Tibetan Buddhist Altar

Astrology

January 15, 2012 by Norma

This is an odd “not much is happening” sort of day. You’re primed to work but it’s Sunday, the day of rest. You can’t make up your mind what to do so engage in the small daily tasks of living; attend spiritual services, do a bit of shopping, empty the trash. Just noodle around. It’s pretty much impossible to come up with a plan agreeable to your partner since indecision is still prevalent, but romantic love is fabulous. A tender energy is present, and you can find enjoyment in small things. The end of an old mode of living is coming. Make no effort to grasp onto that which is departing. The new hasn’t quite arrived, and you’re dealing with an in-between time. Use it well, for what you do now will determine your future. Plan for a good future. Plutarch said “He shall fare well who confronts circumstances aright.”

The daily astrology post affects everyone. Because individual charts vary, the circumstances outlined in the post will affect people differently. Some will feel this energy in the personal arena, some in finances, some with children or family, some in work and so forth. There are many departments of life. Look to see where the dynamic affects you.

Qualities: excerpts from Palyul Clear Light

January 14, 2012 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

“When one has some little bit of quality or knowledge, one should not think pridefully ‘Oh, I am so great’. Then one’s quality and knowledge will degenerate, and in the future it will be even more difficult to give rise to these kinds of qualities and knowledge”

The previous #quote is from Kyabje HHPenor Rinpoche With thanks to Kenchen Tsewang Gyatso and PALYUL CLEAR LIGHT

THE STAINLESS ESSENCE TANTRA says: Merit accumulated from prayer. Offering, and making praises before the image of your Lama is infinate and countless. Merely seeing him cleanses bad karma; merely hearing his words generates positive qualities; merely rembering him merges your mind with his. That which is very hard to find in ten million eons is attained in an instant. All these qualities come from the Lama!

The Stainless Essence Tantra thanks to Palyul Clear Light.

Astrology

January 14, 2012 by Norma

Rest up today, an important time has just ended. You’ll want to spend special time with your partner. Surprise guests arrive and unforeseen events occur, but the dominant influence is cessation of struggle. You’d like to escape and television may be your best friend right now. Indecision is a problem; solve it by resolving not to make any decisions today! You have been working so hard for so long that relaxing feels wrong, but do it anyway. Buy something for a loved one that expresses your feelings. Anton Chekhov said “Any idiot can face a crisis- it’s day to day living that wears us out”. Take it easy today.

Medicine Buddha Prayer and Technique

January 13, 2012 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

The following is an excerpt from a translation by Sarah Harding:

Short homage to Buddha Men’a:

CHOM DEN DEY
I bow before

DE ZHIN SHEK PA
The Vanquisher, Tathagata

DRA CHOM PAR
Conqueror of enemies,

YANG DAG PAR
Completely pure and

DZOK PAY SANGYE
Perfect Buddha

MEN GYI LA
Menla,

BHE DUR YA
King of Lapis Lazuli

ÖD KYI GYAL PO LA
Radiance

CHAG TSAL LO

MI GYUR LHUN PO KU YI TRA SHI SHOG
YEN LAK DRUG CHU SUNG GI TRA SHI SHOG
THA DEY DRAL MED THUK KYI TRA SHI SHOG
GYAL WEI KU SUNG THUK KYI TRA SHI SHOG
NE DIR NYIN MO DE LEK TSEN DE LEK

NYIN TSHEN TAG TU DE LEK PA
KÖN CHOK SUM GYI TRA SHI SHOK
TON PA JIG TEN KHAM SU JÖN PA DANG
TEN DZIN BU LOB GEDÜN THÜN PA YI
TEN PA YÜN RING NEY PEY TRA SHI SHOG

Medicine Buddha Technique

1. Be relaxed and comfortable. Do the muscle relaxing technique.

2. Check for five emotions that will cause distractions:

Attachment
Anger
Resistance to change
Self importance
Envy

3. Decide what you want to accomplish, for yourself and for all sentient beings:

Physical problems
Psychological problems
Spiritual issues

4. Construct the type of Medicine Buddha you need, the Buddha you need, the Buddha holding a plant in the right hand and a bowl of nectar in the left. For physical problems, the plant symbolizes curative medicine, the bowl preventative medicine. For psychological or spiritual issues, they represent wisdom and compassion, respectively.

5. Visualize the Doctor, holding the symbols, four feet in front of you.

6. Visualize the problem: ask permission to activate the practice.

7. The Medicine Buddha receives healing power (white light) from all trained sentient beings. Rays of light beam from the Medicine Buddha’s heart to the crown of your head. Breathe in white light and breathe out the problem, three times.

8. When you are cleansed, gain confidence in your own healing ability; reduce your dependence on an external deity. You will feel a sense of accomplishment independent of an external deity; hold that feeling as long as possible. Recite the mantra:

TAYATHA OM BEKAZHAI
BEKAZHAI MAHA BEKAZHAI RADZA SAMUGHATAI SOHA

Love and Blessings

January 13, 2012 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

The following is from a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Hello to all from this secret place, where we are buried in snow. So much wind I can’t tell how deep it is. Wow. It is peaceful and lovely.

It seems, fairly, the US Attorneys announced they are seeking appeal in the case where I am the victim: US vs William Cassidy. Maybe I will be able to go home sooner than later. The case, and my situation, are still up for grabs.

But patience is the only remedy here. And I’m staying strong. I am not at all afraid so long as the stalker is being held and watched. The other haters I face all day don’t frighten me. They don’t actually threaten. So it is just emotional imbalance. And the things people do behind the safety of a screen.

Just need protection for my family, my pack, and myself, as well as my life’s work. Most haters don’t have a violent felony past, just feelings of inferiority and failure in life that they can’t own up to. So they want to “compete” in a world where for some types credentials are superfluous (not me!)

I have compassion for those who feel like they have nothing. Not important to anyone. For those who assault and threaten? Not so much.

There are times coming where we will all need to re-evaluate everything. How much less we can get by with, lotsa government, stricter control, toxic food, Earth etc. So it is time to grow up. Stop whining, throwing rocks at each other, and justifying bad conduct, because something scared you.

I’m in a safe house, but making the best use of my time here, not ruminating, crying, whining. My door wasn’t knocked down, it was my life.

All I care about is getting back to work and family in the short time I have left, so that I can be of benefit to others. I’ve never had any other aspiration, (well, music) and wish to contribute to the well being and safety of other threatened women at risk.

We women are half the world. We are not cattle. We matter. We should not have to run!
We are everywhere. Strong – and not going away any time soon.

Love and blessings to all women – there are so many! Stay strong. Stay safe, I’m with you!

Refuge and Bodhicitta

January 13, 2012 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

The following are the Refuge, Bodhicitta, and Accumulation of Merit verses from the Long Chen Nying Gi Thig Le La’i Rigdzin Dupa;i Tshog Chöd Zhug:

Refuge

NAMO DAG DANG THA YE SEM CHEN KÜN

NAMO I and all the endless sentient beings,

CHOG SUM NGO WO LAMA DANG

The Lama, identity of the three precious ones, and

RIGDZIN GYATSHO’I KYIL KHOR LA

The mandala of ocean-like knowledge-holders, to you

NYING NE DED PE KYAB SU CHI

I go for refuge with faith from the heart. (Repeat 3 times)

Bodhicitta

HO RIGDZIN KYIL KHOR DIR ZHUG NE

HO I enter into this mandala of knowledge-holders; then

PHA MA DRO DRUG SEM CHEN KÜN

Father, mother and all the beings of the six realms,

TSHED MED NYING JE DRÖL WA’I CHIR

In order to protect them with boundless compassion

MÖN JUG DÖN DAM JANG SEM KYED

I develop the aspiring, acting and absolute Enlightened Mind. (Repeat 3X)

Accumulation of Merit

HO CHU LE CHU WUR JI ZHIN DU

HO As water bubbles from water,

YESHE YING LE TRÜL PA’I LHAR

Divinities manifest from the space of Primordial Wisdom,

NGÖN SUM RIG PE CHAG TSHAL LO

To you I pay homage by directly realizing the Dharmata.

NYAM NANG GONG PHEL CHÖD PA BÜL

I offer the development of the experiences.

RIG PA TSHED PHEB NGANG DU SHAG

I confess in the state of perfection of awareness.

CHÖ NYID ZED LA JE YI RANG

I rejoice over the dissolution of phenomena in the Dharmata.

PHO CHEN LONG NE CHÖ KHOR KOR

Turn the Dharma wheel from the expanse of the Great Transference.

JA LÜ CHEN POR ZHUG SÖL DEB

I pray you to remain in the Great Rainbow Body.

GE TSHOG ZHÖN NU BUM KUR NGO

I dedicate the accumulation of merit for the achievement of the youthful vase-body.

DZA HUNG BAM HO TSHOG ZHING NAM RANG LA THIM PAR GYUR

The field of refuge dissolves into oneself.

Astrology

January 13, 2012 by Norma

Precision is the word for today. Be careful, attend to details and you will thank yourself later. A great push forward is excellent. You are inspired by an image or aspiration that fills your mind with beauty and joy. Keep this picture in your mind as you go through the day. See each person you meet as sent especially for you today, ignore no one. Look closely at others to see what they have to offer you…friendship, love, ideas, a chance to help. Extraordinary people abound today. Music, art and mystery characterize the day. Believe in magic and it will appear. Helen Keller said “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”

It’s Decision Time: Who Are You? Full Length Video Teaching

January 12, 2012 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

The following is a full length video teaching offered by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo in Sedona, Arizona:

While the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas offer the feast of Dharma and beg us to eat, we hold our egos and samsara on the thornes of our hearts instead. We are begged to adhere to the teachings of the Buddha and take real refuge, binding our hearts to the Three Jewels.

Astrology

January 12, 2012 by Norma

Get on that job and do it with everything you’ve got! You will have to work hard to fail today, so why not work hard and succeed? You and others are detailed, specific and precise in your work and everything else. Solve problems. The answer to every question is at hand, and mysteries or confusing problems are sorted out. Get rid of things you no longer need. It’s a time of paring down, of letting go of what’s no longer needed. Things have changed. Make a will if you don’t have one, and revise yours if you do. You see things differently now, and what mattered once is no longer in the picture. Anatole France said “All changes have their melancholy for what we leave behind us is part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter into another.”

Prayer to Guru Rinpoche

January 11, 2012 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

The following prayer is from the Nam Cho Daily Practice Book by Palyul Ling International:

HRIH NGÖN GYI KAL PAI DANG PO LA
In the past, at the beginning of this aeon,

O GYEN YUL GYI NUB JYANG TSAM
In the northwest country of Uddiyana,

DHANA KO SHAI TSO LING DU
On an island in Lake Danakosha,

PEMA GESAR DONG PO LA
Born in the pollen heart of a lotus,

YA TSEN CHOG GI NGÖ DRUB NYE
Endowed with the most marvelous spiritual attainments,

PEMA JYUNG NE SHE SU DRAG
You are endowed as the “Lotus Born.”

KHOR DU KHANDRO MANG PÖ KHOR
Surrounded by a retinue of many Dakinis,
KHYED KYI JE SU DAG DRUB KYI
Following in your footsteps,

JYIN GYI LAB CHIR SHEG SU SOL
I pray to you: Please come forth and grant your blessings!

NE CHOG DI RU JYIN PHOB LA
Bestow blessings upon this supreme place of practice!

DRUB CHOG DAG LA WANG SHI KUR
Confer the four empowerments upon me, an excellent practitioner!

GEG DANG LOG DREN BAR CHED SOL
Dispel the obstacles arising from obstructing forces and misguiding spirits!

CHOG DANG THÜN MONG NGÖ DRUB TSOL
Please grant the common and supreme spiritual attainments!
OM AH HUNG BENZA GURU PEMA TÖTRENG TSAL BENZA SAMAYA DZA SIDDHI PHA LA HUNG AH