doc benway

For someone who doesn't seem to appreciate when people are critical of your path, you very consistently and intentionally denigrate the paths others have chosen. When we take our practice seriously and value it deeply, these criticisms hurt and lead to retaliation from some. It takes very little effort to show other practitioners who make different choices a modicum of respect. Doing so would lessen the confrontation you invariably generate here. Sure, some will criticize you no matter what, that is on them. But you also have a choice to make regarding how you treat others. I've modified your post as an illustrative example of how this could look... Your choice.

Very There are several practices. Different practitioners respond better to certain practices than others. Therefore, while there is a general outline of practices, there is a lot of flexibility. Basic abiding meditation practice is the most important on the dzogchen path. Other support practices include the ones I mentioned above from the Mother Tantra - dream, sleep, bardo, phowa, tummo. Yet others are related to 'lower' vehicles of Bön, such as practices with the 5 elements and soul retrieval. Some are available for free, others can be accessed online with payment, yet others are only available through direct instruction. It depends on the individual and what they are looking to get from the practices. I do formal practice 1-2 hours daily depending on my schedule. Informal practice is something we gradually integrate into our daily lives over time until life itself is the practice, non-stop. Some, like dream and sleep yoga, are practiced continuously throughout the day and night in a 24 hour cycle. The end point is abiding in the nature of mind continuously throughout all aspects of life - dream, sleep, waking, and death; leading to an easier transition into death and liberation from the cycle of rebirth in the bardo or at least a favorable rebirth. One lifetime, unlike tantric and sutric practices which are said to require multiple lifetimes. There are practices that have fixed endpoints such as phowa, transference of consciousness at the time of death. Similarly there are visionary practices (called thod gal) that are finite like dark retreat, sun gazing, and sky gazing. Dream and sleep practices are generally taken as a part of daily life with no specific endpoint. Formal and informal abiding practices (known as trek chöd) are also taken as a continuous part of daily life.

None that I'm aware of Why imagine when we can look at death and dying among ancient and indigenous cultures? The Bön practices and perspectives are informed by its shamanic roots in Zhangzhung, they're very old. The point is not so much whether consciousness persists after death but how and if we choose to prepare. Like Luke, my devotion to the practice is based on personal experience of its power. YMMV

Tibetan Buddhist and Bön tantra and dzogchen lineages teach practices to retain awareness in the bardo. In the Bön teachings, the Mother Tantra has practices of dream and sleep yoga, phowa, bardo, and tummo. The lineages are credible, traceable, and the teachers accessible.

This is so far from the spirit of Daoism and the Dao De Jing, I'm not sure what more to say... I disagree, as would many Daoist practitioners. Certainly the Dao De Jing is a wonderful exposition of Daoist thought and action. Practitioners, however, take Daoist practice as the root and fundamental understanding. My Daoist teacher from Taiwan always emphasized practice over reading. When asked if he could recommend a translation of the DDJ for me to study his response was, 'don't waste your time with books, practice!' I respect those who prefer to look for the Way in verse or religious ritual but my path, and those of many practitioners, is experiential.

I vividly recall my first Tsok. Indeed there was meat and wine served to everyone. For anyone not familiar with this, when we denounce something, we can be equally strongly tied to it. The meaning is to be free of the desire as well as the aversion.

Me too... I was recently at the wonderful Field Museum in Chicago. They have such a wonderful collection of jade! When I was deeply into taijiquan, I dreamed of acquiring a Han dynasty style jian with jade fittings. Alas, it was never to be.

Would this include jade? It seems to have some unique characteristics...

Wonderful! I'm humbled by your knowledge and generosity...

My wife is an ox (sorry sweetheart, only referring to your sign!), perhaps that will be of some support? Thanks. rey much for the advice Taomeow. Any particular material you would recommend for the ox?

I miss @hagar, @Otis, @mat black, @rain, @suninmyeyes, @Mal#2, @Stigweard, among others....

I am also a metal rat - 1960 In the Tibetan tradition, the culmination of a full cycle can be a harbinger of positive or negative change. I don't want to be morbid or alarm anyone, but I've been advised to practice a long life mantra regularly throughout the year and to perform Tsethar, the ritual of liberating sentient beings marked for death.

If this is the case, you know where to look - inward. It’s not up to deities and gods to reveal themselves. It is their nature to be hidden and subtle. This life on this planet at this point in time is our opportunity to do the human dance. It is up to us to seek if we are so inclined.

PSS - an online Sleep Yoga course is in the works. It will be available on Ligmincha Learning. No release date yet. I also believe Rinpoche is working on a Sleep Yoga book.

PS - I just came across this, recently released by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche I don't have a copy... yet It looks interesting - https://ligmincha.org/product/sacred-sleep/

I don't have much info to offer in response to the OP. I can say that I've spent a fair amount of time with dream and sleep yoga practices. The Tibetan approach to both subjects encourages behavior that leads to healthier, deeper, and more restful sleep. In addition, I never feel more rested than after experiencing lucidity during dream or deep sleep. I HIGHLY recommend these practices to everyone interested but a warning, they required considerable devotion and patience for me. Some come to it more naturally.

I do as well!

Great thread and thank you for posting these videos and reminding us of our need for vigilance. How many have been able to avoid all pitfalls and deviations? Not possible in my opinion and experience... Anyone who feels they've completely avoided all errors has not trained long enough or looked deep enough into themselves. We learn and grow through our errors and imperfection is an integral part of the human experience. Even the greatest teacher will not prevent us from making mistakes from time to time but they are invaluable in helping us to recognize our deviations and to help us right our course. One perspective is that we do not create, generate, or cultivate the ultimate objective of our training, no matter how we label it. The entire path is nothing more than dropping those things that obstruct the inherent perfection of our fundamental essence. As the taijiquan adage says, invest in loss! Or as one of my favorite spiritual teachers said... Pleasant experiences make life delightful while painful experiences are opportunities for growth. ~ Father Anthony Demello

Bön teachings also distinguish clearly between the mind and it's essence or nature. A great resource for the Bön perspective on this is a text called the 21 Nails. One of the nails lists the distinct characteristics distinguishing the two. Having direct realization of that distinction is the basis for "pointing out" instructions that are the foundation of the dzogchen schools. Your basic message seems similar to that of my post above.

“In the castle of one’s body Dwells the heart, abode of enlightenment. Inside this temple The precious, immutable mind-essence, Nature of Samantabhadra, the dharmakaya, Shines immovable and unseizable by concepts. Although it abides as such and is one’s natural possession, There is a difference whether it is recognized or not. The wisdom of one’s instant presence exists primordially, But since instant presence is covered by the darkness of ignorance Wisdom does not manifest And one becomes slave to the ordinary actions of illusory vision. The undefiled state of knowledge is one’s natural possession, But since one is polluted by the dirt of the mind Thoughts cannot dissolve in the original base. As long as thoughts do not dissolve in the original base, There is no way to perceive nakedly one’s instant presence. Pointing out primordial wisdom: Look inside, backward, at the essence of your consciousness. If, when you look, you don’t see anything and find a condition of emptiness, this is called the dharmakaya. In this condition that is empty and beyond thoughts there is a clarity which shines naturally: this is called primordial wisdom. Recognizing that instant presence, while manifesting everywhere, has no substance, is the primordially existing enlightenment. Enlightenment is not outside: if you search in yourself, it will be found. You don’t need a particular method for searching; just look at this essence and set yourself in your natural condition. There is not even something to set in its natural condition, but just be in a condition of pure emptiness. You must not have doubts about this. If you are confident, that is enough!” ~ “CLARIFYING THE REAL NATURE - The Upadesha That Reveals Nakedly the Wisdom of Clear Insight” ~ excerpted from The Golden Letters teachings by Drenpa Namkha

I believe it's meant to represent the author, Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche. He is said to have achieved the rainbow body in 1935. You can tell it is a tantric practitioner by the phurba, a ritual dagger, being held in the left hand with the mudra of a wrathful deity. The rainbow lights emanating from the heart represent the attainment of the rainbow body of light. The book has very detailed instructions regarding both tantric and dzogchen practices, among them tummo, thodgal, even sexual practices. It's a fantastic resource but not really well suited as a practice manual without personal instruction.

Dan Brown and Geshe Sonam Gurung have recently published several important translations of Bönpo Dzogchen texts. Anyone interested in Yungdrung Bön should check them out. Two key texts of the secret and utmost secret cycles of the Oral Transmission from Zhangzhung are included, as are key works by Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche, and the the core text of the A-Khrid cycle of Dzogchen teachings. Here is some info on the currently available publications. https://www.pointingoutthegreatway.org/books/

My 60th birthday!

Very nice post. I'd like to add my answer to the OP's question: Is Gendao worth having on this forum? YES

We know your slogans quite well. So much so that we feel as if we are talking to an algorithm. Your choice to ignore scientific evidence from other effective systems and believe non-scientific evidence of video demos is your prerogative. Certainly we hope in the future you may see the wisdom in being a bit more open minded. But we are not holding our breath.