I was reading and meditating on this Dharma song from Kalu Rinpoche last night, and thought I’d share the beginning of it. Rinpoche’s description of Mahamudra meditation comes from the Shangpa Kagyu tradition, but is no different to the Kagyu teachings I’ve received. Rest in awareness, without trying to do anything – and mind will […]
Dharma Song (excerpt) from Kalu Rinpoche Read Post »
I was just reflecting on just how much time I spend rehearsing my life, rather than, in a sense, just living it directly. By this I mean …. how much time do I spend thinking about what I should do in the future? How much time is caught up in going through various scenarios of
Rehearsing my life Read Post »
From a reply on a Dharma list, where someone asked: I have an object such as watching the breath but I am constantly distracted. Please elaborate on “In order to keep from being distracted, that object is a support”. Hi there, one way you could approach this is by reviewing your intention – what is
Using an Object as a Support for Concentration and Awakening Read Post »
Reflecting and meditating of Naropa’s teaching – the Summary of Mahamudra these questions urgently arise: What is our life? What does it consist of? Homage to the state of great bliss!Concerning what is called MahamudraAll things are your own mind.Seeing objects as external is a mistaken concept;Like a dream, they are empty of concreteness. This
Reflections on Naropa’s The Summary of Mahamudra Read Post »
Niguma invites us to embrace the nature of mind, cut through illusions, and directly realize liberation with her Vajra Verses of Self-Liberating Mahamudra. The wisdom dakini known as Nigupta, illustrious Narotapa’s sister, was a self-manifest yogini, a powerful lord bodhisattva on awakening’s tenth stage, who received direct instruction from Conqueror Vajra Bearer. She sang these
Niguma’s Vajra Verses of Self-Liberating Mahamudra Read Post »
One thing that’s been coming into view lately in meditation is how my common sense notions that ‘I’ am somehow taking the decisions and choices and thereby the active agent of my life is not actually backed up by experience. My conventional notion is that, for example, when I decide to switch my focus in
Nobody is Running this Show Read Post »
Sitting in meditation today, After the Autumn rain; The smell of wet leaves lingers.
I’ve been reflecting more on my experience of Mahamudra Shamatha … resting with the breath. Continuing from where I got to in my last post … the breath isn’t anywhere … and it’s not a thing. There is no breath as such, nor is it in a particular place. So how do I rest on
My Breath Don’t Live Here No More Read Post »
I bow down at the feet of the supreme lama! It’s the mind fixated on objects that causes samsara.If you recognize as spontaneousThe luminous self-awareness, free of fixation,You’ll taste the fruit of the first yoga, one-pointedness. Some talk and talk about union, yet their meditation is all conceptual,They talk and talk about cause and effect,
Reflections on Milarepa – The Song of Distinguishing the Four Yogas Read Post »
To innermost bliss, I pay homage! Were I to explain Mahamudra, I would say—All phenomena? Your own mind!If you look outside for meaning, you’ll get confused.Phenomena are like a dream, empty of true nature,And mind is merely the flux of awareness,No self nature: just energy flow.No true nature: just like the sky.All phenomena are alike,
Reflections on Maitripa – Essential Mahamudra Verses Read Post »
