.
Best, K T

Manjusri – Bodhisattva / Angel of Wisdom Intro Remarks/ Resources / Empowerment Seattle 8 June 2008
Summary : One of the central Buddhist mantra ( Sanskrit recitation – deity yoga ) practices is Manjusri, the Great Bodhisattva or Angel of Wisdom. Here the practice is introduced. Significant and diverse resources are referenced. Also, there will be a Manjusri empowerment in Seattle 8 June 2008 at Sakya Monastery ( www.sakya.org ).

Keywords : Mahayana Buddhist deities and practice; great Being of Wisdom ( Mahasattva ) Manjusri, tantric empowerment and mantra discipline; practical usage of mantra for developing consciousness and diagnostics and dialectical skill; HH the Dalai Lama teaching concerning Manjusri; list of Buddhist resources for Manjusri practice.

“Instead of dirt and poison, we have rather chosen to fill our hives with honey and wax, thus furnishing mankind with the two noblest things which are sweetness and light.”
Jonathan Swift

“Know this : whatever the presenting problems we face, the real and deeper issues are more a matter of consciousness, whether of ourselves or others. It’s all arising in the mind, so free your mind, help others do the same, and go from there. Mantra will really really help you in this. Don’t forget this essential practice!”
K T

Namo bodhisattva mahasattva arya Manjusri jnanasattva pujayamai saranam gacchami.
“To the great compassionate angle of universal service, noble Manjusri Wisdom Being, I pay homage, make offerings, and go for refuge.”

The practice of Great Bodhisattva Manjusri is one of the original and central teachings of Guru Sakyamuni Buddha, and is commonly practiced throughout Asia and the world. It is practiced in order to develop mental clarity, penetrating insight ( Sanksrit prajna ) and surpassingly transcendent mystic wisdom ( Sanskrit jnana ).

The practice begins with the basic vows of Buddhist ethics ( Ten Precepts ) and Universal Service ( e.g. Mahayana Buddhist Vows see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva_vows ). These vows and the basic mantra ( Sanskrit recitation and visualization ) practice are common to many Buddhist cultures and lineages from Nepal through Tibet, China, Japan, and now to English speaking practitioners throughout the world. The basic practice is held in common by all.

Thus, though I here mainly make use of Indo-Tibetan derived sources which focus mainly on the esoteric teaching, the main point is that these materials are in fact universal to all the Mahayana schools, such as Zen and Ch’an Buddhism, Pure Land practice and so forth.

Thus, when a Mahayana transmission for Manjusri is given ( whether at Sakya Monastery in Seattle in early June or at some other place and time ), the point is not to identify with the outer cultural context, but to access the inner meaning and practice, which again serves all Mahayana practitioners, schools, and purposes.

There are many forms and practices of Manjusri, and the associated deities Yamantaka ( Wrathful Manjusri ) and Sarasvati ( the Hindu-Buddhist consort of Manjusri ). Here we will not focus on the restricted or very esoteric aspects and practices, but on the basics of deity yoga and why this deity yoga of Manjusri is so deeply meaningful and astonishingly useful.

Simply put, the basic mantra recitation and visualization of Manjusri is a classical and primary Buddhist practice for developing inner or “spiritual wisdom”. . . AND . . . it is phenomenally important as an example of the kind of meditation practice that helps us in areas where we always need help.

Why? Think about this: many people have to spend years in school, to develop professional skills such as in technology, medicine, law, education, management and public administration. Most Buddhists and Hindus have for millennia been practicing mantras to sharpen their minds and thus to become more effective in their professional or communication skills as well as to develop competence in sacred texts.

In other words, the purpose of this practice is not only for ultimate benefit, not only for moksha or liberation from the cycle of unfree existences, but also and very much to develop dialectical and rhetorical skills, diagnostic skills, psychological skills and so forth to become effective in the world.

The practice of Sanskrit recitation, of reciting phrases and invocations is very general purpose, but in particular it is a direct path to sharpening and directing the mind. This is represented in particular by the Sword Of Manjusri, which in the iconography he swings not in anger but to cut through difficult conceptual issues and problems.

We all have inner difficulties and challenges, in our minds, in our relationships, in our work and so forth. Directly working with just this problem is one of the primary goals and teachings of Buddhism for twenty five centuries. Buddhist practice can be defined as developing Wisdom, Compassion, and Power, mainly on the inner spiritual level. The protector and guide of the Wisdom lineage is Manjusri.

A very young student such as in grade school can benefit greatly from Manjusri practice. So can someone who already has a professional degree and has tough technical issues to address. In our time all areas of life become increasingly complex, and require more and more diagnostic approaches. So the question is not whether one should take up a formal method of consciousness development, but which kind.

Manjusri deity yoga is but one example of formal techniques in mantra and consciousness development. If one were to study or practice medicine or psychology, it would perhaps be more typical for a Buddhist to practice Medicine Buddha. If one worked with the arts of fine arts of painting or poetry or music, then the more closely associated Buddhist wisdom deity is the Goddess Sarasvati ( consort to Manjusri ).

If a person worked in police or military professions or in martial arts, then the ferocious practice of Manjusri Yamantaka would definitely be indicated as a specialized need. The empowerment for Yamantaka, the esoteric wrathful wisdom practice is now widespread here in the West. I have thirty three Yamantaka authorization/ empowerments in the Old School ( Tibetan Nyingma ) derived Vajrakilaya transmissions and so forth, plus two grand initiations of Yamantaka specific to the Sakya linage, at Sakya Monastery.

In my personal experience, mantra practice is safe and effective, even and especially where there are real challenges both outer and inner. I rely on mantra practice as a primary yoga, and have completed over ten thousand hours of Buddhist mantra recitation. My only regret in this regard is that in the same interval I could have easily completed twenty thousand hours.

Mantra and Buddhist mantra practice in particular clear away a lot of mental debris and hone awareness to a powerful capability in dealing with ALL kinds of situations. And of course the primary purpose of all Mahayana mantra practice, which is opening up and liberating the mind into a vast sky –like state, is really wonderful to experience, even in part. This actually happens over time, and there are sudden glimpses of “realization”.

As a spiritual discipline or consciousness training technique, Buddhist mantra works as part of a system, an ethical teaching and textual tradition, a psychology and a culture, a wisdom culture. No one can just “do the mantra practice” and ignore all the other primary aspects of the method. And yet, becoming established in this kind of practice is now remarkably simple and straightforward, given all the vast Buddhist resources now available in books, web sites, teaching centers and so forth. This is particularly true throughout the American West Coast, and in major cities throughout the modern democratic countries not subject to the dark speech of Mordor.

So the real purpose here only begins with a basic event announcement for one transmission of Manjusri by one very very worthwhile teacher, His Holiness Jigdal Dagchen Sakya Rinpoche. He is a very important and remarkably generous Buddhist guru, and I have taken major empowerments from him as far back as 1980 and as recently as this year. I recommend him to all who are worthy. Please approach him with humility and respect.

More broadly, the goal here is to make known these kinds of resources, for people in this locale and in many places. For completeness and as an example to help people in the Seattle area, here is the event announcement ( not that I in any way represent Sakya Monastery or His Holiness Jigdal Dagchen Sakya Rinpoche ). From http://www.sakya.org/SpecialEvents.aspx :

[ begin announcement ]

“06/08/2008 MANJUSHRI EMPOWERMENT
Offered by H.H. Jigdal Dagchen Sakya
Sunday, June 8
Time: 10:00 - 11:00 am
Location: Shrine Room
Suggested Contribution: $30 Public, $25 Members
Translator: Dr. Jeff Schoening
Manjushri is the Bodhisattva of Discriminating Insight. He holds the flaming sword for cutting through the fog of ignorance in one hand and the text of the Perfection of Wisdom in the other. Many lamas of the Sakya Khon lineage are regarded as emanations of Manjushri.
His Holiness Jigdal Dagchen Sakya, head lama of Sakya Monastery, was born in Tibet in 1929. He continues the great Sakya lineage which began with Khon Konchok Gyalpo (1034—1102). He received teachings of the unbroken Khon lineage, the Sakya Vajrakilaya, the Hevajra and the complete Lamdre Tsogshe, from his father, H.H. Trichen Ngawang Thutop Wangchul, the last Sakya throne holder in Tibet. He also studied with many other great Buddhist teachers, including Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi and Dingo Khyentse Robsal Dawa.
In 1960, H.H. J.D. Sakya was invited to work on a University of Washington research project on Tibetan civilization which was sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation. At the request of students, he co-founded with H.E. Dezhung Rinpoche Sakya Tegchen Choling, a center for the study of Tibetan Buddhism and culture. In 1984, the center became the Sakya Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism.
REQUIREMENT: During the 24 hours after the empowerment, one must not eat any meat, eggs, garlic, or consume alcohol. One must also be celibate during those hours.”
[ end announcement ]

The Sakya lineage is renowned for vast and profound scholarship, just like His Holiness the Dalai Lama. You have probably heard that HH the Dalai Lama is deluged with honorary doctoral degrees, including another just a few weeks back from the University of Washington. Well, as a very young man in pre Communist free Tibet, his oral examination and defense took three days, with a large number of senior gurus and scholars in attendance. And they were not there to go easy on him, but to be rigorous and demanding.

To help establish some context and background for the empowerment, here is a teaching by HH the Dalai Lama on Manjusri practice:
http://www.lamayeshe.com/otherteachers/hhdl/manjushri/manjushri_4.shtml

This includes both theoretical background and practical teaching and is remarkably clear. About halfway down the fourth page ( manjushri_4.shtml ) there is a description of Manjusri empowerment and practice. A very important teaching on the Dvadasa Nidana ( Twelve Links of Interdependent Origination is given on the first page of this transcript, at
http://www.lamayeshe.com/otherteachers/hhdl/manjushri/manjushri_1.shtml

The above teaching and transmission were given by H the Dalai Lama at the request of Venerable Master Sheng-Yen, a Chinese Zen ( Ch’an ) master. Together they shared a dialogue on Mahayana Buddhist practice, which is of course equally important to the Tibetans and the Chinese.

A three day doctoral degree defense such as that made by HH the Dalai Lama requires extraordinary focus and mental energy. You can bet that before any formal debate, a Buddhist guru will typically work on their Manjusri practice ( or something equivalent ) as essential preparation.

Now similarly, in our own lives as westerners, even a single day technical interview is a real challenge, and I speak from personal experience. A mere three hour technical “drill down” is very demanding when you have to write a lot of whiteboard stuff down flawlessly and very very very quickly for an all or nothing mark from a set of experienced professionals. I just succeeded in several of these sudden death exams myself. In that sense, being a Buddhist scholar and being a systems analyst are somewhat parallel. ( I do a little of both, being an individually trained and licensed vajrayana Buddhist spiritual doctor. )

In both cases, what really helps ( me ) most is doing mantra. Technical training and examination preparation are indispensible, but it is in fact the mantra practice of many many years that I rely upon as the primary means of engaging technical challenges with my mind. I never take coffee, and I use no crutch drugs or psychiatric drugs, unlike basically most of you.

There is no stimulant or prescription drug that can possibly begin help your mind in the way that Sanskrit wisdom mantras can help ( although these may be temporarily helpful ). And we all are facing increasing challenges these days. I sometimes feel bad that many people just don’t get the central importance of mantra yoga, but then again it is for me a major personal competitive advantage.
We need to each develop our own consciousness as much as we can to handle current and upcoming challenges. Life is very changeable, isn’t it? “Readiness is all.” So, you are here given a real opportunity to engage this most practical kind of yoga. And I again fulfill my formal vows ( Sanskrit: vrata, samaya ) of service and teaching.

In the long term, the real purpose is not merely personal benefit, although personal responsibility and ( therefore ) self-development remain the primary focus in Buddhist practice, whether one is rich or poor, male or female, or a citizen of this country or that.

Right now, traditionally Buddhist lands and culture are in grave trouble and serious jeopardy. I have in mind Tibet, and China, North Korea and Burma ( “Myanmar” ), all of which are controlled by totalitarian military regimes. There has been tremendous suffering – even genocide -- in Cambodia and Viet Nam as well, as a good many of you will remember.

Fro ma Buddhist standpoint, the fundamental issues here are those of freedom and responsibility and co-operation for the greater good based on really understanding the law of cause and effect. Not everybody gets that, and right now in particular the totalitarian regime in Burma is blocking the import of desperately needed food, medicine, shelter, and skilled help from France, the United States, and so forth. So the food and the help are there, but the military forces block everyone from even entering the ravaged areas where so many are sick and hungry.

There will always be social problems and disagreements and the threat of force. The point is that no government can legitimately prevent people from receiving basic humanitarian assistance. This is a selfishness and a complete lack of wisdom with extraordinary repercussions. Dealing with intransigent and antisocial and extremely dangerous individuals and groups such as the illegal military regime in Burma requires extraordinary wisdom and wel l developed strategy. And very powerful means of persuasion. So do the very difficult situations in Tibet and China.

So my hope, in doing this outreach and Mahayana teaching work, is to honor those who help, to underscore the necessity of a universal humanitarian outlook free of dogma, and to dedicate the merit of sharing this teaching towards the direct unhindered help of the desperately suffering people in Burma. Know this : whatever the presenting problems we face, the real and deeper issues are more a matter of consciousness. This is clearly demonstrated in the current human rights disaster of Burma: it is not the ocean storm but the military regime that is the real issue.

Buddhist mantra yoga does not “solve” all issues. It is not a substitute for food or clean water. It is remarkably useful in a time of personal or physical crisis, and when sufficiently matured in one’s mind, can keep a person on track to deal with the most severe kind of crisis. For oneself or for others. It’s really valuable for every first responder and every person facing acute distress and trauma.

Another general characteristic of Buddhist mantra discipline is that it can open up and mature psychic capabilities, and also ward off psychological or psychic attacks. There is a more wrathful form of Manjusri ( not necessarily authorized through any one basic Manjusri empowerment ) called Black Manjusri. It is specific to reversing sorcery and black magic.
I have received the Black Manjusri empowerment twice in the Sakya lineage, and the mantra has been openly published. It is:
OM PRASVAD CHUSVAD DURTASVAD DURMISVAD NYIG GO LA CHO KA LA JAH KHAM SAM TAM BAY PAY SWAHA!

So this is broadcast to establish an affinity in the minds of the general public, and as a specifically directed sharp response to the military dictator Than Shwe of Burma.
From the Digital Freedom Network ( http://unix.dfn.org/printer_Than_Shwe.shtml )
“Than Shwe, dictator of Burma and leader of the country's authoritarian military junta, seized power in 1988 after military forces killed 3,000 pro-democracy student demonstrators. Shwe is an unassuming dictator in some senses; his countrymen know little about him and he is not an obviously visible presence throughout the country. He rules by decree, which his junta and military forces carry out, but maintains a low profile.”

So Than Shwe, this Black Manjusri mantra instance and everywhere it is propagated is for you, Than Shwe. As it is said, “Pardon me thou bleeding earth, that I am meek and gentle with these butchers.”
With this I make a rare request, and in public, to the Protectors of the Law ,the dharmapalas : Do Your Duty! Remove the obstacles to freedom and health and democracy in Burma. Now Is The Time. Vajrasamaya! Do It!

Please keep in mind that as a remarkably practical set of inner disciplines, the Buddhist teaching works the exact opposite of Primitive Christianity. Buddhists believe in testable doctrine and humanitarian law and the situation ethics of scalable response, while Jesus of Nazareth was a faith healer and an outright pacifist who rejected legal forums.

In Buddhist practice one becomes the source of help to others, not just someone who stays at the level of praying for this or that from some transcendent other. That’s why there are a basically infinite number of Buddhist techniques for awareness development, compassionate service ( such as medicine ), for yoga, and for warriorship ( kung fu, wrathful protector practices ). It also means that as a formal discipline, the actual practice is what really matters, not mere affiliation hope and faith. I would go so far as to say that the only real “Buddhist faith” is the actual practice itself.

On in inner level, many or most Buddhist practices and yogas are connected to mantra recitation, including the inner practices of Buddhist kung fu at the venerable Shao Lin Monastery. Conservatively speaking, over fifty million to seventy million Buddhists worldwide recite mantras that are directly derived from classical Buddhist India. Many more Hindus - perhaps in the tens of millions - also recite mantra as central or primary spiritual discipline.

Given that the Hindu-Buddhist cultural complex is almost unmatched in the depth and richness and power of inner sciences, it is clear that these people know what they are doing, and maybe there is much more we can learn from such wisdom culture. After almost three decades of direct investigation, I feel I have made a good and useful start on the subject. I hope some of you will be inspired to go forward in such a way, and that you get good results. The door is open, if you so choose.

There are many paths to wisdom and higher consciousness. No Buddhist would ever claim that any one practice or teaching is “best for all”, or claim that anyone will get a specific result with this or that method, or that a certain kind of yoga is categorically more effective in general than some other. That would be more a matter of foolish religious dogma, not the actual practice of inner discipline.

What I commit to here is that many of you do indeed have real opportunities to engage classical Mahayana Buddhist practice, specifically the core practices of mantra yoga, and that if you try this for half an hour or so a day, after one year you can definitely sense whether there is some real benefit worth pursuing further. In one year at this rate it should be possible to complete 1,000,000 recitations of the basic Manjusri mantra OM A RA PA CA NA DHI. That is point at which you will have completed the basic round of practice for a short mantra such as that of Manjusri.

Now, if you continue with self-defeating activities like alcohol and smoking and so forth, or indulge in many cycles of negative thinking, this will really hurt and even nullify this kind of practice. Again, it is not about religious faith in some wholly other divine angel, but in our own inner consciousness and human potential and going forward and upwards with that. Swami Nithyananda of the Life Bliss Foundation ( www.lifebliss.org ) puts it this way :

“Meditation is nothing to do with religion. . . When I started seeking, I discovered extraordinary powers are not miracles or magic. It is reproducible science. .When you calm down, when you bring your thoughts per second down, naturally, you will see the truth very clearly. . .It is an appointment to yourself.”

From
http://www.lotsawahouse.org/intelligence.html ( which retains copyright ):
“Dhih!
Supreme enlightened form of all the buddhas and their heirs,
Throughout the whole of space and time,
Powerful lord of speech and embodiment of wisdom, precious Manjughosha,
Remain forever upon the lotus in the centre of my heart. . .
With the vibrant splendour of the orange sun rising in the sky,
Your youthful form brings to my heart a delight beyond compare.
Adorned with divine garments of silk and with jewels and flowers,
You sit cross-legged, with your long hair tied up in five main knots.

With wisdom’s sword that blazes with the light of intelligence,
You subdue the maras and cut the darkness of our ignorance.
With the fresh and lovely utpala flower clasped in your hand,
You show the mudra of generosity, and grant our every wish.

In the very instant we think upon your perfect form, O precious one,
All the darkness of samsara and deluded perception is at an end,
And you grant us the light with which to perceive the genuine path,
As if the sun’s glorious radiance had been brought into our minds!

‘Gentle Splendour,’ Manjushri, embodiment of wisdom and intelligence,
Respectfully I offer you this seat upon the lotus of my heart,
And I invoke your wisdom mind, O protector,
Through the sovereign of all awareness-mantras.

Swiftly set ablaze a great fire of wisdom within my heart,
A powerful intelligence discerning words and meaning,
Supremely keen, swift, utterly profound and expansive,
Illuminating all, like the mandalas of the sun and moon.

Grant me too the confidence of eloquence,
That is unhesitating, entirely unassailable,
Unhindered, constant, never dissipating—
A vajra-like fearlessness that is indestructible.

Grant me the great treasure of infallible memory,
Which is as broad and all-encompassing as space,
And is entirely unerring, so that never will I forget
Any aspect whatsoever of the words or of the meaning. . .

May I perfect the spheres of study, reflection and meditation,
Shine bright the lights of explanation, debate and composition,
And possess humility, calm, altruism, kindhearted love and faith,
The most beautiful and perfect qualities, as boundless as the ocean.

Through the power of this, may I accomplish vast deeds
To benefit the teachings of the victorious buddhas,
And always delight and be cared for by Manjushri,
Spontaneously accomplishing my own and others’ welfare!

Manjusri Visualization
( from http://yogilin.net/efiles/e0080.html )
“Visualize that, through the nectar blessing of Bodhisattva Manjusri, all sentient beings in the whole Dharmadhatu have returned to the original purity; they all transform and merge into a boundless sky-blue light. Bodhisattva Manjusri, having thus purified all sentient beings, also transforms and merges into this light of original purity. The whole Dharmadhatu becomes a limitless and indiscriminative Oneness.

“In this vast expanse of blue brilliance, suddenly there appears a karma vajra. Above the karma vajra, there appears a magnificent Dharma throne supported by eight snow-lions. Then above the throne there appears, one after the other and one above the other, a five-color lotus, a moon cushion and a sun cushion. At the center of the sun cushion there appears an orange seed word "Di" standing upright.

“ Di transforms into Manjusri with brilliant orange rainbow body, complete with all adornments of a Sambhogakaya, with youthful features, right hand holding the sword of Wisdom, and left hand holding the stem of a five-color lotus that upholds "The Heart of Sublimation through Limitless-Oneness Compassion Sastra." He sits in the lotus posture. In the heart chakra of Manjusri there is a lotus, above which is a moon cushion, and a sun cushion atop. Standing upright at the center of this sun cushion is an orange seed word "Di." Evenly distributed around and above the circumference of the sun cushion are the six syllables that constitute the Heart Mantra of Bodhisattva Manjusri. All six words of this mantra wheel are orange in color and are arranged counterclockwise in their regular order.
OM A RA PA CA NA DHI

“Recite the Heart Mantra and simultaneously visualize that the mantra wheel in the heart chakra is spinning. The word Dhi at the center remains still. The mantra wheel spins clockwise with ever increasing speed. After a long while of spinning, the mantra wheel gradually slows down until it comes to a complete stop. As the mantra wheel spins, it simultaneously emits waves of orange light spreading in all directions throughout the whole Dharmadhatu. With each wave of orange light countless numbers of Bodhisattva Manjusri are sent forth. These Manjusris surf the waves of light to all corners of the Dharmadhatu in order to salvage all sorts of sentient beings.”

The meaning of the mantra OM A RA PA CA NA DHI is given as follows:

OM is universal praise.
A is a door to the insight that all dharmas are unproduced from the very beginning (adya-anutpannatvad);
RA is a door to the insight that all dharmas are without dirt (rajas);
PA is a door to the insight that all dharmas have been expounded in the ultimate sense (paramartha);
CA is a door to the insight that the decrease (cyavana) or rebirth of any dharma cannot be apprehended, because all dharmas do not decrease, nor are they reborn;
NA is a door to the insight that the names [i.e. nama] of all dharmas have vanished; the essential nature behind names cannot be gained or lost.
DHI is the seed syllable of awareness .

There are also longer mantras . . .
( In Sanskrit, from Manjusri Namasamgiti )

"A a: sarvatathagata hrdayam
hara hara om hum hri:
bhagavan jnanamurti
vagishvara mahapacha
sarvadharma gaganamala
suparishuddha dharmadhatu
jnanagarbha a:"

( The same mantra, translated. )

"A a: – the heart of all the Thusly Gone,
Take out, take out – om hum hri:
Vanquishing master surpassing all, embodied deep awareness,
Powerful lord of speech, the great one who ripens,
The complete total purity of all the existents, stainless like space,
Womb of deep awareness of the sphere of reality – a:"

RESOURCES
1 Free downloadable ( pdf format ) Manjusri practice in the Sakya tradition of Indo-Tibetan vajrayana:
ewamchoden.org/texts/Manjushri_orange.pdf

2 Sanskrit written form of the mantra
http://visiblemantra.org/manjusri.html

3 HH the Dalai Lama teaching on Wisdom and Manjusri Practice
http://www.lamayeshe.com/otherteachers/hhdl/manjushri/manjushri_4.shtml

4 A Brief Practice of Manjushri Jnana Sattva Called the "Wisdom of Light":
http://www.garchen.net/GBI-Shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_26&products_id=268

5 Primary Scriptural Reference
“Chanting The Names of Manjusri: The Manjusri Nama-Samgiti”
Translated by Alex Wayman, with extensive commentary.

The book is available from Snow Lion ( www.snowlionpub.com ), item # CHNAMA.

Basic translation available online at www.berzinarchives.com, under
A Concert of Names of Manjushri
('Jam-dpal mtshan-brjod, Skt. Manjushri-namasamgiti)
N.B. The recitation of the phonetic Sanskrit for this text is itself the most extensive mantra for Manjusri.

6 A Manjusri music video on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFN0l-O2Pe0&feature=related

7 Manjusri mantra compact disc:
http://www.namsebangdzo.com/Mantra_of_Manjushri_CD_p/13696.htm

8 “Manjushri and Sarasvati Series” A set of Translations from Lotsawa Househttp://www.lotsawahouse.org/manjushri.html
For example, Manjusri Praise Commentary
From Lotsawa House( which retains copyright ):

A Few Remarks
—An Explanation of the Praise to Noble Mañjushri
known as The Splendour of Wisdom’s Excellent Qualities
by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

Namo guru mañjughoshaya!

This explanation of the praise of The Splendour of Wisdom’s Excellent Qualities has five parts: (i) author, (ii) title of the work, (iii) translator’s homage, (iv) actual main part and (v) conclusion.

I. The Author

Here, some scholars claim that this text was written by Acharya Vajrashastra [1]. Others have said that in the past, in the noble land of India, five hundred panditas were asked [by their abbot] to compose a praise to Mañjushri, and when they did so, Mañjughosha blessed them so that all their praises turned out exactly the same, and they felt confident that this must have come about through Mañjushri’s blessings. It is said that the name of the praise too was taken from the name of their abbot: Shri Jñana Gunaphala.

In any case, the author was someone in whom we can have confidence.

II. The Title

In the divine Sanskrit language of the noble land of India the title is shri jñana guna phala namastuti. In Tibetan this becomes dpal ye shes yon tan bzang po zhes bya ba’i bstod pa.

III. The Translator’s Homage

“I prostrate to the transcendent and accomplished conqueror, the Glorious Gentle-Voiced Lord.” This is the translator’s homage, made before undertaking the work of translation, for the particular purpose of ensuring its accomplishment.

IV. The Actual Main Part

In this, there are two sections: (1) the actual praise and (2) the benefits.

1. The Actual Praise

The first section has three parts: praises to (i) enlightened mind, (ii) enlightened speech and (iii) enlightened body.

i. The Enlightened Mind

Here there is a praise of wisdom and a praise of love.

Praise of Wisdom
Your wise intelligence, O youthful Mañjushri, father of all the victorious buddhas, has thoroughly overcome the darkness of the two kinds of obscuration which are to be abandoned, both emotional ones which are the roots of desire and so on, and cognitive ones which are the roots of confused dualistic perceptions.

How is this? That too is here explained. Imagine the sun free from the obscuring veils of dusty haze and clouds; like this, your wisdom, when it discerns all dharmas, is utterly purified of those stains of delusion that obscure our true nature, and it is brilliant with the light of wisdom that penetrates all knowable things. How this wisdom perceives its objects is also explained. It says that you perceive the whole of reality, everything that exists, all dharmas—even the most subtle—included within ‘thorough affliction’ and ‘total purification’ from visual forms up until omniscience, and you see them directly and nakedly, exactly as they are, clearly discerning their essence and their distinctive characteristics.

At your heart, you hold a book of the prajñaparamita, the complete teachings on the profound and vast graduated paths of the bodhisattvas, in order to symbolize the fact that—as stated above—you possess the twofold wisdom that knows all things exactly as they are.

Praise of Love
All sentient beings without such lasting qualities are trapped in the prison of samsara—from the peak of existence down to the lowest hell of Avichi—where the three doors of their body, speech and mind are shrouded in the thick darkness of ignorance, as they cling to concepts of “I” and “mine”. For all these beings without exception who are, as a consequence, tormented by the three kinds of suffering, you possess a deep, caring compassion. This is illustrated by an example; just like the mother of an only child who loves him or her so tenderly, you, Mañjughosha, have the loving and unbiased wish to rescue from suffering each and every sentient being, who is currently tormented by frustration and pain.

ii. Enlightened Speech

Inspired by this great affectionate love, and seeing the way things are, in order to establish all beings in the highest possible state of attainment, you speak and thereby clearly reveal what should be adopted and what should be abandoned, in a single voice that nevertheless has the sixty melodious tones of Brahma’s speech. ‘What is its function?’ you might ask. When the dragon of thunder lets out his mighty roar, it rouses all other beings from their sleep. Similarly when you speak with the voice that possesses these special qualities, and the beings to be guided hear the great roar of the 84,000 sections of the Dharma thundering in their ears, it rouses them all from the heavy slumber of their disturbing emotions, and breaks through the tight chains of defiling karma, which cast them into samsara, perpetuate it and keep them bound within it.

In order that you might inspire all beings to attain the state of liberation and omniscience, on your right you hold the sword of knowledge, the essence of all the buddhas’ wisdom, which also has its symbolic meaning. On the basis of the wisdom and loving compassion described above, with your enlightened activity of speech, you dispel the darkness of ignorance, in which beings cling to “I” and “mine” and are thus prevented from seeing reality. Since in the process you cut through all the fresh shoots of suffering, such as birth, old age, sickness and death, that develop out of ignorance, you hold the sword of wisdom, symbolizing that this happens cleanly and unobstructedly.

iii. Enlightened Body

In definitive terms, Mañjushri, you are now, and from the very beginning you have always been, a genuine buddha, in whom all the qualities of abandonment and realization are totally perfected, because you completely traversed all ten bhumis, such as the Joyous and so on, and purified the two obscurations, together with any latent habitual tendencies, many incalculable aeons ago. Nevertheless, from a merely provisional perspective, you appear as the foremost of all the bodhisattvas, and demonstrate the means of training as a bodhisattva in the presence of all the victorious ones and their heirs throughout the ten directions.

Moreover, from the perspective of the mantrayana, there is no doubt whatsoever that you, Mañjushri, are a buddha. In fact, this is even stated in the sutras. In the Sutra of the Array of Mañjushri’s Pure Land, for example, it says you have completed the ten bhumis. And in two other sutras—the Surangama-samadhi Sutra and the Angulimala Sutra—you are clearly referred to as a buddha.

Your enlightened form is adorned with the ten times ten plus twelve—which is to say one hundred and twelve—major and minor marks.

Given that you, Mañjughosha, the “Gentle-voiced,” are in possession of these qualities of enlightened body, speech, mind and activity in their entirety, we prostrate in homage before you, showing the greatest respect with our own body, speech and mind, and pray that you may dispel all the darkness from our own minds, and, more generally, from the minds of all living creatures.

2. Benefits

Here there are two categories: the benefits of reciting this for a certain length of time and the benefits of reciting it continuously.

i. Benefits of Reciting for a Certain Time

As regards the benefits to be gained from reciting this, the king of praises, for a certain period of time, someone with faith and diligence, who recites this praise with a pure, altruistic motivation that is untainted by hypocrisy, and who is intent upon complete enlightenment for the sake of others, will receive benefits according to the number of recitations. As they recite the praise once, seven times, twenty-one times, or even a hundred or a thousand times each day for a month or a year or whatever period, they will gain increasing qualities, such as the purification of their obscurations. By reciting it once in this way, the obscurations that obstruct the arising of enlightened qualities will be slightly purified, and they will engage in the four close applications of mindfulness. By reciting it seven times, they will gain the ability to retain the Dharma precisely as they have heard it, which is the direct cause for developing enlightened qualities. By reciting it twenty-one times, they will develop courageous eloquence—that is, the unobstructed intelligence that is the context for enlightened qualities—and thereby apply the diligence of the four correct endeavours. With a hundred recitations, in order that their qualities might be brought to completion, they will gain the power of total recall, so that whatever learning and courageous eloquence they have already gained will never be lost, and they will achieve the samadhi of the four miraculous limbs. Through a thousand recitations, they will gain, as the function of your enlightened qualities, the power of wisdom that enables one to defeat opponents in debate.

Thus it continues, so that if you are able to recite more than a thousand repetitions, you will gain the strength of wisdom, at which point your wisdom will become capable of withstanding challenges from opponents and any other circumstances. This serves to illustrate that you will gain the immeasurable qualities of the paths of training, such as the other powers and strengths (meaning faith and so on), the seven branches of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path, as well as the qualities of the path of no-more-training.

ii. Benefits of Reciting it Continuously

Beyond this, it will be explained how benefits arise from reciting the praise continuously. Someone whose mindstream has been purified through faith, diligence and two-fold bodhichitta, who recites the praise three times a day throughout their lives will come to possess all the qualities mentioned above. Upon the foundation of ultimate bodhichitta, meditating on shunyata (the aspect of wisdom) becomes the direct cause, and compassion (the aspect of skilful means) becomes the contributing condition, for completing the five paths. Then, upon the foundation of relative bodhichitta, skilful means and compassion become the direct cause, and wisdom and shunyata the contributing condition, for reaching the ten bhumis.

As the paths and bhumis are gradually traversed in this manner, the qualities of abandonment and realization grow proportionately greater, and one swiftly arrives at the ‘citadel’ wherein all knowable things are understood with perfect wisdom. At the culmination of the paths, one actualizes the dharmakaya for one’s own benefit. At the culmination of the bhumis, one benefits others through the two form kayas, and, like a great captain, performs the enlightened activity of liberating all beings not only from the crippling sufferings of samsaric existence but also their causes, continuously, for as long as space remains.

V. Conclusion

Here there are three sections: the author’s colophon, the translator’s colophon, and inspiring delight by means of an incidental history. The first of these, which begins “The Splendour of Wisdom’s Excellent Qualities . . .”, the second which begins “the holy translator(s)…”, and the third which begins with “Acharya Dignaga and…” are easy to understand.

The unfathomable benefits and blessings of this king of praises have always been evident, and remain clear even up to the present day. Having first received the transmission for focusing your awareness [2] from a teacher belonging to the lineage, exert yourself in the practice with one-pointed faith and diligence.
Written by Mañjughosha simply as a note to aid his own and others’ memory.
Sarva sata hitobhawatu.
Translated by Adam with the kind help of Lama Chökyi Nyima.

To which K T adds in dedication,
SARVA MANGALAM! SIDDHI RASTU!
May All Beings Benefit! May there be accomplishment!

[ End article ]

posted in Transformative Learning - 0 replies

my friend was murdered...

2008-05-14T16:06:20Z

I had a beautiful fairy friend....
She was a shining spirit - full of life and creativity....
But most of all - she was the embodiment of Pure, Unconditional Love....
She loved everybody - always smiling - always saying "hello Love", "goodbye Love"...
Always singing "Love, Love, Love"....
Her life was a work of art and her being was pure inspiration and joy....
I loved her - everyone she ever met loved her....

Then I found out she was brutally murdered....
She was in Asia - home alone - someone tried to rob her - she fought back and was stabbed to death....
Grief, shock and disbelief overcame me....

I could not get my head around it - I could not believe that this could happen to one of the most wonderful people on this earth....
she did not deserve to go like this....
I could not imagine the fear and terror she must have felt with her last breath....
the thought of it made me physically ill....

I understand that we all must die....
and yes, it's tragic that she had to pass - her time had come - etc....
But NOT like this - how could someone so peaceful and full of unconditional love and light suffer her last day of life like this....
This can not be the way - this is just not fair - this can't be the way the universe works - it just can't.....

A week had passed after I heard the news...
I couldn't come to terms with it....
I was listening to a Pema Chodron discourse on audio....
I was deep in a meditative state...
Then Pema Chodron said "whatever you choose to be aware of - the universe will serve up the opposite to help you become more aware...
if you want to practice patience - the universe will give you irritating situations so you can become aware of your impatience....
if you want to practice mindfulness - the universe will give you mind-less situations so you can become more aware...."

At that moment I received a download from the universe....
My friend was murdered because she believed in unconditional love.... she WAS the embodiment of Unconditional Love...
so she was killed in the worst way in order for her soul to practice and forgive and unconditionally love her killer....
This was her soul lesson...
If she did - her soul would not come back to this earth plane as a human - but ascend to the next realm of Angels and Muses....
The universe always unfolds for our greatest good - to bring our souls closer to source....
The universe only gives you what you can handle.... and her soul must have been so close to pure that she could handle it....
otherwise it wouldn't have been so....

This was the message I received....
and at that moment I felt like I understood....
and an awesome presence of peace came over me....
"she can do it" - I thought... she can transcend....!
I wholeheartedly believed this message - I truly believed that she was liberated from the mortal bondage of death and re-birth and that she has now gone to somewhere higher - where her love and light could do so much more profound work than on this human realm...

Today they found her killer....
he sold the things he had stolen from her home for $300...
that was all her life was worth... 300 dollars....
And instantly, that peace I had felt before vanished....
Instead I heard a voice in my head telling me that what I had realized before - what I thought was a download from the universe - was just my mind's way of rationalizing this heinous crime.... because I could not emotionally handle her death....
The voice said that there is no justice in this universe....
and that my friends death was just a cold, cruel, accident - it could happen to anybody - it just happened to be one of the most precious creatures on the planet....

If this is true - if there really is no rhyme or reason - if it just happened to be wrong place - wrong time - then I am not sure I can go on...
Then this whole world is pointless.... and everything is just random....
and there is no use to try to love - to try to help - to try to heal....
if this could just "happen" - then there is no karma - no wrong or right....

I want to believe that what my insight from the universe revealed was real - that there is some sort of order to this universe - some sort of soul evolution - some sort of kind universally all-loving spirit that guides us for our highest and greatest good....
but my mind is telling me that it's just a big rationalization and that the universe just exists - it is indifferent - and doesn't really care one way or the other...
it just goes on....

I don't know which one is real anymore...
I don't know what is real anymore...
I don't know what the point of this existence is....

I am feeling confused, cynical and a bit schizophrenic by all of this....
any insights from this tribe will be a great help in helping me to sort this tragedy out and come to some sort of terms....
Thank you for just letting me blurt this all out...

posted in Transformative Learning - 3 replies

Experience An India Yoga Odyssey

2008-01-11T01:55:16Z

Experience a Transforming India YOGA Odyssey
(February 21 to March 6, 2008)

Just imagine your airplane touching down at the India airport of your choice – Mumbai or Ahmadabad – on Thursday, February 21, 2008. Awaiting you at the airport is your guide, who will escort you by rail or taxi to your hotel accommodations in Surat City, Gujarat State. You will have arrived just in time to take in the World Yoga Championships, either as a participant or as a spectator. If anyone wishes to participate in the Championships the necessary registration forms can be downloaded at www.lifemission.org. The Championships run from February 22 though February 24. (The Championships were primarily founded as a means for encouraging youth worldwide to engage themselves in the ageless science of yoga for the betterment of body, mind and spiritual development in similar fashion that society worldwide encourages youth to participate in common sporting events.)

Following the Championships, you will be escorted to Malav Ashram for a five night stay, which includes three days of “hands on” yogic training under the expert guidance of Acharya Yogendradev, who has taught in North America, Taiwan, and India

And now – the Tours – you will tour the historic spiritual pilgrimage site of Kayavarohan and visit the Brahmeshwar Temple of Lord Lakulish (the 28th incarnation of Lord Shiva). You will spend 5 nights at a beautiful oceanside resort near the city of Div, overlooking the Indian Ocean with its miles of sandy beaches, and visit surrounding points of interest including the renowned Somnath Temple; a lion wildlife reserve, an ayurvedic clinic of a renowned ayurvedic physician where you will be able to observe the natural preparation of ayurvedic medicines and receive a free medical check-up. You will also have the opportunity to visit the temple complex at Rajrajeshwardham, where Lord Lakulish materialized in his divine body on January 29, 2007. Then – another great grace awaits you – you will have the rare opportunity of having darshan with the highly advanced yogi, Swami Rajarshi Muni.*

Now your yoga trip is reaching its end – on March 6, you will be escorted by your guide to your departure airport for your trip home – to reflect on and absorb your many yoga experiences of the past 2 weeks; the multitudes of wondrous Indian sites you've seen; the unmatched hospitality of its people and the many lasting new friendships you've made.

The cost per participant is $ 695.00 USD. This price does not include your transportation costs to and from India, which is entirely your responsibility, as are any required passports, visas etc. This price does include designated tour accommodations and meals in India, and all ground transportation to the Championships and touring sites in India, as well as ground transportation to and from airports at Mumbai or Ahmedabad. Any profits after all costs have been met will be directed to projects for the poor, including schools and hospitals. For further information, go to www.lifemission.org, or email: Acharya Yogendradev, ggvaghela@yahoo.com; or Dennis Konchak, lifema@telus.net; or Hans Splinter, Hsplinter@cogeco.ca.

* Swami Rajarshi Muni is the author of a vast library of nearly 100 titles in four different languages, including ten books in English. Some of the English titles are: Classical Hatha Yoga, Divine Body Through Yoga; Tenets for the Spiritual Life; Infinite Grace (The Story of My Spiritual Lineage), Awakening the Life Force, and Light from Guru to Disciple. For more information, check the Life Mission website www.lifemission.org and www.amazon.com under Rajarshi Muni

posted in Transformative Learning - 0 replies

Thoughts on learning from the Astral

2007-09-04T15:01:12Z

This is a rich subject about which I can only share my truth. Trust your own information on this topic and take from this only what serves you. It’s been a life-long journey of mine to visit the astral and experience all the magical and otherworldly treasures is has to offer. At a certain point that enticing space began to present the question, “So now you know how to get here, what are you taking back with you?” I did not know.
What are my lessons? And how does this information integrate into my bodyworld? Ultimately that is my highest purpose on this planet—to evolve as a being in this body until the end, when my body is no more.
When I began to cognitively evaluate the astral information I was gleening, I became frustrated, stuck, and needing answers. This overlayed an atmosphere of expectation around my astral journeys and my intuitive information gathering. It is difficult to be open to all that’s before me when I’m in a picture of expectation. In those moments I am only able to see that which I expect. This begged the question, “How much do I miss this way?”
Where I’ve landed at present is that to analyze my higher knowledge information is to try to sift it through a strainer that’s too small—it only allows the smallest of insights to seep through. A technique that has helped me immensely is to say an affirmation or set an intention before and after my astral journeys that goes something like this: “I am collecting valuable information for my highest good. It integrates in my body, mind and soul without effort or analyzation. I evolve towards my highest good with ease and grace.”
I’ve found recently that I do not need to label and cognitively understand a lesson in order to learn and grow from it. Often, I don’t even know I’ve integrated it until I find myself acting differently, or no longer re-acting the same way. . .in other words, being differently. I sometimes even start my journeys with a lesson I’d like to learn in mind. For instance, I may say I’d like to learn about unconditional love. Then I’ll go into my meditation and on to the astral or into my intuitive information. When I’m done I speak my affirmation and simply allow myself to notice how I “am” in life. Sometimes the difference is immediate, and at other times it’s gradual. But as long as I stay open to integration and outside of expectation, I am presented with unlimited lessons, teachers and healings.
Choose and affirmation for yourself that rings true, or use the one I’ve presented. Either way, take comfort in the knowledge that the lessons don’t have to be learned through analysis, pain and punishment, but can be imbued and digested with ease and grace.

posted in Transformative Learning - 0 replies

Sharing a life experience in holding my space

2007-08-27T16:27:04Z

We’ve all been in situations where we find ourselves behaving in ways we know is either contrary to the good of the moment, or not in line with what would be most healing. In these moments our egos are in the driver’s seat. We are driven by our ego’s need for validation and instant gratification. To act outside of our egos is one way in which we can hold our own space. This is often an unfamiliar and difficult task. I have been blessed to have had a recent intense lesson in holding my space.

I’ve had quite an amazing connection with a beautiful and magical man for many years, albeit sporadic. I haven’t seen him in years and he was coming through town with his partner. My task was to be sensitive to his relationship, and not call upon any of our past connection. I knew I’d see this man, but was not sure what form it would take. I was in fear most of the month, preparing for the encounter, or non-encounter that would ensue.

The weekend came. I and some friends attended two concerts this man and his partner put on. There was no drama, and for most of the two nights I was simply happy to be listening to his beautiful music.
There was also a very contrived and rigid lack of recognition. He would not look at me, nor talk to me. This is as I expected.

It wasn’t until the last moment of the final concert night that I got my biggest test. I had held my space well up until that point, not allowing my ego to search for and validate our past connection. The last song brought in some of his amazing magic, and my heart opened in such a beautiful and painful way. Here was magic, magic I had been the recipient of at one point – a magic I was no longer able to touch. I watched my ego go through a small death as I realized this once amazing connection was not for me, not for now. I so desperately wanted simply some eye contact to validate my ego’s belief that I had been special. But there was none of that.

So I watched as this sadness engulfed me, then moved out. Holding my space in that moment, not allowing my ego to receive its validation, offered me a release. In that release I gained more room for myself, and my open heart began to fill with compassion instead of sadness.
I was able to hold some non-judgmental room for the process this man needed to go through for the sake of his current relationship.

My friends were some of my greatest teachers that weekend; grounding me when necessary, role-modeling loving compassion, and offering me unconditional support. I’m grateful to them, and thankful for my lessons.

I used my energetic tools constantly during that experience to help the fear remain fluid and not stick. My tools enabled me to watch and experience my little ego death. And it’s quite ironic that with each of those moments comes more of our own divinity.

posted in Transformative Learning - 0 replies

Thoughts on Grounding

2007-08-17T15:00:50Z

Ok, so let me preface this post with some logistics. This is basic information for this tribe because the original audience for this article was those new to meditation, but the information is still information I'd like to bounce off those in this tribe.

So what exactly is grounding?

As we interact with each other we exchange pieces of ourselves in the form of energy, moods, opinions and behaviors. These pieces float around our space and often begin to cloud our perceptions and actions. A good example is when you interact with someone who’s in a terrible mood. In just a few minutes you could find yourself in a terrible mood as well, even though the circumstances of your day have not changed at all. This is because you are picking up someone else’s “stuff” and holding onto it. You begin to function through those elements as though they were your own.
Grounding creates an exit hatch for foreign elements, and the old patterns that no longer serve you. You can view it this way; ungrounded electricity is potentially fatal, while grounded electricity serves many of our daily needs. The ability to harness and direct raw power is a cornerstone of our evolution. So now the task is applying that same skill to our own lives.

When we find ourselves frenetic, or behaving in old patterns even though we know better, it’s likely we are not grounded. In other words, we are not directing that raw energy towards a healthy channel.

The more we practice grounding, the more clearly we are able to discern our own dynamic from that of others. We start functioning from our own truth instead of expectations others place on us.

How many of us pursued careers our parents pushed us towards? How many of us are raising our children the way our parents raised us? How many of us respond the exact same way in our current relationships as we did five, ten or twenty years ago? These are all ways in which we could be functioning through other’s elements, or even our own antiquated patterns. Grounding helps clear that space. We can then have an authentic reaction to the moment or situation, rather than a prescribed response.

It’s a process that releases much unnecessary clutter, and reveals a cleaner representation of yourself. As you start grounding be prepared to look in the mirror and begin noticing facets of you that may not have been evident before.

posted in Transformative Learning - 0 replies

Beyond Words, Aug. 9th at OneTasteSf

2007-08-07T22:51:36Z

*feel free to re-post where appropriate

"Beyond Words: clarity and intuition practices for listening and communication": This class is designed to provide tools, exercises, and practices that enable an individual to creatively use their own abilities of intuition to navigate listening and communication within their relationships and specifically within relationships that have an element of a power dynamic (D/s and M/s relationships). Ever wanted to be able to listen from a place of clarity and stillness, and respond from a place of clarity and not react from old patterns? We will explore the basics of intuition, developing intuition, ways of listening, practices around listening and shifting how we hear people. We also look into what it is to communicate, ways of communication, clear communication practices, and looking at the masks and ways we "play" with different dynamics and how to best communicate from those roles we choose to play with. This is a great class for couples.

Arielle Webb is a queer Leather Dyke and self-identified faerie critter. She has been active in leather communities since 2003 and has taught classes for Screw Up, Youth Gender Project, GenderBlast, the SF Citadel, the Journeyman's Academy, Society of Janus, SM Oddysey, and the Wet Spot in Seattle. She discovered her path of service in 2004 and is currently apprenticing in Toltec Shamanism with various teachers on her path towards awareness and awakening. Her passions and inspirations are the merging of BDSM and spiritual worlds to create openings for transformation and awakening with play, fun, love, and joy.
$25/person

Register here: http://onetastesf.com/ot/ot_calendar/index.php?p=register&id=115&t=connected

August 9th, 7-10pm

posted in Transformative Learning - 0 replies

When love becomes a hard, transformative lesson...

2007-07-07T19:22:30Z

What have you learned about being in love?

I've learned that being "in love" is really self-karma... in which the "infected" person is outer-directed to such an extent that they don't see how the object of their desire is really nothing more than a distorted mirror reflection being held up to them.

Less abstractly, we "blame" the other person for making us feel the way we do... giddy and goofy, emotionally puddled and hormonally maxxed out.

But hold the phone...

When such person's karma mate does not fulfill the role that has been assigned to them with high expectations to continue feeding the insatiable craving for more juice, more sex, more play, more stuff, more attention, more more more everything, the "house of cards" comes tumbling down unexpectedly.

"You (fill in the blank) !!! Why won't you love me like you used to?"

The breakdown is inevitably followed by anger, frustration, tears, argumentum-ad-hominem, etc., until holding the breath and stamping the feet no longer get the same response that they did as a child with mommy or daddy.

And life moves on whether we like it or not.

But, as sung by Steely Dan, "You go back, Jack, and do it again...wheel turnin' round and round..."

Sooner or later this "vicious cycle" gets boring and you wake up to what's being perpetrated. Or, more accurately, what you're perpetrating on your self. Then you either go back for another wild ride on the reincarnation roller coaster, or you leave the theme park for good, no regrets, and whistle into eternity with a big grin on your face.

Welcome to my sandbox.

posted in Transformative Learning - 3 replies

"spirituality depends on money?"

2007-07-03T13:46:39Z

I posted this on another tribe in response to a member's question, and it seems like a good conversation to have here as well.

"...is it only to me, or, today even spirituality depends on money?

Even teachers have to eat, pay rent and take care of other physical needs.

It can be difficult at first to exchange something that you can measure-and-compare (money) for something which is invisible and hard to describe. But to free oneself of the burdens of mind, to find oneself basking in the glow of unconditional love, to see through the illusion of death, to suddenly know everything without knowing how or why.... these are priceless. To suddenly be free of mental programming and discover true choice, to fall into the deepest of ocean of love and recognise one's place in the cosmos, well, money does not begin to properly exchange for such experience.

We exchange with our teachers so that they will be able to offer the same grace and enlightenment to others. It isn't really an exchange for-what-we-want, or for what we receive. It is simply a way to ensure that our teachers can continue their work. It is also an expression of gratitude, which communicates as much to ourselves as to our teacher.

When we exchange something valuable, that-which-we-have-received becomes more valuable to us. We will cherish and honor it. But when we receive some non-thing for "free", it is easier for mind (ego) to set it aside, hold it in contempt, make it worng, or even for us to feel "unworthy" to have received it.

It is truly to our advantage to make valuable exchanges for our spiritual training, as it ensures that our minds will allow us to keep our gains. I know for myself, there have been times when I lacked gratitude, and soon lost what I had gained. Likewise, when I have assisted others for "free", they lacked gratitude and I watched them return to their old ways and perceptions.

In years long-past, we could exchange our time for our training... but that doesn't work too well anymore (unless you are living at an ashram). Money just happens to be the easiest form of exchange today.

I wonder if on some primitive island somewhere, there isn't some young aspirant complaining that a powerful shaman wants too many cowrie shells for his services... should this student be stubborn and try to find another cheaper shaman, or should he go to the beach and collect more shells? It is a dilema that has slowed spiritual progress for millenia.

However, when we truly know what we desire and where to find it, no "cost" is too large. What we receive is timeless and priceless, while what we give is fleeting and, in the long run, worthless. So perhaps this dilema is the universe's method of ensuring that only the "ready" will advance? That's the question I have. But I do not expect an answer, I just expect to keep observing it.

posted in Transformative Learning - 2 replies

Ideas for Contemporary Morality Story/Fine Art Photo Shoot

2007-06-29T19:29:43Z

I need your help - your brainstormed ideas . . .

I am starting to organize a story that is a morality play or sorts for my 6 year old Godson, whom I coparent. It will include a yound man setting off in the world and encountering archetypal beings and situations that engage him and end up teaching him somthing essential about living a fulfilling life. the main character will be discussing these situations and beings with a wise person from time to time. I am an artist. You can see some of my work on my profile pics. I will be doing a photo shoot (B&W infrareds) for every chapter in the story. I will be compiling the story and images into a small, hand bound book. I'l make about 100 editions of the book.

What I need help on is the story:
* What do you think the most important things are to learn and integrate to live a fulfilling life?
* What are the best ways to deal with disapointment and loss, with death?
* What are the most essential archetypal situations that teach us the most about living a fulfilling life?
* What archetypal characters teach us the most about living a connected, passionate, and loving life?
* What situations would you create to teach the main Character the foundations of a connected, passionate, and loving life?

Any ideas will be most appreciated.

~ Daniel

posted in Transformative Learning - 1 reply

The Value of Failure

2007-06-08T16:59:59Z

Hello folks - I want to share with you a recent experience I had that has completely shifted my experience of myself and the world I live in:

For the last four years, I have been trying to create a life in which I can make enough money to sustain myself without having to get caught up in the corporate "machine". I have had some significant successes in this area, but overall it's been a very difficult, long struggle.

Normally, when I focus my intention upon something, I am successful at it, but in this case no matter what I did, I somehow managed to screw things up.

Finally, after many recent weeks of agonizing, I came to the simple realization that all my efforts have led to the complete and total failure to reach my goals - not just in my career, but in literally ALL worldly matters. I had progressed significantly in my spiritual journey, but my worldly journey has gone totally in the toilet.

After coming to that realization, something deep inside me let go, and suddenly I discovered that it's okay to be a failure - there's no need to fight it. It's just an experience like any other. As I integrated this realization, I found that I could be more emotionally vulnerable with my friends, which allowed me to experience myself from a place of Heart - something I had always found very difficult, as mentally-oriented as I am. But now it comes more naturally, and I'm finding it very easy to let go of that compulsive mental-body identification because now I have someplace to GO - my Heart.

It's a very liberating experience, and although it was a painful process to get here, I can't imagine that I would ever have been able to surrender so deeply without the many years of struggle that ultimately led to failure - an exquisite failure for which I am infinitely and humbly grateful. Obviously there is still a lot of work left for me to do, but this was such a powerful defining moment, I thought I would share it with you.

posted in Transformative Learning - 17 replies

Good online resource

2007-04-06T16:19:26Z

There are a lot of great resources for developing self understanding on www.psychresources.net.

posted in Transformative Learning - 1 reply

Seeking Therapists & Alt Healers & Beauty for Session Space (haight ashbury)

2007-03-15T17:48:02Z

Seeking Therapists & Alt Healers & Beauty for Session Space (haight ashbury)

Hi

Not sure where to post this so I'm starting here.

I am a female Reiki and Herbal Massage Practitioner and Lifestyle Consultant.

I am restarting my practice after a few years break. (marriage, travel, study, etc.)

Seeking fellow therapeutic, alternative medicine, beauty practitioners, lifestyle consultants who would like to join energies and lease a nice multi room apartment in the Haight / Cole neighborhoods for session rooms.

I also have web and graphic design and marketing experience and by pooling resources and skills we could co-create a profitable spa like healing and relaxation oasis.

Licensed and Unlicensed are welcome for certain practices where legally appropriate, but must follow hygiene, presentation, allergy, and safety guidelines.

Looking for people who have funds to pool for deposits, rent in advance, advertising etc.
Rough estimates of costs and commitment per practitioner:
Suggested is $2000 each for deposits, leases, start up etc.
Monthly $650 to $850 each for rent, utilities, advertising.
2 hours each per week hand marketing (flyers, web boards, etc.).

Only serious inquiries who have funds and are reliable please.

Thank you
ozzyrubdown @ gmail . com

Dharma Anurag
http://www.aboriginalreiki.com

posted in Transformative Learning - 0 replies

Transformative Learning

2007-03-12T16:52:48Z

Hello all

I teach transformative learning "playshops" which are geared toward the continuous experience of present time. I've come out of the "guru-free" system of rebirthing, and have moved through many different disciplines to find the core mechanics of shifting. Fundamentally, this simply means a movement of attention, and trust, from the past to the present. There is of course a lot more to it - though the mechanics are simple, they do require a bit of "unlearning". My work (presented as free online self-study) is at "www.freeoflimits.com".

Anyhow, I had the idea that others on this tribe might be interested in discussing techniques and / or trading training time. Not sure what that would look like, but I always enjoy learning. I also do "body language energywork", which you can read about at my site.

Cheers, I look forward to connecting with you

Brian

posted in Transformative Learning - 0 replies

New friend, want to know you all

2007-03-10T13:06:04Z

Hi, everyone. I come from China. I am very interested in Traveling. I want to share my experience with you all.

posted in Transformative Learning - 0 replies

New to Tribe - Introducing myself

2007-03-05T21:57:15Z

Hello,

I'm Sean and have recently signed up. My hope is to connect with like-minded seekers who want to be part of positive change in the world.

I make art, teach yoga and artmaking workshops and sometimes do bodywork (mostly Thailand massage). I'm a fairly new transplant to the Bay area from San Diego, and before that, Africa.

I am facilitating an upcoming workshop in the Soma district (18 March): drawing mandalas for insight and transformation. Please contact me for more information or check out the listing:

http://sanfrancisco.tribe.net/listing/FINDING-CENTER-A-MANDALA-WORKSHOP-IN-SELF-DISCOVERY-HEALING-AND-TRANSFORMATION/san-francisco-ca/87421666-a882-457a-bdd6-b014f6179cd1

blessings to all.

namaste

posted in Transformative Learning - 2 replies

The Use of Video

2007-01-18T18:13:16Z

Is anyone playing and using video filming to help in the transformative process?

posted in Transformative Learning - 1 reply

Tibetan Yogas of Dream & Sleep - Maui - Jan 25-28, 2007

2006-12-28T06:55:39Z

Free Public Talk
Thursday, January 25, 2007 6:00 PM
Location: Jan 25 Kahului Borders Maui

3-Day Workshop
Jan 26-28 Ko`lea`lea Retreat Center
1120 Kaupakalua Road, Haiku, Maui, Hawaii
Haiku, Maui, Hawaii 96708 view map

More Info: www.DreamYogaMaui.com

"We spend a third of our life sleeping. No matter what we do, however virtuous or non-virtuous our activities, whether we are murderers or saints, monks or ibertines, every day ends the same. We shut our eyes and dissolve into darkness,. We do so fearlessly, even as everything we know as "me" disappears. After a brief period, images arise and our sense of self arises with them. We exist again in the apparently limitless world of dream. Every night we participate in these most profound mysteries, moving from one dimension of experience to another, losing our sense of self and finding it again, and yet we take it all for granted. We wake in the morning and continue in "real" life, but in a sense we are still asleep and dreaming. The teachings tell us tha twe can continue in this deluded, dreamy state, day and night, or wake up to the truth."

If we cannot carry our practice into sleep, if we lose ourselves every night, what chance do we have to be aware when death comes? Look to your experience in dreams to know how you will fare in death. Look to your experience in sleep to discover whether or not you are truly awake.

In order to fully travel the path to enlightenment, all of life must be recognized and engaged as spiritual opportunity. Tibetan yoga has, from ancient times to the present, used the dream and sleep states both as aides to the path and as complete paths in themselves. During this teaching, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche will explain the dream yoga and give instruction and transmission for its practice.

Dream yoga is not only a practice to be done in the dream state. Its understanding and methods work with all moments of life, waking and sleeping. Preliminary practices are engaged to bring greater awareness to each moment and to turn the practitioner's mind from engagement in dualistic preoccupations to integration with the boundless view of the non-dual path. Concentration practice steadies the mind, and yogic practices done during waking periods in the night carry awareness into the sleep state. Eventually the practitioner develops the capacity for lucid dreaming--knowing during the dream that one is in a dream. Once lucidity is stabilized, the dream state is used for tantric practice, for healing, for the development of insight, and finally for the direct penetration into the truth that underlies both the dreams of night and the dream of our waking life.

The focus of dream yoga is integrating with the clear light state of our natural mind. By following precise instructions, the practitioner develops awareness of the onset or presence of dreams; having recognized the dream experience as a dream, the advanced practitioner is able to experience its nature with clear non-conceptual awareness. For less advanced practitioners, becoming lucid in the dream allows one to work with the various manifestations--one can overcome fears, perform actions normally beyond one's capacity, and gradually increase dreams of clarity. In this system, ordinary dreams are understood to be caused by habitual propensities ssociated with previous actions and experiences conjoined with the energy of the mind. Eventually these emotional dreams can be transformed, liberated, or brought to the path by the accomplished practitioner.

Tenzin Rinpoche will talk about the practice of dream yoga both from the point of view expressed in the text as well as from his own unique experiences.

people.tribe.net/TenzinWangyalRinpoche
www.DreamYogaMaui.com
www.ligmincha.org

posted in Transformative Learning - 0 replies

SelfAwareness*~--ThinkingRevolution--;;Listening;;

2006-08-07T17:10:04Z

http://sitepalace.com/StevenMannettetje/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/selfawarenessthinkingrevolutionlistening-
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/realize2actualize/

posted in Transformative Learning - 0 replies

greenways and wetlands

2006-04-11T03:20:47Z

in my thoughts, I see the water of light, with particles that dance with the rhythm of life. I wish so that we can intend a transformation of loving water working with us to heal, educate, activate and recreate our communities. Imagine that we can work it from south to north, west to east. Connecting on a walk, the greenways and wetlands from where ever we are in the valley, forest, urban and flat. Keep on truckin' in the garden. The workload, the imagination. The group sessions that keep us movin. Peace. Natural Time. Discovery.

Greetings everyone, we are HEAR
Earth Catalyst Action Network

It is the earth and its communities of urban and rural abode
that we sting. We travel to those that are interested in hearing what it is all about, involving all those who have a stake in peace, health and well being.

We take the Time to listen, work together, organize and deliver.

Our purpose is to bridge the communities of a region, and to spread loose the seeds of change,
always for the better of our human and ecological family. We vote with our future in mind, our past in the behind, and now so that we all make a difference.

We welcome all to volunteer in the garden of life. One Love!

HEARINk.tribe.net

posted in Transformative Learning - 0 replies

More on the subject of Nothing

2005-11-30T21:51:45Z

I want to talk about this again, because the minute I achieve a clearing called nothing, life is created anew, new possibilities open up, real magic becomes possible, so I must continue writing, discussing nothing to reaffirm it in my life.

It really makes no sense, it doesn’t even have any meaning, it’s beyond reason of everything and anything we know to be true to say that the secret to life is getting to nothing.

It occurs to us that life is just what it is, so we assume, we make life into our own meaning, we create our own reasons, we live in our own past and future because we think that what is, is nothing special. But real life is magic, what is, is beyond our imagination, and because we made it into our reasons, our meanings, life became something else and we lose the magic in those moments.

Magic, miracles, possibility only become possible when we create a clearing called nothing. A blank space must be achieved again and again to have everything and anything become possible in your life anew. And its always transformed from the way it was, its better then it was every time, this new possibility from the clearing called nothing.

See enlightenment is not a destinations, magic can only become possible by the clearing you create once you get to nothing, magic can’t be created from your meanings, reasons, past or future. Magic is created with words that you declare from a completely new space in the moment of now. You must attempt to reach the space of nothing, then declare with your magical words your possibility, and finally share this new possibility with everyone you can. This will recreate your life. Be nothing, then Be a new possibility, then share this new possibility, then do this new possibility, then you will have every possibility you desire for you life. Be – Do – Have in that order and the magic will appear in your life.

In the old way of thinking, you went about doing things, living in your past or future to be something, to have what you want, but this way isn’t the path. Look deep inside your self, you will discover the truth in what I am saying, its an ongoing process to get to nothing, in fact its not even possible to be in nothing for very long, the minute you reach it, you empty your cup of life, life fills it again. When you shut down your thoughts in meditation, thoughts come rushing back in, but if you are stuck with the past problems and beliefs/thoughts of your life, these do not serve you, you are putting your past or future into your present possibility, thus possibility can not be created, and we wonder why, so we must constantly reaffirm nothing to have everything and anything!

posted in Transformative Learning - 4 replies

Definition

2005-09-11T18:02:52Z

I'm writing a paper on TL and wondering if the definition posted on this
tribe is published in print anywhere. Can someone please help me with
the reference if there is one? :)

Warm Wishes!
Leslie

posted in Transformative Learning - 1 reply

welcome to a new website

2004-12-05T11:44:11Z

hello all i have started a new website for india.plz see it and sign it...are you interested in india?
www.penpal4ever.com
my name is premraj.i am from india.plz write to me soon.
i am 34yrs old single man from india.

posted in Transformative Learning - 0 replies

Curious

2004-04-17T02:33:28Z

Hey there folks. Saw the tribe and thought that it looked interesting. I have started a tribe called Renaissance Farms. I have ideas about connecting people and also about how to get more people excited about the idea of learning. I would love to hear some of your experiences and if there are other places to look into Transformative Learning. Part of my idea involves eventually setting up mentoring programs and cross cultural programs so that we can start building a populace that is willing to at least try to understand the other person's viewpoint. Hopefuly they might learn something that they think is cool and continue on with it. Here is the blurb from my tribe. Stop over and see what you think.

Peace
Andy

I think that we are at a point in society where we are either going to drop into a new dark age or kick off a new renaissance. We need to get people together and get their imaginations and excitment going. This is a tribe for people who want to kick around ideas about how we can do this. We can wake up the adults and start the kids off right.

posted in Transformative Learning - 1 reply

Testing system II

2004-04-15T23:58:31Z

Just checkin it out. Katie thanks for creating this!!

posted in Transformative Learning - 0 replies

Testing system

2004-04-15T20:21:57Z

Hi,

I'm testing the system to see how this message board works. Anyone here?

posted in Transformative Learning - 0 replies