Today there is an opportunity to break free of restrictions that have been impeding your sense of purpose. Using your time differently today will assist with this as too much routine can stifle ones capacity to be creative and innovative. Disruption can sometimes even be your friend. Allow for the flow of new ideas that assist with transforming old habits and enabling freedom of expression. So with a boundless heart cherish all living beings: radiating kindness over the entire world: Spreading upwards to the skies, and downward to the depths; outward and unbounded..~The Buddha
Today you have the opportunity to connect the dots and see the bigger picture. Communication is emphasized, especially if it is focused on freedom of thought and speech. Don’t be afraid of engaging in deep discussion about the meaning of life and the universe. It could be very uplifting especially as this is a day when the forces for good are strong and the forces of negativity are lessened. It is our sacred duty to defend the world and it is what I am going to do.~Wonder Woman
The following is an excerpt from a teaching by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche offered during retreat at Palyul Ling in New York:
His Holiness Penor Rinpoche
Heart Teaching HT22
About Guru Yoga
In the beginning of the practice, try to watch your mind and thoughts. If you have any afflictive emotions or negative thoughts, try to abandon them. Then try to give rise to virtuous thoughts, such as devotion, faith and inclination; and in that way try to have the right intention.
Guru Yoga practice is something that we need to carry through until we attain enlightenment. Some think that we just need to do the Guru Yoga practice during Ngӧndro and the Four Foundations practice, but other than that, we don’t need it. We should not think that way. To attain complete enlightenment, Buddhahood, we have to completely depend upon the Guru’s instructions, and rely on the Guru. As we apply that instruction and teaching into practice, then we could have that fruition. That is why the Guru Yoga practice is important. So, without fabrication in one’s mind, abide in the great unelaborated empty nature, and carry through with the supplication prayers.
About Chӧd – Cutting through thoughts and afflictive emotions
In Ngӧndro, there actually is a Chӧd practice. Before we didn’t have enough conditions to really do it. In general, you do the practice with damarus and bells. Evening is a good time to do some of the Chӧd practices. At that hour the chant master and other lamas do the Chӧd practices. As you do the Chӧd, follow along and chant the tunes together. And when you use your big damarus and bells, follow together as a group in sync, instead of some doing it this way and some doing it that way, which sounds very strange. Doing it haphazardly like that is a joke. So always try to do the practice together with everything working together.
The Chӧd practice in the Namchö is only one page, so it is easy and good in that way. The Tibetan word, “Chӧd,” means cutting through all the afflictive emotions and thoughts, and then establishing the nature of emptiness. In the Chӧd visualization, as one chants with faith, everything is cut through in the nature of emptiness.
When you say the second Phet, your consciousness shoots out onto the ground as Vajravarahi (Dorje Phagmo), the size of a pea. When you say Phet again, then Vajravarahi becomes about the size of a finger. After that when you say Phet, then you visualize Vajravarahi about the size of a cubit. After that when you say Phet, Vajravarahi becomes huge, filling all space.
In her right hand, Vajravarahi holds a curved knife and in her left hand, she holds a skull cup. She has all the bone ornaments. Your consciousness is manifested or transformed into Vajravarahi, and your body is like a corpse. When you say Phet again, Vajravarahi takes the curved knife and with just one motion your skull becomes a skull cup in front. Then Vajravarahi with the curved knife places your corpse inside the skull cup. Then dualistic mind and negative thoughts in the form of bubbles are purified, and everything transforms into the five nectars and five meats, which is very pure substance. The skull cup becomes as huge as three thousand myriads of universes. The nectar is whitish with a radiant reddish hue. Steam rises from the nectar, which symbolizes the five desirable objects of the five senses. Underneath that skull cup, there are three skull cups, two dry and one wet, which symbolize the dharmakaya, sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya. Beneath that, wisdom fire burns. As it burns, everything within the skull cup heats up, purifying all the afflictive emotions and dualistic mind and impure substances, transforming everything into wisdom nectar that fills three thousand myriads of universes.
Then after saying two Phets, instantly Vajravarahi, holds a golden spoon in her right hand and a skull cup in her left. Then from that skull cup she ladles nectar and pours it, making offerings first to the lamas, and then to the meditational deities, and then the dakinis, and so forth. After that when one says Phet, Vajravarahi makes offerings to all the local beings and the owners of the land, and so forth. And then after saying another Phet, Vajravarahi makes offerings to all sentient beings of the six realms.
As one makes all these offerings, one can purify all the debts and loans and negativities from past lifetimes. After making offerings to all those beings that are owners of sickness, demonic forces, creators of obstacles and negative forces, they are completely satisfied and pleased. In that way by making offerings to all the gurus and meditational deities and dakinis, one could have complete accomplishment and receive all the blessings. And by making offerings to all the negative forces and all other evil beings, they are completely satisfied and pleased. One feels as though all karmic debts have been repaid, and everything is purified.
At the end when one says Phet, then all the offerings, the objects of the offerings, and the offeror, all three, cease to exist and dissolve into emptiness. After that one can do all the dedication and aspiration prayers.
There is a strong emphasis on stabilizing your relationships today as you seek a more solid and secure basis for relating to others, especially long-term committed relationships. Giving back to others is also a theme. Psychologically there is a lot of potential in achieving a balance between letting go of the past and not becoming a victim of the past. Understanding the difference can lead to spiritual healing. Sometimes letting things go is an act of far greater power than defending of hanging on.~Eckhart Tolle
The following is a transcript from Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo’s visit to see her teacher, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche in India in 1996. Two YouTube Videos below show the ceremony from which the transcript was taken:
Kata ceremony in India 1996
His Holiness Penor Rinpoche:
This evening we are gathered here today in our monastery, also together with our Washington sangha. On this occasion, I would like to reiterate some information that maybe some of you are not aware of and that is initially, of course, the founder of the great Palyul tradition and the individual who is responsible for the establishing of the original monastery together are the great Vidyadhara Kunzang Sherab, his sister, Genyan Ahkon Lhamo, lived her life at that time. Initially, when I first traveled to the United States and I met Jetsunma, I noticed that she had developed in her mind stream a very great development of the bodhicitta, the awakened mind and that she had taken the vow to work for the welfare of all parent sentient beings according to the meaning of the awakened mind. Dependent upon that she had certain students who were following her example in that the bodhisattva vow was being taken by them and they were making prayers that were ongoing as a vigil for 24 hours throughout the day and night. This was something that was going on for some years without ever stopping. And so, this is what I first came to notice, such a remarkable thing.
At this time, in the Western country, in her situation, it wasn’t really a circumstance whereby she was depending upon a teacher to be trained and that she had been trained and was doing this kind of practice from that point of view of having trained and having learned it from another. But in fact, it was natural. It was a natural practice and a natural development of the bodhicitta, and it seemed to be something very pure and great.
And so to me, I felt quite amazed. And then I thought about it on many occasions after that. I’m not someone who claims to have much experience or any kind of clairvoyant insight at all, but I do have thoughts which come to mind from time to mind and in examining the reoccurrence of my thoughts, I came to realize that she was an individual who was blessed and carrying the same mind stream and prayer as the sister of Kunzang Sherab, Ahkon Lhamo. And so, I recognized her to be the reincarnation of Ahkon Lhamo.
However, because in the West, the concept of tulku, which is “intentional manifestation embodiment” is not something that people are necessarily accustomed to or something that they necessarily would understand. So, realizing that if I sort of suddenly laid out this fact, that it might be something that would be too potent or it would happen too quickly for what people could really understand. I didn’t speak about it for some time.
Generally speaking, the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, for the purpose of sentient beings, they manifest in whatever way can bring benefit to others. This is due to the force of their prayers and their compassion. Dependent on that, they will take rebirths that are undetermined and uncertain time and manifest in various ways anywhere and at any time and anyplace. And so, it’s not to say that they don’t manifest in the Western countries. Certainly, they do. But because the tradition of discovering a tulku is not something that is common to the West, then I was not inclined to make a recognition just right away like that, bearing these facts in mind.
And also to make a recognition of a tulku in the West I also came to know is not something that would be disagreeable to the students that was entirely wanted and very agreeable. So, knowing that and finding the right time, upon my return, I did make a formal recognition and I was overseeing the formal enthronement of Kunzang Sherab’s sister, Ahkon Lhamo, as she is. Now, this is not something that you don’t all already know about, but I am reiterating it here on this occasion just to make it very clear.
And now in Washington, D.C. under the guidance of Jetsunma, we have a very strong and well established Palyul dharma center that is a seat for the Palyul lineage and it is being upheld accordingly and this is something that has been established and has been maintained for many years now and so, this is the type of activity that she is conducting for the purpose of the doctrine along with the help of her sangha and the honor of the morality that is maintained by the greater sangha community that surrounds her.
In Washington, Jetsunma teaches to her students and the students maintain the confession practices and other requirements and she also maintains regular teachings to several hundred students who are practicing now under her guidance.
And also, in the countries in the West, right now our center in Washington has the largest ordained community of disciples who have taken the formal vows of lay and novice and full ordination. Of course, there are Western students who have embraced these vows in other centers and in other places, but the largest community is the Palyul Center in Washington under Jetsunma.
Therefore at this time, Jetsunma and several of her students have come here to our monastery, Namdroling, to take a look around and to join us for these few days, so I would like to thank you very much for coming here and taking the time out. And also, of course, I would like to thank you for your effort in establishing the Palyul doctrine, the Nyingma doctrine in general and the greater doctrine of the Buddha in its entirety. I would like to thank Jetsunma and all of her students and also for their efforts they have shown towards attempts to help us achieve a free Tibet. So, thank you very much.
And as it has gone well until now, I also have an expectation that on into the future, that the entire sangha and our sanghas together will maintain this auspicious connection for the benefit of the doctrine and sentient beings and that year by year, this will only increase and that also all of your studies of the Buddhadharma will be most excellent, very stable and always improving.
Today, although I don’t have too much too offer, very humbly, to indicate the special occasion and also with prayers for Jetsunma’s longevity and the longevity of the doctrine, I offer her the white scarf of auspiciousness. And in support for her longevity, I offer her the image of Buddha Amitayus; as a support for her enlightened speech to be ever increasing, I offer her the vajra and bell; and as a support for the enlightened mind the stupa, I offer her the collected works of terton Jetsun Nyingpo; and I offer her the crossed vajra as a seat for her to remain upon to indicate her longevity in this world, and the white conch shell, another brocade, a bolt of brocade. Otherwise, I don’t have too much to offer.
And now, go on about the rest of your journey. Please know that we are always one family, so you must come again and again. The door is always open in that way and that Jetsunma and all of her sangha, I will offer the prayer that you will always be well and that your practice and everything that you wish for will always continue to increase and bear fruit.
JETSUNMA: Please tell His Holiness that his kindness is immeasurable, and tell him and that in this and every future lifetime, I will follow him. I will always do as he has taught me.
There is a powerful disruptive force today that also has benefit to the extent that it transforms relationships and habits. Innovation and freedom of expression continue to be emphasized. There is more energy and clarity about purpose and direction. It’s enticing to follow old ways of doing things but today you are invited to forge a new path. It’s never too late to be who you might have been.~George Elliot
Today the Moon is Void of Course from 2.22 am EST USA until 4.38 am. If you’re in another country check what that means for you time-wise. It’s best toavoid making major decisions or signing contracts during this time.
Today deep emotional habits will be challenged. There is the potential to take this challenge on board and deepen spiritually. Staying busy and productive can also bring relief. There is more cause of optimism at this time but also more opportunity to speak directly which can sometimes mean blunt speaking. Continue to look for new, innovative ways to accomplish your work. All existent phenomena are naturally in mind. Mind is primary and exists before the actions of body and speech.~Shakyamuni Buddha
There are emotional constraints today which can be frustrating. However, if you focus on your ideals and spiritual development your world will grow bigger. Philosophies and religion offer beneficial structure for your ideas. Long distant travel, languages and cultural exchange also expand your horizons. This an easier time to live up to your responsibilities in relationships. If one knew oneself to be precious, One would guard oneself with care.~Dhammapada
The following is an excerpt from a teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo offered during a Phowa retreat:
While there are individual experiences in the bardo of dying, let’s talk about the general ones so that we can prepare. Since we are talking about the six bardos, in general, we want to be very clear on the bardo of the moment of death, and that’s the last subject that we will cover today. It is a very, very important one, because we are all, in our way, preparing for death and we will all definitely experience death.
So, first of all, the bardo of the moment of death. We have talked about the point preceding death. Preceding death there is a period of time during which—and a person may or may not know—one has met with the conditions that will bring about the death. Now for those people who have a disease, a heart disease, or AIDS, or some disease that is degenerative or progressive in some way, the moment that the disease occurred to them was the moment that they entered into another bardo. Although it is still contained within the bardo of living, it is the bardo that preceeds death. What we’re talking about now is the actual bardo of the moment of death. That is when death is marked; it can be seen from the outside, and it actually occurs.
Before I begin I want to make something very clear. We have funny ideas about death. We have some terrible ideas about death. First of all, we’re scared to death of death. That’s the truth. I really didn’t mean to make a pun, it sort of happened that way. But we are scared of death, we are terrified of death, and it’s because we are unprepared. That’s the only reason to be afraid of death. And preparation, as it happens, will dispel the fears of death. I even think that during this week some of your fears of death may be dispelled, because you will be better prepared. But, in truth, until that time, we are terrified of death, and that is the main feeling we have about it. We do not understand death. We think that death is a horrible, sort of killing thing that we have to go through, and that the best way to go through it is unconscious. That’s the kind of idea we have. People often will actually pray, “Let me die in my sleep. Let me die unknowing that I’m going through the death experience.” And there are other people that say, “Let me die quickly.” Well, for my money, I would like to be one of the fortunate ones who know for some period of time before their death that they have caught the cause of their death or that they have the cause of their death. For my money, that’s what I wish would happen to me if I were an ordinary sentient being. If I were in that position where I was caught in samsara—and we all feel that way, we all are—I would wish to have preparation time. I would wish to know beforehand.
Those of us who are aging gradually and staying clear and in good health through the aging process, we are fortunate, because our minds are clear; and yet we can clearly see in the mirror that we are approaching this time. Clearly we are not the same person we were ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty years ago. Clearly that is true. We have pictures to prove it. These people are fortunate. We are fortunate. Because seeing the evidence of death approaching, we have time to prepare. Yes, we have to experience the discomfort of knowing that death is approaching, but it’s like going into the room, turning on the light, and seeing exactly where the stuff is so you can get around it. Remember we used that analogy early today, of walking through a room with all kinds of furniture. You want to do it when the light is on; you want to know how not to stumble. So this is what we are experiencing if we can prepare for our death.
Particularly, think about the tremendous suffering of diseases like AIDS. We talk about the tremendous suffering of something like that; and the biggest and most horrible part of it is that we die younger than we would have died if we did not have the disease. And that’s how we think about it. And yet, a disease like that gives us an opportunity. In a way, it is half of a blessing. In a way, it is the quintessential suffering of cyclic existence, couldn’t be worse. It is, in a nutshell, what cyclic existence actually is when you take away the barbiturate effect that it has on us. Yet, in another way, it is a way to understand —you understand clearly as never before—that death is imminent. There is a way to understand that you could not have had any other way, and it gives us extraordinary time. It gives us an extraordinary clarity of time to be able to practice because we’re motivated. It’s just that clear. We are motivated. We know we have a date to keep. Those of us who don’t know what that date is, we’re a little more vague about this. We don’t want to be bothered, frankly, and so we are at a disadvantage.
Less lucky is the stuff that most people pray for: a quick death. Instantaneous. “Hit me with a truck.” That kind of thing. That’s how people think, “Get it over with. Get me out of here.” And it’s because they don’t understand what death is. They do not understand that once the eyes are closed and the breath has stopped, it sounds like a pun, but basically life goes on in one form or another. One continues to continue. That is the nature of what we are. And so there is no true cessation other than the cessation of breath. To die a quick death may save a little bit of discomfort for the unprepared, but it gives us no time for preparation. Even the dissolution of the elements occurs in an untimely and hurried way so that we cannot cope with them well. So do not pray for an instant death.
Neither should you pray to die in your sleep, because it is too confusing. You are already in the sleeping bardo. The sleeping bardo has a heavier level of delusion in a way than the waking bardo, because you literally are not slowed down by the time it takes physicality to process itself. For instance, if I want to walk from here to that door it’s going to take me a certain amount of time and effort because of the physicality of the situation; but in the dream, I’m there, I’m out, I’m gone. I can go anywhere. So in a way there is even more delusion there. You do not want to die in the middle of the dream state unless your practice is so good that you would recognize the bardo even in the dream state; and that can only be hoped for if you are the kind of person who has complete control and direction over your dreams. Always. And that ain’t you. So instead, pray for a time of knowing and a time of preparation. Pray for the leisure to prepare for your death. That is the appropriate and best prayer.
For the next week there is a taste for the unpredictable and unusual. This can manifest as innovation and thinking outside the square. On the spiritual level there is an opportunity to bring past emotional pain to resolution. However, in the outer world there is still the potential for conflict. Physical exercise is helpful to diffuse energy. The journey has always been about reaching your own other shore, no matter what it is, and the dream continues.~Diana Nyad
Today the Moon is Void ofCourse from 6.50 am EST USA until 7.45 pm. If you’re in another country check what that means for you time-wise. It’s best toavoid making major decisions or signing contracts during this time.
