doc benway

The three doors are body, speech, and mind. The practices involve connecting with stillness in the body, silence of the speech, and spaciousness of the mind/heart. Each of those are doorways to connect us to the inner refuge, the nature of mind. Here is a link to the first in a 5 part series of free videos on the topic. http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/30264539 The other parts can be found here - http://ligmincha.org/index.php/en/programs/internet-teachings-podcast.html Scroll down to March 23, 2013 - The Gift of Inner Refuge series Another way of learning the practices is through the book, Awakening the Luminous Mind. It was my first exposure to Bön and Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and is a wonderful resource.

A bit more about the practice - There are four basic components: 1. Upon awakening we review the night's experiences, give thanks for success, be OK without it, and recommit to the practice in the coming day 2. Throughout the day we continually remind ourselves - "this is a dream", especially when confronted with challenging situations and strong emotions. And we try to connect like this at a deep level through the practice of the three doors 3. Before sleep we review the experiences of the day, purify with breathing exercises, and set a strong intention to have clear and lucid dreams through meditation and prayer 4. As we go to sleep we practice different sleeping positions, breathing, and visualizations to induce specific types of dreams related to the 4 qualities of enlightened mind - peaceful, increasing, powerful, and wrathful. Finally, as we begin to see progress, there are exercises to work on in dreams to develop and stabilize the experience further. Really good stuff but not without a fair dose of tradition. It's interesting, Rinpoche is one of the more progressive Tibetan teachers out there but in the dream teaching he maintains a fair bit of tradition. I'm beginning to think that he is actually quite traditional and that what appears to be a secularization of traditional Tibetan methods is really tradition in disguise. Happy dreams!

If you are truly feeling compassion, if the heart is fully open, and love is free-flowing, sex will simply take care of itself. If there is a true consensual need for it, it will happen naturally and lovingly. Otherwise, it will not disturb you. If you are struggling with it, then you are not open and the compassion is either not there or not genuine and complete. If you are in that place, as most of us are, then foundational practices are helpful. They cut through the thought stream and stabilize the mind.

Not true, actually...

My practice is dzogchen in the Bon lineage of Zhang Zhung Nyen Gyu. My secondary practice is Dream Yoga from the Ma Gyu Tantra. I have not found this forum to be a comfortable or supportive place to discuss specific results. I can say that the practices have profoundly impacted my life, work, and relationships in beautiful ways so I would say, yes - good results.

The kingdom is non-local, it is all positions and has no position. It is inside, outside, both, and neither. It is heaven and hell, nirvana and samsara, and none of those. It is the you, the I, who makes the error of imputing a point of reference by limiting itself based on the arising of thought and through our limited sensory apparatus that creates the question which really makes no sense from the perspective of the kingdom.

There are two different things -1. Practicing meditation while lucid in the dream state. This is a part of dream yoga. 2. Achieving "lucidity" in sleep in the absence of dream. This is referred to as sleep yoga or the sleep of clear light.

One of my current practices is dream yoga. Through this practice we begin to see the nature of dream and, through that, the nature of wakefulness. As we begin to see that they are of one taste, the distinction softens. Rather than concerning myself with how much or little I should sleep, I'm more focused on being conscious, being lucid, whether I am living in the waking or sleep dream. To address the original question, I find that skillful meditation is as restful and rejuvenating as sleep. I think that as we are able to more fully and completely rest during our waking meditation, our physiological, energetic, and psychological need for sleep can diminish. And imagine when we are skillful enough to meditate in sleep as well! I've had a few, brief experiences of this but it's very inconsistent still.

I very much liked Osho's book, When the Shoe Fits. It helped me to get a grasp on some core spiritual and Daoist ideas that have helped me along the way. I've also gotten a lot out of several quotes, like the one paraphrased below: True religion is an individuals internal search for truth, everything else is politics. I tried to read other books of his but could never really connect. I sort of got tired of his method of delivery and the fact that he was basically expressing his personal view through the language of other systems. And all of it was marred by his human flaws which I was aware of from the beginning of my connection with his teachings. I think it's fascinating to look at how popular spiritual "masters" (I'll reserve judgement on credibility) express their insight into common core principles in such different ways based on their own background and aptitudes - Watts, Osho, J Krishnamurti, UG Krishnamurti, Demello, Gurdjieff, Trungpa, etc... Each of them has had some degree of contact with truth and each remains quite human and unique.

Telling You a Secret The teachings we need most are those that will actually strengthen and inspire our practice. It is all very well to receive teachings as high as the sky, but the sky is not that easy to grasp. Start with practices which you can truly assimilate – developing determination to be free of ordinary concerns, nurturing love and compassion – and as you gain stability in your practice you will eventually be able to master all the higher teachings. H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

If this is a question, the answer is no. The crown chakra does not equate to shen. No, it is qi.

I'm doing the workshop too! So far I'm very happy I'm taking it. I spent the day working on a song for guitar. We'll have to connect over at glidewing.

Hi Manaus, I am not the authority that Lam Kam Chuen is but I did have a superb teacher for Chinese martial arts and Daoist practices. We were taught to cultivate our standing postures very gradually - over months and years. Some people are ready for challenging postures early on based on their physical and energetic gifts and prior training. Others need much more time and may never get comfortable in some postures. One of the most powerful bits of instruction I received regarding zhan zhuang was that if you simply stand in the basic wu ji posture for long enough, your body will spontaneously tell you when you are ready to advance. The body will loosen, soften, strengthen, and settle into effortless structure - song. The hands and arms will naturally rise of their own accord when they are ready. There is no reason to push yourself to follow a recipe in a book. That recipe is an average, your are a unique individual with unique abilities and needs. Any trauma can take time to recover - typically 4-6 months in uncomplicated cases. My advice is to stick with wu ji posture as long as is necessary. If you do work with more advanced postures, just do what you can. One thing that I think is very helpful is to approach the practices in a spirit of playfulness and gratitude. Give thanks before and after each session for having the good fortune to have the ability to learn and practice these wonderful methods and don't take the practice to seriously. Enjoy it! Good luck to you.

I want to add one other thing that I've gained and it's quite recent - a connection to the source of creativity. I've spent most of my life entrenched in a "left-brain" existence. My practice has inspired me to explore my creative potential and I am extremely grateful for that!

Well, he did warn us that he did not want a teacher...

So beautiful when people who have never met, and probably never will, can connect like this! There are times when technology seems to be so toxic. At other times it can feel so meaningful. I am grateful for the surprisingly significant connections I make on occasion here with fellow Bums. _/\_

I feel the single most important quality we can cultivate in our spiritual life is our ability to remain open. If we are unable to be open and aware, we will never grow, no matter what system we choose. I know dedicated Buddhist practitioners (not to mention other religions) who are exactly where they were in their spiritual development decades ago. The main reason is a lack of openness, an inability to see themselves clearly enough, to be open enough to let go of things, and allow the natural process of change. We see this so much - people stuck in religious, political, spiritual, and nationalistic views. The very act of judgement and preference, aversion and attachment, is the manifestation of the fundamental poison - ignorance. This is a core principle in Buddhist practice - letting go of judgement and preference as they arise, continually opening to what is always fresh and new. There is a wonderful and short book by Steven Harrison called the Question to Life's Answers. It's longer than it needs to be. It can basically be summed up something like this: Questions are alive and answers are dead. When we think we have the answer to something we can no longer learn anything new about that subject, we are stagnant - dead. As long as we continually host the question in our hearts and minds, we will continue to move forward, we will grow. Over time, as we change, our "answers" change but we can only learn this if we remain open. Another wonderful quote in this spirit comes from the Celtic and Christian poet John Donohue, I quote this often: "And if you want a point of departure for this new journey of soul, don't choose an intention, don't choose a prayer, don't choose a therapy, and don't choose a spiritual method. Look inwards and discover a point of contradiction within yourself. Stay faithful to the aura and presence of the contradiction. Hold it gently in your embrace and ask it what it wants to teach you." Great teachers like Jiddu Krishnamurti and Anthony Demello constantly emphasized this point. My own teacher, referenced above, has stated that 'the single most important quality in a dzogchen practitioner is the ability to be open.' I don't mean to be critical of anyone but I do think this point bears emphasis. Peace

When you enter into a sacred relationship with nature you discover and connect with your genuine self. ~ Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

Quoted in admiration of an honest and dedicated practitioner. Although when he says he's gained little or nothing, I will respectfully disagree. Some things I've lost as a result of my practices - - the ability to experience pleasure at the expense of living things - my interest in cultivating martial prowess - pleasure from material objects - any sense of superiority to others - the ability to ignore pain and suffering in others Some things I've gained - - much deeper appreciation for my relationship with others - the ability to accept things as they are - trust - gratitude - devotion to my teacher, lineage, and teachings - a genuine desire to help others and ease their burden

I'm not an expert or authority but I am a practitioner and will share some of what I work with currently. Here are some things to think about: You can connect directly to the greatest teacher, the teacher inside and outside, your true essence. This is the source of all knowledge and insight. The one true teacher. All other teachers and teachings are simply manifestations or vehicles. The way to do that is to quiet the one you think you are, the one that gets in the way of connecting to your true self. The real teacher is always there but obscured and often challenging to uncover. Here are three simple (but not always easy) steps to quiet the self - these suggestions come from the Bön Buddhist teachings of Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche (he has lots of free teachings and programs available through ligmincha.org and oceanofwisdom.org). It can be the only practice you ever need, the practice of a lifetime. This is referred to as the practice of the three doors - body, speech, and mind. Each has three steps - imagine or visualize, then feel and connect, then actually become or be. And these steps take time and patience. Best to start while sitting in a comfortable and quiet place. Start with a few minutes and gradually extend the time. Best to approach them with a feeling of playfulness and discovery rather than seriousness and hard work. Also best to approach them with a feeling of sanctity and reverence for they can and will change your life if given the chance. Connect to the stillness in the body - first imagine or visualize stillness, then feel it physically, then become it - inseparable from it. Eventually the inner stillness merges with a greater stillness beyond the physical form. Easiest to practice at first while physically still, later with movement. Connect to the silence in the speech - first imagine the silence, the absence of the internal chatter - listen for it and listen to it... We are very used to listening to sound, it takes time and patience to learn to listen to the absence of sound. Eventually you will hear it and connect with it, then you actually become it; and again, it becomes more than just an internal experience, it merges with the fundamental silence from which all sound arises. Connect to the spaciousness of the mind - imagine the space you occupy, then actually feel the space and spaciousness inside, in every organ and every tissue and cell, then actually become/be that space. The boundary of inner and outer space will fade and the space is experienced to be boundless... The space is "physical space" but also emotional, psychological, and energetic space - openness to experience and change, to different ideas and possibilities, the ability to allow things to simply be as they are without feeling the need to change anything or resist anything, and so forth. Over time, if you become progressively more still, silent, and spacious, everything becomes your teacher. In this space, open yourself to Nature, which exists both inside and outside - this is the great healer and teacher. This is the source of creativity, strength, and power. This is what shamans of all indigenous cultures have always tapped into. Open yourself to others, you will begin to see and feel what they need and you will feel that your purpose is to help them because they are you, the separation is an illusion. This is the natural arising of the enlightened mind - Bodhicitta. The fuel for this work is trust, devotion, and gratitude. Treat everything around you (and yourself) as sacred. Start and finish each day with a feeling (or prayer) of gratitude and appreciation. Trust in what you feel and see. Trust in the practice and process. Devote yourself to the practices with a song in your heart. With practice, even thinking about the practices should give you chills and bring a tear to the eye. This is the attitude to cultivate. In this space of openness we connect with Nature, both internally and externally, in the form of the elements - earth, water, fire, air, and space. We honor the elements and treat them with great respect - they (and we) are sacred and they are the teachers. We connect with the external elements in Nature - trees, sun and moon, wind, streams, space, fire, and so forth. Feel them, connect with them, open to what they have to share. Allow them to heal you. Sit in front of a fire or look out into open space or next to the ocean or a stream. Feel the wind on your face. Just be open and connect. You will feel the difference. Watch the wildlife and plant life - connect and be open. Never get too caught up in the intellect and analysis, have more trust in the subtle impressions and feeling. Also, you can connect with the elements internally, connect with the characteristics of each of the elements, what you are lacking or have in abundance, and in connecting deeply you will naturally foster equilibrium. This process is referred to as soul retrieval in the Bön tradition. Here are a few key characteristics of the elements you can begin to work with: Earth - stability Water - comfort Fire - creativity Air - flexibility Space - acceptance I wish you well in your journey. Everything you need is always there, waiting. You simply need to let go of who you think you are and be what is already always there. Unplug and connect. Good luck!

To Be Human - Jiddu Krishnamurti Awareness - Anthony Demello Dao De Jing - Lao Zi I Am That - Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj The Question to Life's Answers - Steven Harrison The Book: On The Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are - Alan Watts Unbounded Wholeness - Anne Klein and Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche Awakening the Luminous Mind - Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

I think the best Gender options would be: Who cares? or Why does it matter?

a proper sowing will yield most nourishing fruit in a fertile soil

No specific recommendations but I imagine they could use help at some of the monasteries in Nepal right now. The only trouble is that they're struggling to house and feed many of the quake victims as it is. Something to consider, especially if you have skills that can be helpful in the rebuilding efforts.

If you are interested in the vajrayana, check out vajracakra.com.