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“All the violence, fear, and suffering that exists in the world comes from grasping at self…. According to Buddhism, all existents abide in loving-kindness free from concepts in their absolute nature. But the understanding and realization of that true nature have been covered over by the webs of our own mental, emotional, and intellectual obscurations. Now, in order to uncover the true nature and its qualities, we must dispel the cover — our unhealthy concepts, emotions, and actions. Through the power of devotion and contemplation, we must uncover and see the true innate enlightened qualities — loving-kindness that is free from concepts — shining forever.” Tulku Thondup, The Heart of Unconditional Love: A Powerful New Approach to Loving-Kindness

The fear actually is the seeming comfort 'living' mired among the habit of conceptual dependence that stuckness happens, often just beneath the surface of awareness. Not so much that conceptual mind is wrong; rather, its the clinging to concepts that entails much confusion. And conflict too.

Maintaining isolation in a secluded place: If we examine well, this is conceptual meditation. ~ Garab Dorje Patrick Quinn's elaboration on the above quote - "I think the instruction is quite clear: MAINTAINING seclusion is contrived. Because it is. You'd have to be totally aware and confident about what contrivance is first, of course, and this can really only come after long intensive retreat. If realization has arisen, then trying to control your surroundings is actually quite manipulative and samsaric. If you have true realization it blossoms as absolute bodhicitta and its entire purpose is the liberation of all beings, and no need to "protect" or even regard a self we know not even to be there." Knowing the limits of conceptual mind is a type of wisdom accumulation. It's imperative that such limits are recognised to avoid what Trungpa calls, "Spiritual materialism". All concepts, by default, are constructed within samsara, and serves its function within samsara. This is by no means a disparagement of concepts. What it means is that its vital to know when to be stubborn, critical, even cynical, but equally important, to know when to let go. Doesn't mean what is let gone cannot be readopted. Skillful means provide this safety net. Gautama's last words: Everything that is constructed is impermanent. Be diligent in striving for your own emancipation. (Mahaparinibbana Sutta D16)

"The tögal practitioner works directly with the clear light that dwells inherently, “spontaneously present,” within all phenomena, using specific and exceptionally powerful exercises to reveal it within himself or herself.Tögal has a quality of instantaneousness, of immediate realization." (Rigpa wiki) Perhaps we differ in our understanding of energy work.

I'm not following this assertion at all - that subtle energy work, and how it all coheres to form a body, involves concepts. Perhaps the structural aspect of a particular work may have to rely on a conceptual framework for it to make sense, but the actual work itself? I think it's not possible. Togal practice is totally non-conceptual. It's very meaning points to the severance of concepts. For the simple reason concepts are bound within dualism.

Gorrilers generally aren't very clever at playing peek a boo

We can acknowledge the need for the moon-pointing finger, but there's very little benefit in being mesmerised by both the finger and/or the moon, as is often the case. Buddhism talks about absolute and relative truth, asserting their inseparable nature. Relative truths are all about conceptual reflections. They constantly reflect the absolute. And this is how, imo, they should be seen, and applied. There's no necessity to dwell incessantly in analysing what to adopt (the seemingly good concepts) and what to discard when it becomes clear, concepts, as with all pithy instructions and methods and doors that open and shed light on the way, are nothing but mere expedients, each with its own shelf life. Buddhism places equal emphasis on that which we should adopt, and that which needs to be discarded when it's time is due. Wisdom is, in a greater sense, knowing the timing with some conviction. Then we will likely be in good stead maintaining a disposition of treading lightly as we traverse our individual paths. Best to leave no footprints, just like birds flying south but leaving no traces.

Your affinity with them must be quite strong. None of the guides I've met gave the slightest hint to do the prelims after Togal.

'You' are the product of causes and conditions, dependent on those parts that give rise to a convincing sense of personal identity, and ultimately an imputed creation of mind that enables a projection of 'you' as 'your' independent 'self'. ~ Paramito

Theoretically, it's possible to extend satori to a point of permanency. It's like meeting a pothole driving on a regularly-used road, the first couple of times there is Mindfulness in steering clear of it, but if Mindfulness is still required after a handful of times, then there's a problem.

The poster mentioned "non-effortless"... perhaps unintentionally? Not sure. ☺️

According to the Nyingma tradition - There are several lama and dakini practices in the Longchen Nyingtik; There are four lama practices in the Longchen Nyingtik, the outer practice of guru yoga, the inner practice of Rigdzin Dipa, the secret practice of Duk-ngal Rangdrol, and the innermost practice of Tiklé Gyachen. The yidam is the Palchen Dupa, and the dakini practices are Yumka Dechen Gyalmo and Senge Dongma. Ideally the practitioners who follow this path would do all these sadhanas before receiving Dzogchen teachings, and continue doing them afterward to support his or her practice. Typically, in practice, practitioners are expected to have done lama Rigdzin Dupa, yidam Palchen Dupa, and dakini Yumka Dechen Gyalmo before receiving Dzogchen instructions. Then they would continue to accumulate the other sadhanas of the cycle while practicing the different stages of Dzogchen. We need to accomplish all these sadhanas to support our Dzogchen meditation. "Doing the practice" or "accumulating the sadhana" means doing the number of recitations or spending the amount of time indicated in the retreat manuals for each practice, or practicing until there are signs of realization. To recite a given number of mantras might seem very goal oriented, an approach that does not marry very well with dharma practice. Indeed, ideally we would practice until signs of realization appear. But that is not always very realistic. As human beings we are naturally more or less goal oriented, so instructions on time and number of recitations have been given to help hurried practitioners. ~ Yusa

I find your ideas and suggestions totally inconceivable and incongruent to Buddhist praxis. Moreover, the question was meant for Steve. I understand you like to appear helpful, but would appreciate if you could perhaps do it via pm or respond to the subject by opening a new thread? I would appreciate keeping this thread as true to Buddhism as possible. Thanks.

In secret mantra, one lays hold of one-pointedness -- Via the body thru performing prostrations, various esoteric mudras, yantra yogas. Via speech, thru mantra recitation. In the millions, over a few years. The mind settles easily into its own nature after doing a block of 5000 active recitations. Effort prior, but post recitation, during the settled phase, bliss, clarity and non-thought is experienced as presence, effortlessly and spontaneously. The wu wei spoken of in Daoism. Adepts are able to enter this settled state at will. In the higher yogas, this is the fruit of the completion stage. Neophytes need to crank the various practices to bring about temporal glimpses of this phase. With time, the gaps, wherein one tastes and experiences this presence in its true state, gradually expands. When habituated, it becomes permanent, which means distractions will no longer pose as obstacles to equanimity. Via mind, thru visualisations. Yidam and mandala practices, so can't say more since it requires initiations. It's not possible to intellectualise one's way to the settling into samadhi as spoken of by Gautama.

There is nowhere in the human realm where we can escape the eight worldly dhammas of 𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 and 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 and 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 and 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞, 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 and 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Even monastery walls offer scant protection against these eight ‘worldly winds’. Some people might think that living alone in a cave they would be free from them at last. But, in fact, before long they would find themselves reliving past experiences. Everyone has a big file of worldly dhamma material stored in their memory, enough for years of fruitless rumination in an unwise hermit’s mind. It is important to bear in mind that the eight worldly dhammas are included within the first noble truth, not the second. That is to say, they are not things that Buddhist practitioners need to abandon, but things that need to be fully comprehended. We cannot free ourselves of natural phenomena, but we can let go of the cravings based upon them. The untrained mind craves to enjoy gain, pleasure, praise and social status. At the same time it craves a life without loss, pain, blame and decline in status. The more we crave the worldly dhammas we like, the more we fear and resent those we don’t. It’s not the dhammas themselves that are the problem, but our relationship to them. Although we cannot escape the worldly dhammas, we don’t have to suffer on their account. As our understanding of them grows, our attachment to them weakens. The weaker the attachment, the more free we become. — Ajahn Jayasaro

A common sight at Southeast Asian fruit markets

Those who regard the mundane as a hindrance to practice and life only understand that in the mundane nothing is sacred; what they have not yet understood is that in sacredness, nothing is mundane. — Dogen Zenji

The pomegranate is perhaps the most widely mentioned fruit in religious texts of both the East and the West.

Like you, I think consuming foods and fruits/veggies of different colours is more beneficial. The Japanese Go- Syuku dietary approach, to me, makes most sense.

The core teachings lead to the revelation that bliss is fundamental to life. It is ignorance of this truth that binds one to habitually revel in dualistic thoughts, assumptions, beliefs and so on, resulting in wrong views, leading to some such notions as seen in the OP.

Our Relationships Our relationships with each other are like the chance meeting of two strangers in a parking lot; they look at each other and smile. That’s all there is between them. They leave and never see each other again. That’s life, just a moment, a step, and then it’s gone. If you understand this, there is no time to fight. There is no time to argue. There is no time to hurt each other. Whether you think of it in terms of humanity, nations, communities, or individuals, there is no time for anything less than truly appreciating the brief interaction we have with each other. Time is very valuable. Don’t wait until your deathbed to understand your spiritual nature. If you do it now, you will discover resources of kindness and compassion that you didn’t know you had. ~ Chagdud Tulku