Six Yogas of Naropa

[Trunk]

This thread is for the discussion of classic texts on the topic of the Six Yogas of Naropa, primarily The Six Yogas of Naropa: Tsongkhapa's Commentary, but might also include cross references to other classic texts on the topic. Personal experience is also welcome, of course.

 

 

pg.96 (from the previous edition)

I request you, bestow blessings, that we may achieve

The wisdom of ecstasy and void conjoined.

 

- Trunk

 

p.s.

If you quote a book, please note the page number (and link to the book if it's first mention).

[Aetherous]

Cool...this may get me looking at my Bliss of Inner Fire book.

Edited February 10, 2010 by Scotty

[Phoenix]

This thread is for the discussion of classic texts on the topic of the Six Yogas of Naropa, primarily The Six Yogas of Naropa: Tsongkhapa's Commentary, but might also include cross references to other classic texts on the topic. Personal experience is also welcome, of course.

 

 

pg.96 (from the previous edition)

 

 

- Trunk

 

p.s.

If you quote a book, please note the page number (and link to the book if it's first mention).

Gosh... All I can say is that this is something that really, really should be learned from a teacher with proper lineage transmission, after completing the required prerequisites.

 

There are several reasons for this. Most obviously, if you don't have a teacher, you might not learn the techniques properly, and (1) they might not work at all (which is no big deal), or (2) you might create physical/emotional/mental difficulties for yourself.

 

This is powerful stuff. Even if you do have a teacher, and even if you do perform the techniques properly, you can still create physical/emotional/mental difficulties for yourself. But at least if you have a teacher, you can work out the problems with the teacher, rather than landing yourself in an institution.

 

As with all practices, people respond differently to the Six Yogas. Some people see virtually no effect from a reasonable amount of concerted practice; others see more fireworks than they can handle very early on. Real disasters are rare, but they do happen. I have a friend who nearly did get himself institutionalized.

 

Most importantly, though, the Six Yogas are one of the most revered paths in Tibetan Buddhism. Coming to this material without a deep reverence for it robs it of its spiritual power, not just for ourselves, but for future practitioners as well. By "deep reverence," I mean a willingness to engage with the Six Yogas the way a living master prescribes. The commentaries may read like engineering manuals, but this is a path in which technique, though important, is secondary to devotion.

[rex]

Here's a nice five page summary:

 

The Six Yogas of Naropa

[rex]

Of related interest:

 

Interiorized Fire Rituals in India and in Tibet

 

By Yael Bentor "Among the practices discussed here are inner heat (tapas and gtum-mo), breathing (prana) and the subtle body (rtsa-rlung), sexual yoga, food yoga, mental fire offerings and the fire offering of enlightened wisdom."

[Aetherous]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xma-pSYPHFQ

Six Yogas of Niguma...Naropa's sister. Don't know if the video is accurate or complete in its description (doubt it).

[Jetsun]

Cool...this may get me looking at my Bliss of Inner Fire book.

 

I have been reading that book, I think Lama Yeshe understands the western mind better than many Buddhists.

 

But like Pheonix says you need to do a lot of basics before you move onto the practises like Inner Fire, Lama Yeshe emphasises this that you need to do a lot of preparation with cleansing practises and prostrations to prepare the ground. I myself was thinking of skipping all of that and moving onto the hardcore practises but I have reconsidered and am just doing basic cleansing instead, but I think it is common for people to think that they can skip all of the beginning stuff especially when they are told it may take a few years of preparation, people want the goods now.

[Aetherous]

Well, the prostrations and stuff is just tradition. Sure, it helps a little, but in my view you could start tummo today. That's just me, though...hoping more people experience real yoga and stop having excuses (in this case, from a lineage teacher) in the way of that.

[Aetherous]

With "hardcore" practices, you can tell when things are getting weird, and you can take a break. Listen to your body and your feelings.

[Jetsun]

Has anyone here practised the Six Yogas of Naropa for any length of time and can report about it's benefits?

[Eyes of Eagle]

I was fascinated with tummo practice in the past. I gained too much overweight some years ago and I discovered that the band on the belly is more important because it can cause a real "heat". Anyone with access to "restricted" instructions will talk about that band around the body - the actual piece is sold by a high price at some "Ligmincha" stores, in the Web the price is low. There are two - or more - ways to use the belt. My discovery is: the belt, athough not properly around the belly, causes a pression in the belly, a internal heat. And it's all. Just biology - no magick.

 

Anyone over the weight knows about the result of tight pants.

[Eyes of Eagle]

Other useful tool is the piece used in the back: the fabbric of cotton soaked with water (in reality it's just a piece of synthetic material). Try it yourself: use your wet towel in your back in a cold day, but be careful, no one wants to be sick with a cold in a cold day.

[johndoe2012]

.

Edited August 18, 2013 by chris d

[idiot_stimpy]

Funny, I just saw this thread, and I had ordered the book around 7 days ago.

[Trunk]

"enter, abide, dissolve"

[de_paradise]

Winter rolls into town, everyone starts thinking of tummo.

 

I have a book "Magic and Mystery in Tibet" by A. David Neel. Its facinating on its own, but also has some intructions and more info on tummo practitioners in Tibet.

 

I was just reading it actually. One bit that stood out (and also a friend who has tummo already told me) is that its more of a natural extension of bliss energy, in that it warms the person naturally as the cold season comes. So in this case simply doing nauli or breath retention and fire visualization may lead you astray, where blissfull dantien is a better starting point.

Edited December 2, 2012 by de_paradise