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Does anyone practice this (now or in the past)? http://www.foodmatters.tv/articles-1/oil-pulling-the-habit-that-can-transform-your-health I have known about the super health benefits of sesame seeds/oil for a long time, but this is a new discovery. We grew up eating a dessert made from a combination of rice flour, organic rock sugar & ground black sesame seeds, cooked over low heat until it thickens up, almost like slightly runny custard. Anyone tried this before? Its really delicious and nutritious!! Any feedback would be appreciated.

Best wishes for a successful retreat! I get hungry often too. I simply look at that, and see how it tends to disrupt my sense of well-being. Then i think of other things, for example, how nice when i have some extra food to share with others who are also hungry, and the hunger pangs gradually become less bothersome. Or, sometimes, i get greedy, and dont want to share, i just want all the yummy food and desserts to myself, and look at that too. I have realized that hunger is simply a need for gratification, a craving to obtain some satisfaction, and looking deeply, it sometimes dissolves into nothing... Hunger is natural, while craving is not. This we can learn to separate by going deeper into contemplative practices.

The essence of the view is the realization, without individual reference to all dualistic phenomena, of intrinsic awareness, free since forever, spontaneously present, empty, clear, free of embellishment, vast, unbiased, the many of one flavor. Then anything at all can appear and you won’t panic. However, until the mind of ego-clinging subsides, when something like anger or desire seems to arise in response to objects, even though the theoretical view is excellent, the direct experience may appear in contradiction to it. This is natural. So when that happens, you should directly integrate the natural freedom of whatever arises into the path and it will become effective. Therefore, the crucial point is just to maintain the state, as if abiding since forever in the great wide vast expanse which is naturally free of limitations, transcending the investigations of philosophical schools, the objective appearances of attachment, and mental operations. In any case, just like anything might sprout from the ground in summertime, the experiences of a yogin might be high or low – it is not all of one type. What to say of the overall thought pattern that includes good and bad thoughts? The view is free of limitation, the expression of the natural radiance of non-thought. The meditation is not bound up with antidotes. The conduct is letting whatever arises be in its natural freedom. The fruition is free of the dualistic fixation to hopes and fears. If you fall into the mind-frame of desiring to experience whatever appearance arises, then it has become like medicine that does not dissolve and turns to poison. So at that time remain in the state of total conviction itself, not bound up by fixation and attachment. If you always proceed at the natural pace of undistracted non-meditation, it is indeed sufficient. Though you may always recognize your obvious dreams, just recognizing them is not enough. Henceforth, having purposely tamed the appearances of the six consciousness groups in the daytime without falling into fixation, when it’s time to go to sleep, fall asleep without losing the force of the awake mindfulness. Then the progression of experience and realization of the clear light will arise. Whatever kind of experiences occur, do not corrupt them with thoughts of practicing or preventing, accepting or rejecting, but rather, remain in the face of whatever arises. The hosts of dualistic thought clear away like the dispersed clouds in the sky, and the seed of cyclic existence is exhausted. In the expanse of naturally pure space, naturally pure intrinsic awareness dissolves and mother and child combine. unchanging non dualistic pristine wisdom is transcribed in space. Like waves dissolving into water, thoughts are purified into the expanse, and the gap between cyclic existence and transcendence collapses. The five paths and ten levels are traversed all at once, and you are free. -- Patrul Rinpoche

The mind of nowness is free of thoughts of the three times. Within that unadulterated natural state, recognizing in a forthright manner the open transparent pervasiveness, innately occurring pristine wisdom is revealed. “Decide directly upon one thing” means that while the previous thought has ceased and the next one has not yet arisen, in that mind of nowness when the mind of conceptual thoughts ceases and the intrinsic awareness is free of three parts out of four, one abides in fresh, totally non-conceptual pristine wisdom – wakeful, vibrant, immaculate openness. It is this very thing. “Free of three parts out of four” refers to past, future, and present, the three times of conceptual thinking, and to the non-conceptual present, that freshness uncorrupted by thoughts of the three times. So of these four times, it is the totally non-conceptual time that is free of the three conceptual times, that is “free of three parts out of four”. It is the perspective of dharmakaya beyond intellect. -- Patrul Rinpoche

My latest favourite tea is organic Genmaicha. Really love the taste! Soft/mild, pleasantly nutty, aromatic, and health-promoting! this is the brand im with -- http://www.clearspring.co.uk/collections/organic-japanese-tea/genmaicha extra info -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genmaicha -- http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/03/tea-time-what-is-genmaicha-green-tea-toasted-rice.html

http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/8105/Touch-And-Go--Chogyam-Trungpa-s-Epic-Journey-to-the-West

"I have many problems in life, but my lips do not know them -- they always smile" -- Charlie Chaplin

Perhaps there are some hang-ups in the West regarding offering donations, hence the rife belief around having to pay one's way, regardless. It can be quite a cold scenario. Also, the suspicious, doubting minds that tend to remain stiff in the belief that free things are, without exception, to be suspect, and usually turn out to be rubbish. Im not saying its a bad thing... in the final analysis, its neither good nor bad, just part of the fabric of the Western pysche. In some ways, there are some advantages to this... for one, its less messy, karmically speaking, and two, it discourages dependency, and thirdly, it offers regenerative/regulatory bodies the right to impose some kind of control, albeit not as tight as wished, over ethical considerations and best practice standards. Plus, there is always the matter of income tax, aha!! Uncle Sam's fingers have to be in every pie, after all. In the East, its taboo to charge for religious or spiritual guidance. Without exception, these are to be sought in temples, mosques, churches and monasteries, most of which are quite well endowed and grand in structure. Besides receiving punitive governmental grants, most of these places of worship thrive on public generosity, often with the backing of wealthy benefactors who regularly donate large sums as a kind of 'spiritual bribery' to seek the favours of the gods that they continuously bestow blessings of good health, family unity, prosperity, assurance of the perpetuity of the family line, in other words, that sons are born to ensure that the family name goes on and on, and finally, either a safe passage to heaven, or a good rebirth. To Asians, generally speaking, this is as far as spiritual duties go. Asians are more pragmatic in some sense, for example, among the Chinese folks, as long as one's customary (religious/spiritual) duties are observed and done accordingly, there is no need to fret over anything in particular, its a given that blessings will come. With this ongoing, annual religious festivals are then seen as opportune moments to 'repay' the gods for another year of being watched over with great kindness. Its a very simple exchange, most of the time. Any guidance that fall outside of these institutions are not really seen as 'religio-spiritual' in nature, and those that offer such, away from said institutions, can and do charge for their services, for example, all forms of martial arts, astrology, palmistry, seances, exorcisms, healing, feng shui etc. Naturally, there are some in these categories who also offer their services for free, usually the really good, reputable ones, as they too, like their 'religious' cousins, enjoy their fair share of benefactors as well. Asian people expect that their religious and spiritual elders are well looked after. There is a lot of mutual generosity happening there, and why not, the more abundant one's blessings, the more generous one becomes. Westerners, not so much, i think. The mutual relationship is not so obvious, due to differing beliefs, i guess.

Scriptural work is indispensable for the serious aspirant, whichever path one takes. It is really not an 'either or' choice thing, its an inclusive thing. Exploring the word goes a long way to help unfixate the mind, to continuously lubricate & nourish the malleability and distillation of experience, the odd occasion sudden insights pleasantly seeping in to the conscious realms in mysterious ways, at the most unexpected moments even -- "Ah....", there, the present as is, just like the sages did before, and noted accordingly, as a source where reflections can be made, and confidence nurtured.

My first swimming coach did not even know how to swim, but he was pretty adept at coaching, and had loads of integrity. Lots of football coaches dont play the game, but when it comes to having the integrity to fulfil their commitment to lead the team on towards the intended objective, which is to motivate the team to tactically win the game, they excel in doing just that. Just because the coach does not play the game, or has a mediocre record as a player, hardly counts for anything in the real world. Besides, underprivileged but intelligent parents fare rather well in ensuring their kids get past their own limitations. Its called 'being innovative'. Part of being innovative involves knowing exactly one's limitations, leveraging available resources, and how to implement these successfully, thereby improving on previous models. Walking the talk can mean different things to different people, on various levels. Many people who appear to walk the talk are often limited by their habitual way of walking. We tend to learn better from past limitations and mistakes, if there is a certain amount of wisdom there.

There was no request here for anyone to adopt Trungpa Rinpoche to be their spiritual guru. If that video did not have a face, just a message, im sure there'd be some who'd go, "Hey, that was a good teaching alright!". The man has passed away, still, there are those who choose to 'crucify' him each time his name comes up. Strange world this. Me, i just listen and distill the message. If i get caught up in wanting to investigate the moral behaviours of each disseminator of spiritual talks before taking things on board, i'd be a very distracted person indeed. Moreover, its helpful to know how to separate the messenger from the message. Then less messengers get shot.

spiritual evolution does imply seeing past the obvious, dont you think so, GMP? If Trungpa Rinpoche's actions brought you awareness, then it was not all in vain. Yet, if all it did was to lead one to another cul de sac, perhaps we should reevaluate our own perceptions and try to negotiate past preconceived notions of good and bad and do the right thing, as in, reserve judgement so that we remain open to receiving good advice without discriminating the source. Some of the most brilliant sports coaches i know are completely lacking in morals, but i still respect them for that one thing they have which enables result, which is simply to bring out the best in their teams, nothing more. If one is not thirsty, even the cleanest water source will not appeal.

Sounds to me like you're looking to be pampered. Nothing wrong with that, but generally speaking, spiritual retreats are not designed with that as the primary objective. Perhaps you might want to save a bit more and reward yourself with an annual treat at a spa resort or beach club somewhere. As per your request for service rather than to serve, this would be more in tune with that expectation, dont you think? Imagine all the indulgences you could avail of on such a getaway... perfect fit to your agenda. Not sure where you plucked the idea that buddhist retreats have lots of demands placed on participants. Seems like you have been somewhat misinformed.

its a utility issue, most times.

Hi Steve, Popa Tulku (aka Botrul or Dongak Tenpei Nyima) wrote an important meaning commentary to Mipham's Beacon of Certainty. Trans. Dr. Douglas Duckworth: http://www.amazon.com/Distinguishing-Views-Philosophies-Illuminating-Twentieth-Century/dp/1438434375%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAJSM7O2O2IGSBUGZA%26tag%3Dphowafound-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D1438434375 Short bio of Popa Tulku: http://rywiki.tsadra.org/index.php/Dongak_Tenpei_Nyima Link to more of Mipham's valuable works: http://blog.shambhala.com/2013/06/19/jamgon-mipham-rinpoche/ Dr. D. Duckworth's profile: http://www.cla.temple.edu/religion/faculty/douglas-duckworth/

You'd hopefully be able to get some tips and inspirational ideas here: http://www.designsponge.com/2010/07/off-the-grid-homes.html Check out Nick Rosen. He's written a couple of 'living off-grid' books and is a staunch advocate of that lifestyle. He might be able to help you. http://www.off-grid.net/tag/nick-rosen/

Hi Sunya, Nice to get your input, thank you. Hope you are keeping well... Parinirvana is inferred in all the vehicles, and its not just limited to the 'blowing out' of an individual's mindstream. It has much wider connotations than that, getting more refined as more layers are shed. Wisdom is the means to go beyond. It is the raft, and not the boatman. When the boatman finally realizes he is already on the other shore, he leaves the raft aside. Leaving the raft aside completely, the boatman becomes unyoked of the burden associated to the term, 'boatman'. The conventional designations 'Boatman' and 'raft' arise and cease simultaneously, and yet independently they do not really exist. HH Sakya Trizin commented that ultimate wisdom is beyond words, beyond description, beyond any attempt to say it exists or does not exist. In your view, what is HH pointing to? To me, HH's explanation is crystal clear. This is also what i have been saying. However, it appears that Asunthatneversets is saying the opposite, that wisdom is indeed a palpable state, which can be experienced. And im arguing that if it can be experienced, described and neatly explained, then, by virtue of that, it cannot be ultimate wisdom.

Parinirvana means non-returning to the rounds of rebirth, absolute cessation. Not sure where you get the idea that it means one has reached the highest wisdom. Who is this 'one who reaches highest wisdom?' Buddha said there is no 'one' to reach anything. Any thoughts that there is 'one' or 'many' is still indicative of being bound by chains. There is no such thing as a 'one', hence, no such thing as 'highest wisdom'. Because there is no such thing as 'highest wisdom', there, in the midst of empty cognizance, it arises from within the minds of men as conventional truths, put in place as guardrails for fledgling practitioners to hang on to in case they stumble out into the vast expanse and get lost. Dzogpa chenpo is great perfection. Wisdom is useless after complete confidence in the View is attained. Prior to that, its very much an essential part of developing one's stability in recognizing and maintaining the View. Post-recognition, where all is seen to be already perfected since beginningless time, those who still assert the vital role of wisdom, or conversely, are still able to differentiate between vidya and avidya, are merely cajoling themselves along with a different set of delusional tools due to subtle dualistic clinging. Its also a means to sustain one's self-importance, especially in those who place a lot of emphasis on correct cognition of the natural state. Equipoise is the exact opposite of such fixated views. Great masters of the past said that with wisdom from hearing, one recognizes disturbing emotions. Through the wisdom that comes from reflection, one gradually learns to overcome these disturbing emotions temporarily. Finally, thru the wisdom that comes from meditation, such disturbing emotions are completely extinguished. When disturbing emotions are fully eradicated without even the slightest lingering doubts, they call this the dawning of the 'inexpressible dharmakaya'. It is not something which arises in a self... its a selfless display, i.e. there is no 'one' there to witness the process. The process takes on an energy of its own, and scrapes away at the layers until such time, whats left is simply that: The 'inexpressible dharmakaya', that which is already perfected and can not be improved upon any further. This great recognition wells up and swallows everything. It is not something which arise from the effort of cultivating wisdom and/or eradicating ignorance. Its understandable why you seem ruffled by such a radical view, thereby seeking to attack my points, calling them ridiculous, etc.

Tulku Urgyen (in the upper quote) states clearly the inseparable unity of outer phenomena and our inner nature. All that appears as form, the great elements, are fundamentally made up of space -- including that (the senses) which perceive these forms. Due to conceptual overlays distorting what is filtered thru the senses, non-recognition of the essential unity occurs, setting into motion dualistic mind (sems), which gives birth to the 12 links. Subsequent effects of such tendencies become self-created obstacles, which is also empty, but habitual grasping gets in the way of recognising the actuality of this. The second quote, which is mine, states that sems is simply a made-up word to describe the presence of dualistic tendencies, that in actual fact, sems does not have any inherent existence, and should not be seen as something which needs to be eradicated. If it is to be regarded as something innate which needs eradication, that mistaken view in itself creates the seed for further proliferation of dualistic tendencies. Recognizing the unity of ying and rigpa, is foremost as this will stave off any unnecessary doubts regarding the illusory nature of both wisdom and ignorance. Asunthatneversets asserts that in the absence of ignorance, wisdom remains. This is the bodhisattva stance. Hence the return to fulfil the vows of liberating all beings who are seen to be in need of 'salvation'. He has every right to see it that way. Many practitioners also have such noble inclinations shape their practice. However, I'm asserting that even wisdom is a form of subtle clinging, and that the term Great Nirvana (Pari-nirvana), or final release, applies to going beyond both wisdom and ignorance, a complete cessation of even the subtlest tendencies which give rise to dualistic grasping.

Excerp from chapter 25, Quintessential Dzogchen: Tulku Urgyen... "Everything that is perceived as an object is ultimately ying, basic space. Needless to say, most things don't appear this way to us. Therefore, the other four elements, earth, water, fire and wind, are not used as an example; only the element of space itself is easily comprehended as being empty. Still, the other four elements are inherently empty. If we investigate where earth, water, fire and wind come from, we will not find a source. Right at this moment, is there an ultimate place where the four major elements are located? Try to find that. Is there a certain location where the four major elements vanish into? Can we say, "They disappeared into such and such a place?" They are actually beyond arising, dwelling and ceasing. This describes the outer ying, the basic space of whatever is perceived. When we discover that all external objects composed of the four elements do not arise from anywhere, do not dwell anywhere, and do not cease into some place -- that everything is beyond arising, dwelling and ceasing -- that is called discovering the basic space of phenomena. Similarly, when we look into mind, the thinker, where does it come from? Where does it dwell? Where does it disappear to? In this way, we will discover the inner space that is totally beyond arising, dwelling and ceasing. So, if external space is beyond arising, dwelling and ceasing, and inner space is also beyond (the 3 modes), how can we make distinctions between the two? Any separation is only a matter of two different names. Everything we perceive is made out of visual forms, sounds, smells, tastes and textures. Look into these and investigate: Where do these arise from? Where do they dwell? Where do they go to? When we really examine this way, we find there is no such thing as coming into being, dwelling anywhere, or disappearing. On a coarse level, the four major elements of earth, water, fire and wind, and on a more subtle perceptual level, all perceived objects of form, sound, smell, taste and texture are all discovered to be by nature beyond arising, dwelling and ceasing. When both the perceived objects and the perceiving subject are found to be beyond arising, dwelling and ceasing -- utterly empty -- everything is then just basic space. This is what is referred to as ying. In Sanskrit, the word is dhatu. Ying and yeshe, basic space and wakefulness, are primordially indivisible, because our basic state is the unity of emptiness and cognizance. This is also called the unity of space and wakefulness. The cognizant quality in unity is called rigpa, awareness. This basic state, the unity of being empty and cognizant, is at the very heart of all sentient beings. It is inherent within the thinking that takes place in all sentient beings at any moment. All beings possess this nature that is the unity of space and wakefulness, but if they don't know this, it doesn't help them. Instead of being suffused with awareness that knows itself, sentient beings become entangled in conceptualizing subject and object, thereby endlessly creating further states of samsara. All this occur because they do not know their own nature. The knowing of this nature that is beyond complexity or constructs is called rigpa. Buddhas are empty cognizance suffused with awareness, the knowing quality, whereas the state of mind of sentient beings is empty cognizance suffused with ignorance, with unknowing. We cannot say there is any sentient being whose mind is not, at its core, the unity of emptiness and cognizance. But by not knowing this unity, their minds become a unity of empty cognizance suffused with ignorance. Whatever appears due to causes and conditions (me: including vidya and avidya) is ultimately nothing but a moment of mere perception. Perception never really arises or comes into being, it never remains, and therefore it never ceases to be. Therefore, everything is ying, basic space beyond arising, dwelling and ceasing. All outer perceived objects are actually space that neither arises, nor remains, nor ceases. At the same time, the perceiving mind is beyond arising, dwelling and ceasing as well. It is not some thing that comes into being, remains, or ceases. So, it is not only the mind that is empty while objects are real and concrete. If that were true, there could not be any mingling of space and awareness. Both the outside and the inside, both perceived objects and the perceiving subject, are already beyond arising, dwelling and ceasing. Therefore, it is possible to train in mingling space and awareness. To reiterate, perceptions or appearances are empty; the perceiver, the mind, is also empty. Consequently, ying and rigpa are a unity. At present, however, we have split ying and rigpa into two, into this here and that there, and we do not have this unity. (me: thereby giving rise to a non-existent causal state, commonly referred to as sems). Doesn't it seem to us that appearances and mind are two different things? Everything seems at present to be dualistic -- perceived objects and the perceiving mind -- and this perception endures as long as we have conceptual thinking. (me: Sems arise and cease in degrees, in tandem with the degree of involvement in conceptual activity. Therefore, sems [vis-a-vis avidya] does not have any inherent existence, and anything which does not have any inherent existence cannot be a part of something that is also empty of inherency, namely a self). Everything with concrete substance is called form, and all forms are the unity of appearance and emptiness (earlier on, Rinpoche used the vase analogy, to indicate perceived separateness of space inside and outside the vase): this is what is meant by the vajra body. All sounds are resounding and yet empty: this is vajra speech. When we recognize awareness, we realize it is free of arising, dwelling and ceasing. That is the vajra mind. Whatever is devoid of arising, dwelling and ceasing is empty. This is exactly what is meant in the Choying Dzo: "Everything seen, heard or thought, is the adornment of space and appears as the continuity of Body, Speech and Mind." In short, everything, without the exception of even a single dust mote, is of the nature of the three vajras."

Due to the ripening of karma, we cannot know or distinguish when confusion can suddenly dawn as wisdom, and vice versa. This process, a continuum, will persist until full realization that there is fundamentally no such thing as Bodhi. As Buddha himself said, enlightenment comes into existence hand in hand with samsaric ignorance, and will persist no longer than the existence of same. With the cessation of ignorance, both wisdom and mind extinguish simultaneously ~ at that point, the conceptual self and its associated dualistic tendencies evaporate like dew in the morning sun. Analogous to this, we can ask ourselves, With the next evening's appearance of dew... can we say its a different kind of dew to that formed previously? Can we say its the same? We cannot. So, in the same way, we are not to discern with certainty the presence or absence of one or the other, except while engaged in establishing contrived equipoise (with the aim of attaining uncontrived equipoise eventually). Therefore, in essence, they (wisdom and ignorance) are neither the same nor different, since both vidya and avidya do not inherently exist in the context of there being a static, inherently existing human form to experience one or the other. Yet, at the same time, vidya/avidya cannot not exist, ultimately, on the basis of the transiency and ephemeral nature of both existence and non-existence occurring simultaneously. On this note, we are going to be caught if we are to form notions, on an ultimate level, about any distinguishing facets that can be pointed out as vidya or avidya. Conventionally, yes, but ultimately, no. It is not possible to distinguish vidya without also pointing out avidya. The aim of Great Perfection is to go beyond both.

When asleep, we often dream we can fly. When awake, we dream we can't.

By implementing such a drastic measure as suggested above, we could perhaps help stem this epidemic: