Tibetan prostrations

[C T]

being a regular prostrationer, the one thing i have noticed is that my weight has been at a constant (+- 1kg) for the past 15 or so years. It is hard to dismiss the correlating factor. 

 

though 57, i still work about 60 hardcore hours per week, on the go from 11am till 11pm 5 days a week (occasionally 6), and still have difficulty releasing all the excess energy after work so as to get in a restful sleep. hence i do prostrations and related practices/prayers till maybe 2 or 3am. Sleep usually for around 5 hours, then off to the beach for a morning routine of running/stretching and dipping toes in the eternally cold atlantic waters. 

 

Havent had any flus or colds in years. Can feel its impending 'attack' and act preventatively in an instinctual sort of way. 

Prostrations hone the instincts in such mysterious ways. 

 

the more prostrations done, the younger the body and mind gets. there is no doubt about this. 

If I could ping the bodhicitta meter a little more i'd say the benefits will be even more profound. 

then again, I could be dead tonight... there's always that awareness... so no slacking in giving away the merits of practice! 

 

Prostrations are also a positive factor for those who include lucid dreaming as part of their practice routine. 

It removes subtle barriers in the dream state. 

 

overall i'd say performing prostrations everyday is immensely beneficial on many levels, as validated by seasoned and esteemed practitioners above 

 

There's more - much more that can be said, but it will start to sound overly astounding then. No point to that. 

 

 

[Michael Sternbach]

13 minutes ago, Apech said:

 

The lord he doth prostrate too much.

 

 

Well, better than prostate issues.

[qicat]

btw, there is an energy thing going on with prostrations as well. Like when you do hands forward or hands behind your neck when you are lying down... certain way to put hands ( touch with elbows, etc)... there is so much embedded in the practice from energy and spiritual perspective... but for westerner of course it looks like physical form and nothing going on ( but weight loss...) sounds so much like a state of modern yoga and .... gasp... western qigong/taichi....

 

I guess because not so many people are/will be able to wake up their energy body, it is not dangerous if one does "form"... but things sure get sh*tty when one is more genetically/karmically sensitive to this...

 

btw... when I am on temple grounds, I see something I call "Padmasambhava"... it's a big green being... But perhaps is a protector of the land... but I think we are on good terms with him/her...

 

meeoooooowwwwww

 

 

[Miroku]

After about a week of doing daily atleast a hundred of prostrations I can say that after practice I feel like after a session of qigong. Body is light and there is huge joy from every movement and a I feel full of energy.
It is quite amazing. Thank you all for your contributions.

[qicat]

5 hours ago, Miroku said:

After about a week of doing daily atleast a hundred of prostrations I can say that after practice I feel like after a session of qigong. Body is light and there is huge joy from every movement and a I feel full of energy.
It is quite amazing. Thank you all for your contributions.

 

try it at the temple with puja and tsok.... i.e. prostrations first, then puja ( chanting), then tsok ( food offerings)... I guess you do it at the retreats ( not sure about day-to-day opportunity to do it)... but it's energetically awesome...

Edited August 9, 2017 by qicat

[already]

Gym workout is equally good.

Don't be fooled and brainwashed by the aparent spiritual benefit of doing "tibetan prostrations".

[blue eyed snake]

Never knew all those tings about prostrations. I've done it for about half a year, every morning ten prostrations ( ah, what i read here that's puny, but was all my body was up to at the time)

 

It happened sort of spontaneously, it included itself in my morning practice. It felt like an between heaven and earth thingy to me. The upward stretch, heaven, then the belly down stretch, earth. Definitely n energetic thingy to it imho.

 

 

[Miroku]

9 hours ago, already said:

Gym workout is equally good.

Don't be fooled and brainwashed by the aparent spiritual benefit of doing "tibetan prostrations".

Could you please elaborate? I mean on the brainwash and fooled thing.

[Miroku]

Sorry for reawekening this thread but here is and interesting info I found. 

 

Quote

The Benefits of Prostrations

The benefits of prostrations include the accumulation of merit and purification of negativities and obscurations. In this life prostrations can free one of phlegm disorders, cancer, and diseases of the heart, lungs, digestion and so on, bring about good health, and as a result prolong one’s life. There are many stories of people who have accumulated several hundred thousand prostrations and thus been completely cured of cancer.

 The Discrimination of Karma Sutra states that by making prostrations, one’s body will become healthy and develop a golden color, one will become very beautiful and attractive, and one’s speech will become pleasant to the ear and influential. One will be freed from anxiety and nerves in large crowds, gods and humans will look upon one with affection, and one will have a majestic presence. This being so, one will be accompanied by buddhas, bodhisattvas, and shravakas. One will become ever more prosperous, be reborn in the higher realms, and swiftly reach nirvana. These are the ten benefits taught in that sutra.

Taken from A Lamp Illuminating the Path to Liberation An Explanation of Essential Topics for Dharma Students by Khenpo Gyaltsen which can be found here

[Vajra Fist]

I was somewhat inspired by this so I've been doing prostrations for a few days now. Feel a deep inner peace afterwards. I haven't received ngondro transmission but I have been doing the long vajrasattva mantra 21 times before bed for a few months. The prostrations are a nice complement.

 

So much so I've decided to do it with the 35 Buddha confession as outlined here:

 

https://shop.fpmt.org/The-Preliminary-Practice-of-Prostrations_p_506.html

 

(Main section of text here)

https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/appendix-3-confession-downfalls-thirty-five-buddhas

[C T]

I have always spoken out about the beneficial effects of including prostrations as a regular practice. 

[Miroku]

11 hours ago, Vajra Fist said:

I was somewhat inspired by this so I've been doing prostrations for a few days now. Feel a deep inner peace afterwards. I haven't received ngondro transmission but I have been doing the long vajrasattva mantra 21 times before bed for a few months. The prostrations are a nice complement.

 

So much so I've decided to do it with the 35 Buddha confession as outlined here:

 

https://shop.fpmt.org/The-Preliminary-Practice-of-Prostrations_p_506.html

 

(Main section of text here)

https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/appendix-3-confession-downfalls-thirty-five-buddhas

 

Glad to hear that Vajra Fist!! 35 Buddha confession practice is great! I heard the Tsongkhapa (founder of gelug school) himself did this practice a lot in retreat.

[Miroku]

4 Years later and I remembered this thread. Do you still go on with your prostration habit @C T? I am struggling years later. Because I am lazy and only recently I found a job which allows some sort of routine to be created. Would you now after years have more to share? Also sorry for asking, but how are your knees?

[TranquilTurmoil]

I had been doing three prostrations twice a day or so and found it very beneficial. I also used to join my Muslim friend (who lost his son/my friend to suicide) in prayer/prostration on the occasions I’d spend a day or two with him… while I wouldn’t pray the way he did or to the same Deity (I imagine) we both really appreciated the shared experience and I would embody the same gesture and physical form of prostration. It seems to be hard on my knees and my quite damaged feet (that seem to gradually recover with rest). I also have a hard time with a routine prostration practice because I prefer to do it with proper intention or motives than as part of a regular daily “ritual”. Thought I would share and if anyone has feedback or recommendations I ll think it over 🙏🏼

[C T]

On 01/08/2021 at 8:53 PM, Miroku said:

4 Years later and I remembered this thread. Do you still go on with your prostration habit @C T? I am struggling years later. Because I am lazy and only recently I found a job which allows some sort of routine to be created. Would you now after years have more to share? Also sorry for asking, but how are your knees?

Hi @Miroku

Great to hear about your new job! May it serve you well. And please, be safe. 

 

Prostration habit... Nice way to describe it. Yes, unfortunately I'm stuck with the routine as it's integral to ngondro, my main practice. Lets see... I started in 96, so yeah, its gone some miles and a bit. Some days am able to do more. Other days less. Truly grateful for the many layers of benefit as a result.  Grateful too that its not been detrimental on the knees. Has it done something adverse to yours? Hopefully not, my friend. 

 

Now that you can, maybe you can give it a go. Even a dozen a day will yield results. Nothing is ever too little when the heart is there, in harmonious union with your  mandala. 

 

Take care ok. 

 

 

[Miroku]

1 hour ago, C T said:

Hi @Miroku

Great to hear about your new job! May it serve you well. And please, be safe. 

 

Prostration habit... Nice way to describe it. Yes, unfortunately I'm stuck with the routine as it's integral to ngondro, my main practice. Lets see... I started in 96, so yeah, its gone some miles and a bit. Some days am able to do more. Other days less. Truly grateful for the many layers of benefit as a result.  Grateful too that its not been detrimental on the knees. Has it done something adverse to yours? Hopefully not, my friend. 

 

Now that you can, maybe you can give it a go. Even a dozen a day will yield results. Nothing is ever too little when the heart is there, in harmonious union with your  mandala. 

 

Take care ok. 

 

 

Hi, yes hopefully it will. But you know how it goes. This is samsara. Without a job I had a problem of no job. And now I have a problem of having a job. Hopefully I will manage the stress it creates.

Wow since 96! Wonderful. Since it hasn't done anything to your knees could you give some key points? I guess you for sure use some soft blanket/surface for your knees to not hit the hard ground and you first touch the ground with your hands right? What about a pace?

I am trying to give it a go. Partially cause it is really profound and purifies a lot, but also because sedentary job and stress can easily take a toll on me. 

Best wishes and you too stay safe friend.

[C T]

On 8/15/2021 at 1:48 AM, Miroku said:

Hi, yes hopefully it will. But you know how it goes. This is samsara. Without a job I had a problem of no job. And now I have a problem of having a job. Hopefully I will manage the stress it creates.

Wow since 96! Wonderful. Since it hasn't done anything to your knees could you give some key points? I guess you for sure use some soft blanket/surface for your knees to not hit the hard ground and you first touch the ground with your hands right? What about a pace?

I am trying to give it a go. Partially cause it is really profound and purifies a lot, but also because sedentary job and stress can easily take a toll on me. 

Best wishes and you too stay safe friend.

 

why is work stressful, if you don't mind the slightly personal question?

 

Looking back, I remember now the first couple of years was very exciting, like a love affair with ngondro haha

I think the retreat leader taught a more exuberant version of prostration, whereby the aspirant almost flings the body to the floor, but when in love, you know, we forget to question certain fundamental things about practice, and so I did that style for a while, until I met another teacher, a gentler teacher, who encouraged to try a less physically demanding approach. (akin to demo clip) With this style, there's no hard contact between knees and ground, so even a mat is not really needed. As for pace, its really up to the individual, and whats being felt in the moment. I think if one is working thru a particular challenge, a slightly more dynamic input for a few days, or a couple of weeks, may be helpful.

 

The same teacher also stressed the importance of checking motivation for doing prostration - over style, form and quantity. One prostration with heart in the right place is infinitely more virtuous than 1000 distracted contact of forehead onto floor.

 

Try to approach the practice with few expectations, none if possible. Just tell yourself you're in it for the long haul, and go for it, gently at first. Cultivate the sort of attitude and mental essence like the marathon monks (watch the vid I posted in the Enlightening Potential thread.) Its deepening profundity will only experienced after a few good years of persistent practice.

 

Grateful for the good wishes, M. You stay safe too, ok.

 

 

Edited August 16, 2021 by C T

[Apech]

@C T

 

I did a more slidey version of that involving cotton gloves and a board to slide your hands down.  When I did a lot in the day it was quite quick to get up and down.

 

Prostrations were great but I did the statutory 100k and then stopped (being a lazy schmuck).

 

 

[doc benway]

I do the short ones most of the time, adding full prostration when inspired.

[Miroku]

On 18. 8. 2021 at 3:15 AM, steve said:

I do the short ones most of the time, adding full prostration when inspired.

Yeah, I usually do them too. I find them easy and perfect for digestive system and for making lower back stronger. Plus great with limited space.

@C T Thank you for the advice.  Very useful especially since sometimes the purpouse can get lost in the goals.