Healing with Form, Energy, and Light: The Five Elements in Tibetan Shamanism, Tantra, and Dzogchen PDF
Preview Healing with Form, Energy, and Light: The Five Elements in Tibetan Shamanism, Tantra, and Dzogchen
Snow Lion Publications 605 West State Street P.O. Box 6483 Ithaca, NY 14851 607-273-8519 www.snowlionpub.com Copyright © 2002 by Tenzin Wangyal All right reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced by any means without prior written permission from the publisher. ISBN 1-55939-176-6 Printed in Canada on acid-free recycled paper. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Wangyal, Tenzin. Healing with form, energy and light : the five elements in Tibetan Shamanism, Tantra, and Dzogchen / Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 1-55939-176-6 1. Rdzogs-chen (Bonpo). 2. Spiritual life—Bonpo (Sect) 3. Spiritual life —Tantric Buddhism 4. Bonpo (Sect)—Doctrines. I. Title. BQ7982.3. .W345 2002 299’.54—dc21 2002000288 CONTENTS Preface The Prayer of the Intermediate State Introduction The Bön Religion ONE: The Elements Three Levels of Spiritual Practice External Internal Secret Relating to the Sacred The Five Pure Lights The Dissolution of the Elements Understanding Through the Elements Relating Oneself to the Elements Earth Water Fire Air Space The Elements and Our Well-Being How the Elements Become Unbalanced The Arising of Problems Purification and Cultivation Knowing Which Element to Work With Working with the Elements Choosing the Level of the Practice TWO: The Five Elements in Shamanism La, Yee, and Sem La, Sok, and Tse Practices Working with the Elements in Nature The Nine Purification Breaths Earth Water Fire Air Space Dedication Elemental Spirits Relating to Non-Physical Beings First Guests Second Guests Third Guests Fourth Guests Making Offerings Soul Loss and the Retrieval of the Elemental Energies The Arrow, Turquoise, and Soul Deer The Practice of Retrieving the Elemental Energies Outline of the Practice The Nine Purification Breaths Guru Yoga The Four Guests The Transformation of the Body The Transformation of the Energy Retrieving the Elemental Energies The Transformation of the Mind The Long Life Mantra Dedication The Goddess Practice with the Other Elements The Practice in Daily Life THREE: The Five Elements in Tantra The Horse, Path, Rider, and Armor The Horse: Prana The Functions of the Five Pranas The Path: Channels The Rider: Tigle The Armor: Syllables Aspects of Tantra Chakras Positive and Negative Supporting Positive Qualities The Practice of Tsa Lung Posture Breath and Prana Transformation in Holding and Releasing Instructions The Five External Tsa Lung Movements The Five Internal Tsa Lung Practices The Five Secret Tsa Lung Practices Opening the Chakras FOUR: The Five Elements in the Great Perfection The Great Perfection Creating Samsara The Six Lamps Sound, Light, and Rays Being with Problems Dissolving Samsara Appreciating the Space Element Integrating with Space and the Other Four Lights The Dark Retreat: Visions of the Five Elements FIVE: Final Words Glossary Bibliography Appendix 1: Astrological Directions Appendix 2: List of Contacts Appendix 3: The Prayer of the Intermediate State H.H. the Dalai Lama at Menri Bönpo Monastery in India This book is dedicated to: H. H. The Dalai Lama H.H. Lungtok Tenpa’i Nyima Rinpoche Yongzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche and all the teachers from whom I have learned PREFACE For the last fifteen years I have been interested in understanding the five elements because such an understanding is important in so many levels of the Bön tradition. During this time I have researched the five elements and have maintained a close relationship to the elemental goddesses through practice. When I had questions about the elements or about practices with the elements, I prayed to the elemental goddesses. In dreams I received their teachings and their blessings. These and other experiences motivated me to write this book Although all the teachings in the book are based on ancient texts, there is also much in the manner of conveying the teachings that is rooted in my own understanding and experience. Not wanting to write anything that contradicted the teachings, I checked many of the points with my teacher, Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche, and with other learned Geshes in Nepal and India when I was there in 2000. I am grateful for their guidance. Their enthusiasm and joy about the book and the encouragement they gave me was a great support. Though I followed their direction, any remaining errors or confusions are entirely mine. For some years I have been teaching the elemental practices to my students around the world. It has made me happy to witness the positive results of these practices in my students’ personal lives and in their spiritual growth. I would like to thank all those students who have done the elemental practices. I thank all those who have been long-time supporters of my work to bring the Bön teachings to the West, especially Gerald and Barbara Hines and Murari and Prachi Garodia. Without their continued support, it would have been much more difficult to develop the Ligmincha Institute and to accomplish its work. I thank all the people at Snow Lion Publications for their generosity and kindness, particularly Christine Cox, whose wonderful editing skills have improved this book in every way. I thank Mary Ellen McCourt for all her time and her skillful help with graphics. I thank Radek Dabrowski for supplying the line drawings in the book, not once, but also a second time after the first drawings were lost in the mail. For reading and commenting on the manuscript at different stages, and for offering many suggestions that have improved the book, I thank Laura Shekerjian, Alejandro Chaoul, Cecile Clover, and John Jackson. I am grateful to Steven Goodman for suggestions on an early version of the text and for corrections he made to the glossary. I thank Susan Yenchick for her support. I especially want to thank my close friend and student, Mark Dahlby. Mark offered many thoughts and suggestions that have made this book more accessible to Western readers. Without his joyful effort, this book would not have been realized. Shenla Odkar
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