Fall 2011 Shamatha Retreat, 20 Sep 2011, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
Alan mentions that he inverted the teachings. The Loving Kindness Immeasurable was given during the morning session. However, the teachings are complementary.
Teaching:
What is your vision of happiness? How much do you really need? After several weeks of intense practice, people might be re-evaluating their priorities. There is a possibility of dissolving the mind into the substrate.
Perhaps you see that you might need long-term retreat of a year or more. But is it worth the risk of two years of practicing? Is it a good investment? What if you don’t achieve shamatha? You have to have your motivation rooted in reality: see how the cultivation of attention contributes to the causes of sanity. You want to live longer so that you can practice dharma more.
Long-term retreat has to be at the right time. You cannot just ditch young children for two years. If you find the timing is right, you have to ask “What do I bring to the practice?” For this two-month retreat we have the right conditions for basic training: a good environment with most of our needs met and few distractions.
In shamatha, continuity is the key. You can’t get fire by rubbing sticks together for a few seconds or minutes until you get bored or tired. You have to keep up the friction.
The prerequisites for long-term retreat:
1. Contentment: if you can’t sit and do nothing, you’re not ready for it
2. Few desires: you have to have a radical shift from seeking hedonic pleasure to seeing genuine happiness. For many people, #1 and #2 are deal makers or deal breakers.
3. Ethics: don’t do anything with your body, speech or mind that imbalances your practice or anyone else’s practice. What is the impact of our behavior? (i.e. Don’t throw sand into your car’s gearbox).
4. You must have very few activities and concerns. You have to reboot your life, do a forced shut-down from your old lifestyle. It’s hard.
5. During and between sessions, get rid of all obsessive, compulsive thoughts.
Meditation (33:30) on settling the body, speech, and mind in the natural state. Do not shortchange this process: Mindfulness of breathing.
Q&A (58:54)
1. Discussion of nyam (transient experience – physical or psychological – that is an anomaly and is the result of correct practice) Prana, the subtle energy, is being activated. You are getting an extreme makeover.
2. Discussion of taking refuge. Dharma is the most important. As for a teacher, you want a “genuine happiness doctor/dentist” who can pull the “unwisdom teeth” of hostility, craving, and delusion. Your teacher should know more than you about the path. His/her motivation is altruistic/to be of service/from compassion. You should feel you are getting benefit. Being accomplished, or at least a lineage holder, is important.
Fathom the Mind. Heal the World., 03 Oct 2022, Online and in person from Blazing Mountain Retreat Center, Crestone, Colorado
Lama la starts the afternoon session by returning to the topic of three drone strings on the vina, particularly authentic intention, and reminds us that the very same act can have utterly different consequences, significance and meaning with a different motivation, which is why motivation is so important (in the beginning and end). If our motivation (conative intelligence) is bodhicitta, then everything we do is a Bodhisattva action and it will be another step towards enlightenment. Lama Alan then contextualizes the passage of the Sravakabhumi where Asanga gets to Shamatha and outlines five personality types (those who have a tendency for craving, hatred, ignorance, pride, conceptualization) and discusses them. Then he focuses on conceptualization (vikalpa), highlights that mindfulness of breathing is the recommended remedy for it and elaborates on the three kinds of thinking (deliberate thinking, conceptualization and fantasizing. Before going into the actual method of mindfulness of breathing, Lama la stresses the importance of bringing a suitable body and mind to the meditation, because this will make all of our meditations better. This is done by settling body speech and mind into the natural state, which he explains. Most problems of people getting into meditation is because of trying too hard and relaxation is an antidote for that. He recommends the corpse posture (shavasana asana) in which we are totally relaxed, yet we have to be utterly clear at the same time. The meditation, which is on settling body, speech and mind in the natural state begins at 35:15 min. It is a rather challenging exercise, not because it is so hard but because it is so subtle. After the meditation Lama la emphasizes the importance of sitting relaxed and comfortable. After having settled the body we can turn to the more subtle challenge of settling the respiration in its natural state. We see that this is more subtle because when we concentrate and focus, we usually constrict our breathing. The downside is that this is not sustainable. We know that the breath has settled in its natural sate when the breathing is almost imperceptible, shallow and rhythmic and it is at about 15 cycles per minute. Lama Alan then turns to Shamatha, quotes various sutras with respect to mindfulness of breathing and gives a short overview over the first 4 out of 16 phases of this practice. He finishes the session with a quote from the Dhammapada which reminds us that even mindfulness of breathing can be peaceful and sublime, it also dredges our psyche and unpleasant experiences will come up. To be successful we have to be fully present with our neurosis and mental afflictions without repressing them, identifying with them, modifying, feeding or fixing them.
2017 8-Week Retreat, 26 May 2017, Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, Tuscany, Italy
Alan begins the session by addressing the question of whether it is OK to switch shamatha practices in the middle of a single session and to use a variety of practices while working through the stages of shamatha. He suggests that the advice of Vairochana and Je Tsongkhapa to find a practice and do it exclusively until one achieves shamatha is aimed at full-time, professional yogis. In Natural Liberation, Padmasambhava advises moving through practices of increasing degrees of difficulty until reaching shamatha without a sign and then sticking with that practice. For those of us not in full time retreat and living in a world in which the default mode has become rumination, we might need a different approach. To retreat from the mental agitation, Alan says focusing on the breath is a good choice. It is nonconceptual and can act as a “salve for cooling today’s hot and troubled world.” With this in mind, he leads us through a session that starts with the Asanga method of focusing on movement of prana and shifts to the Dzogchen approach to breath meditation, which is done from resting within the stillness of awareness. The teaching finishes with a discussion of the trait effects of shamatha and Alan elucidating the Buddha’s metaphor that shamatha is like an out-of-season rain that settles the dust. The point is that shamatha is not a happy escape, it leads to a sustainable sense of well-being and eudaimonia. Dispelling the air pollution in the space of the 21st century mind, it leaves us with a natural high in which afflictions are unsustainable. Guided meditation starts at 10:41
2019 8-Week Retreat, 02 May 2019, Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, Tuscany, Italy
Olaso. Lama Alan comments for the final time on the 5th preliminary practice, looking at our companions as Viras and Dakinis with admiration, reverence, and affection. Here Lama touches on the specifics of what this practice looks like within the concentric circles of our companions and nesting that in the Shravaka, Mahayana, and Vajrayana paths. Again, Lama recommends including ourselves suggesting that low self-esteem involves a bifurcation that is artificial. He is suggesting to pay attention to the admirable qualities within ourselves, and thinking of virtues as manifestations of enlightened activities of Buddha. Lama then moves onto the cultivation of affection as unconditional love, seeing the fine qualities in our Dharma Siblings rather than focusing on their faults. At this point the Lama moves to discussion of the 10 non-virtues. Lama Alan guides through the importance of finer and finer ethics on this path, first through discussing idle gossip as any speech that is motivated by any mental affliction. Here there is a highlight that mental afflictions are not afflictive (or destructive) emotions, as they’re usually translated. Most of the mental afflictions are not emotions. Lama discusses being aware of mental afflictions when they arise, and take Shantideva’s advice of acting like a block of wood. Quarantine yourself until the mental affliction passes. He states that knowing what the mind is like when it is relatively balanced then leads to knowing the mind when it is afflicted. When your mind is off balance, then the mind is afflicted. Lama then moves to the non virtue of slander, which is speech motivated to cause one group to look down on another group. With slander motivation is key, and he explains the dynamic here. Lama Alan moves into the 3 turnings of the wheel of Dharma and the preliminary of viewing our Dharma siblings with admiration, reverence, and affection. He gives specific cases and ways of engaging with others from the Mahayana and Vajrayana perspectives including the views on emptiness and Buddha Nature. Lama Alan discusses how when we see a fault in another, it means that we have the capacity of these actions as well, and to see others’ faults as our own. Lama speaks on the third turning of the wheel of dharma and discusses the role of intuition. Here we are recognizing that the blessings of the Buddha are constantly arising. We can see that when others act out in ways that are harmful, often our own mental afflictions are triggered, which is a kind teaching to recognize where we have work to do. It feels nice to be with nice people, but not very helpful. Here we are asked to think of others as holding up a mirror to see our own faults and allow us to work on them. Lama Alan states that from the Dzogchen perspective Buddha Nature is not something you have, it is something you are. Lama finishes with discussion about impartiality and the importance of knowing this teaching. He reads from Buddhaghosa. He finishes with thoughts of how whatever we experience is a maturation of our own karma from lifetime to lifetime. Guided meditation is on: Admiration, Reverence, and Affection (5th preliminary practice) That one preliminary will keep us busy for a while. Meditation begins at: 1:20:44
2020 8-Week Retreat: The Vajra Essence – Part 1, 14 Apr 2020, Online-only
Eva (Yangchen) begins todays session by inviting us to call on our root Guru to accompany us through the teachings on bodhicitta. Yangchen goes back to where we left off last time, the four analogies to the four immeasurables. She comments on the special emphasis that is given here, focusing on us as all sentient beings' mothers instead of the other way around, which would be the most common way. Yangchen then talks about the meaning of a commitment to practice for eons, and how this can make sense within the swift path. Eva suggests that it is the preliminaries, and specially the Guru Yoga, which turn the path into a swift one. Guru Yoga might allow us to make the bodhisattva vow without feeling frustrated about what we set out to do, moreover it might be the doorway to realizing bodhicitta in a more comprehensive way, than by merely engaging in the cultivation of bodhicitta step by step. Can we imagine a mind that is able to love and hold all sentient beings perfectly? This is what we aspire to develop, not simply to worship, but to become. Can we surrender completely to the heart of this divine Guru? If so, our path is instantly accelerated. After the analogies, Yangchen moves to the second part of the bodhicitta training, that is, generating supreme bodhicitta. In this context she comments on the way to balance the benefit of self and others, and how is it that our meditation based on our admiration to the embodiment of bodhicitta of great beings might be a way to let the blessings of those beings transform our mind. At the end, it is bodhicitta that will enable us to go through all the upheavals of the path. Yangchen reads the final instructions of this practice, and points out that it is set as a full bodhisattva vows ceremony. Meditation starts at 41:15. [Keywords: Stepwise bodhicitta, Guru Yoga for bodhicitta, bodhisattva vows]
Spring 2011 Shamatha Retreat, 27 Apr 2011, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
We explore the practice that Alan Wallace considers analogous in terms of understanding the mind to the telescope in terms of understanding what is in the heavens. We will focus on the relative dharmadatu, or the domain in which mental events take place, with mental consciousness, working towards refining this consciousness.
Guided meditation begins at 7:50 in the recording.
2019 8-Week Retreat, 03 May 2019, Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, Tuscany, Italy
Topics include: - Phase 5: Determining Secret Dualistic Grasping and Revealing the Way to Natural Liberation - review of process of delusion in samsara - five obscurations - five facets, five lights, five elements & five poisons - apprehending mind & apprehended objects Flipchart URL: https://imgur.com/AVhaBdb 
Spring 2010 Shamatha Retreat, 02 May 2010, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
No, it’s not a side effect of your intense daily meditation -- in this podcast the picture actually moves! That is to say, it’s a video!
With the help of David Cherniack, we were able to record Alan’s quick message.
As you can see, we have created a mailing list for information, news, and retreat information all regarding the Mind Centre here in Phuket. Please note that this is different from the podcast daily updates that you might have subscribed to. In other words, if you subscribe to the mailing list, you won’t be getting the daily podcast emails, so don’t worry! Some of you sharp-eyed folks may see that it looks a lot like the SBI mailing list registration, however please note the following message from SBI:
If you are already on SBI's mailing list, but wish to also be on the Phuket list, you may subscribe again and click on "Phuket Mind Centre News & Updates." That will put you on both lists. If you are not already on SBI's mailing list, you may subscribe and then choose to join General Interest or just the "Phuket Mind Centre News & Updates" list.
So if you want to join the mailing list (or view the video in its full HD glory) please visit the website, or for those of you reading this on the website feel free to click the following beautiful, stylish Web 2.0 button:
I should probably also add that David had nothing to do with the extremely cheesy introduction to the video. He is a great filmmaker (I highly recommend his film “The Oracle” about the Tibetan Oracles), and he will most likely frown at me when he sees the introduction to this video, of which I admit I am guilty! So don’t take that very seriously.
Fall 2013 Shamatha and the Seven-Point Mind Training, 29 Sep 2013, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
We return to Mindfulness of Breathing after Alan cautions us to avoid putting pressure on ourselves to try harder. Relaxing rather than pushing down is prescribed and Alan suggests the infirmary or mindful walking. He goes on to say that at this stage of our practice we are working with the imbalance of coarse excitation, where the mind is like a cascading waterfall. He guides us to see this as a successful experience at stage one and to have realistic expectations of the path.
Meditation starts at: 6:42
Fall 2013 Shamatha and the Seven-Point Mind Training, 04 Sep 2013, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
Being grateful for that feeling of ill at ease. If the mind feels just fine, the is no incentive for pursuing anything other than hedonic well-being. There would be no incentive for pursuing a spiritual path. For that sense of dukha, that subtle existential underlying sense of unease, of dissatisfaction of malaise, of restlessness, of feeling of lack of fulfilment, that is actually one of our most precious commodities.
Meditation starts at: 07:00
2017 8-Week Retreat, 19 May 2017, Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, Tuscany, Italy
Alan prepares us for the teachings of Hūmchenkara with a vipashyana meditation on the emptiness of outer appearances inner awareness, and the boundary between them. We start with the shamatha practice of Settling the Mind In its Natural State, which requires only the tweak of asking questions about the nature of the appearances arising to make it a vipashyana practice. With the added perspective of the Three Doors of Liberation introduced by Hūmchenkara, Settling the Mind in Its Natural State and Awareness of Awareness become the perfect segues from vipashyana to trekchö, cutting through to rigpa. The importance of realizing emptiness is brought home again as the only way to prevent the reification that blocks us from resting in rigpa. This means that even while resting in awareness, we need to be vigilant to stop any conceptualizing that tries to describe or appropriate the experience. These concepts creep in and cover that which transcends all elaborations and we need to engage the “pest control” necessary to prevent conceiving of ourselves as sentient beings. In a nutshell, Alan says, “I think, therefore I reify,” and it’s our job to get beyond this. We pick up the text on page 29 with the teachings by Hūmchenkara on the Three Doors of Liberation. This extremely dense section includes a passage detailing how pristine awareness is free of the eight extremes. Alan says we can use this description of pristine awareness as pointing out instructions in our meditation. The teaching ends with an exhortation from Hūmchenkara that we will not be liberated by hearing these words alone. We must investigate, analyze, develop meditative experience of rigpa, and stabilize that with the Four Confidences, which know that nothing outside can help or harm us. Guided meditation starts at 15:02
Fall 2011 Shamatha Retreat, 18 Oct 2011, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
Relying on hedonic pleasure is like a town that relies on a coal-fired generator. We begin to realize how much pollution this represents and seek more environmental friendly energy sources. In the same way we can begin to gradually shift into the "solar panels" of genuine happiness, by way of simplicity and contentment.
Alan comments how even the Dalai Lama has stopped watching TV as he says it clouds his mind.
Silent meditation starts at 8:30
2018 8-week retreat- The Essence of Clear Meaning, 20 May 2018, Lama Tzong Khapa Institute in Pomaia (Pisa), Italy
The session began with Lama Alan commenting on the crucial importance of emptiness as a foundation for effective Vajrayana practice, by elaborating on the extremely short reference of the initial 'Ah' found in sadhana practice. Before proceeding, and still on the topic of preliminary practices, he also made comments about the key role of the foundational practices like the Four Noble Truths, bodhicitta, emptiness and Buddha nature. He proceeded to elaborate on a confusion that often happens, as when one begins sadhana practice and conflates the absence of appearances arising to the mind with the actual experience of emptiness. This is one way in which our experience can become non-referential, but that happens not because of a genuine experience of emptiness, but rather because we're not paying attention to appearances. This is a sign of a confusion between the substrate and dharmadhatu, and can be a big waste of our time. The meditation is an investigation of the experiential difference between the substrate and the empty inherent nature of the substrate. After the meditation, we went back to the text, with Lama giving the oral transmission and commentary, starting in section: "b'' The Distinction between Mentation and Wisdom". There, he made comments about the role of craving in preventing us from going deeper into the practice (when we crave for something, we're doing the antithesis of what leads to a result in the first place, so we need to go against the natural instinct to crave for experiences); also about the limits of using wisdom (like in the path of shamatha, there comes a time in which it's no longer needed to use introspection, also here, there will be a time when we can dispense with the use of prajna); and finally he also commented on the different types of mind the text explores. The meditation begins at 29:04 Text p. 100-101
Fall 2010 Shamatha Retreat, 18 Nov 2010, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
This afternoon we revisit some of the main points of Immeasurable Loving-Kindness, and also the issue of how to develop one’s practice of all Four Immeasurables in a natural way, both in and out of formal meditation sessions. Then Alan answers some very practical questions relating to transitory meditation experiences, loving-kindness, mindfulness of breathing and settling the mind in its natural state.
Fall 2015 Stage of Generation, 31 Aug 2015, Araluen Retreat Center, Queensland, Australia
Alan comments that as we now enter vipashyana practice, we are in new territory. Vipashyana in the context of Mahamudra is oriented towards liberation. This is the irreversible result of one’s path of expedition, with one of three destinations of becoming an arhat (a foe destroyer), a jina (a solitary victor) or a Buddha (a victor). The path selected for this retreat is that of all the jinas. But what is the strategy to be selected for how to get to the destination? Alan says the choice of strategy is not just what one likes but rather the strategy that one has a feeling for, confidence in, or intuition about. Alan outlines some different strategies offered by each Tibetan Buddhist school. Then the vipashyana strategy has itself two basic strategies of either to develop the view and then to meditation (for those of sharp faculties) or to develop meditation in order to arrive at the view to liberation (for the rest of us). He then brings us to the method in this retreat based on Karma Chagme’s all angles approach of building from the base of shamatha to then practice vipashyana meditation on mind to obtain the view to liberation. The vipashyana meditation is on the nature of mind. After meditation, Alan resumes his commentary on “A Spacious Path to Freedom” from the bottom of page 89. The meditation starts at 40:12. ___ Course notes, other episodes and resources for this retreat are available here The text for this retreat can be purchased via the SBI Store. Finally, Please contribute to help us afford the audio equipment we rent to make these, and future podcasts freely available.
Fall 2011 Shamatha Retreat, 06 Oct 2011, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
Alan takes us through a comparative study of texts from the time of the Buddha up until the 19th Century, comparing the way shamatha has been dealt with amongst a variety of Buddhist traditions. Meditation starts at 38:04 He reveals the particular relevance of settling the mind in its natural state to dealing with the suffering of change and answers questions (75:53) regarding the karmically neutral nature of the substrate and the problems that arise from concepts of beginninglessness and infinite time.
Fall 2013 Shamatha and the Seven-Point Mind Training, 25 Oct 2013, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
Before the silent meditation, Alan mentions a few points about Bodichitta.
After the silent meditation, we go back to the last few aphorisms of the Lo-Jong. We finish the Seven Point Mind Training with a quote from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche... and then go back to the very first aphorism of the Lo-Jong: the preliminaries.
Meditation starts at: 03:21 (silent, not recorded)
Fall 2014 Shamatha, Vipashyana, Dream Yoga, 11 Oct 2014, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
The session begins with a guided meditation on variations of taking the mind as the path, beginning with maintaining peripheral awareness of fluctuations of the breath before single-pointedly focusing awareness on the space of the mind and whatever arises there. Alan then returns to page 182 of Natural Liberation for further commentary on the lines we concluded with yesterday, “Due to being obscured by the three kinds of ignorance, they do not know the manner of their liberation.” Viewed from the perspective of rigpa, even hatred will self-release without any additional antidote. Before we reach that sage, however, it is important to maintain conscientiousness along with mindfulness and introspection in our practice. Conscientiousness is established in non-attachment, non-hostility, and non-delusion, and coupled with enthusiasm, it expresses itself as intelligent, ethical concern. Shantideva discusses conscientiousness in the fourth chapter of A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life and Alan cites a number of passages highlighting the theme that when it comes to mental afflictions, Buddhism is neither pacifistic nor “non-judgementally aware” of whatever comes up in the mind. The Great Bodhisattva declares he is obsessed and with vengeance will wage battle against the enemy, the perpetual causes of all miseries. Returning then to the three types of ignorance, Alan describes the first, “ignorance regarding a single identity”, as the most deeply ingrained. This is the ignorance of our “one nature” as Samantabhadra, primordial wisdom. The second form of ignorance, “connate ignorance” is the delusional identification with a self that is permanent, unitary, independent, autonomous, substantial, and existing prior to and independent of conceptual designation. The third form of ignorance, Alan translates as “speculative ignorance.” It is fabricated, conjured up, and acquired with learning. The most pernicious acquired ignorance of our time, Alan says, is materialism, and perhaps we have not been honoring the fierce attitude of Shantideva in our accommodation with it. Alan reads from an article printed in the current New York Times with the headline “Are We Really Conscious?” The author, a Princeton neuroscientist and psychologist, presents what he claims is a scientific resolution of the mind/body philosophical issue with the assertion that we don’t actually have inner feelings in the way it seems. The brain is not subjectively aware of the information it processes, the author states, but rather is accessing internal models that provide wrong information. It is all an elaborate story about a seemingly magical property, awareness, and there is no way the brain can know it is being fooled by the illusion. There is no subjective experience of the color green or the sensation of pain, there is only information in a data processing device, he concludes. “This is the most grotesque false view I think that I have seen in the history of humanity,” Alan responds. “He says we are mindless computers!” This speculative, learned ignorance, Alan states, is the most superficial of the three types, but it can destroy civilization. “This is my hot kitchen,” Alan says. “And I will torch, I will incinerate, and I will not stop until that is looked on with contempt by everybody.” Meditation starts at 0:20
Sadhana Class with Yangchen (Eva Natanya), 17 May 2022, Online, Recorded at Miyo Samten Ling, Crestone, CO
Today Yangchen began the session with the 7-line prayer followed by the full opening refuge and bodhicitta prayers from the Sadhana then continued with a recitation/meditation of the Sadhana until „The Main Yogas“. Yangchen then talked about blessing the offerings in the beginning of the Sadhana in order to establish the sublime space early on. She then started discussing further the „Blessing the Outer and Inner Offerings“ starting with letting us know that the secret offering, which doesn’t need to be blessed in advance, and the essence of which is the four forms of ecstasy. “What would the four forms of ecstasy in the mindstream of a a Buddha look like, feel like, be experienced as, and then you offer that.” Yangchen then spoke about how wondrous it is to offer your own deep experiences as your secret offering. Yangchen then referred us back to English page 118 in the Vajra Essence for more detailed commentary that can be applied to the offering verses in this section of the Sadhana. She also noted that there is a break from the „Blessing of the Offerings“ in the Sadhana before „The Main Yogas“, and compared that to what was discussed in the commentary on English page 119 in the Vajra Essence. She then discussed in detail relevant sangha questions starting with “How do you bridge the space between using the conceptual mind to understand what’s not there to eliminate the thing to be refuted and how to transition into the sublime and effortless state beyond cognition that we are intuiting within a Dzogchen Sadhana?” Yangchen sums this initial discussion up by sharing that there is an enormous step, or gap, between simply recognizing the absence of the inherent existence of an object or even one’s own mind and unveiling the very subtle energy mind which is beyond cognition in which realization of the clear mind arises. She reminds us that the stage of generation is all about approximating and anticipating so we can train the mind to be ready to dissolve. All of these practices are actually preparing our energies to dissolve into the central channel. Yangchen continued discussing subtle energies with regard to this practice and the empowerment and asking us to notice what might be happening within ourselves with these practices. Yangchen reminds us again that working with subtle energies cannot be forced or rushed. Yangchen then concludes this discussion on the „Samadhi of Suchness“ and quotes from The Vajra Essence Tibetan [214] “The actual Samadhi of Suchness is only within the realm of experience of Yogins who have realized the view of emptiness.” She leaves us with knowing that we can now relax into the knowledge of that which is being approximated and assures us that the withdrawal of the energies will start to happen. Yangchen then returns to the first verse in „The Main Yoga“s and discusses it line-by-line and reminds us not to rush through these verses while doing the Sadhana, especially by resting in meditation on each section, taking as much time as you can or need. Returning to the Vajra Essence again, here Yangchen shares relevant details pertaining to the causal seed syllable Om, but says we can take the instruction verbatim for this Sadhana with the seed syllable hrīh. Yangchen then continues with commentary on the second verse of „The Main Yogas“ and refers us again back to The Vajra Essence for an elaborate description of the peaceful mandala. Yangchen closes the session by encouraging us to take this into our own meditation and actually see the hrīh hovering above the lotus, sun and moon disk in the center of the celestial palace (not in an abstract space) and not to rush it to meditate at our own pace. She finishes by speaking the dedication prayer from the Sadhana. There is no meditation with this teaching.
The Wisdom of Atisha and Knowing Our Own Minds, 16 Sep 2021, Online from Miyo Samten Ling in Crestone, CO
Content: - The meditation for all three sessions today will be only one aspect of the meditation that we began yesterday. This aspect, which is easily overlooked are the subjective impulses. - Analogy of the cowherd observing the cows. - Difference between objective appearances coming through the front-door vs subjective impulses coming from behind. - Recognize as swiftly as possible that subjective impulses (feelings, desires, emotion, etc.) have arisen - Importance of being able to observe subjective impulses. - Spatial analogy: When a desire arises, ones awareness collapses down to the desire or the referent of the desire. To counteract this, let the space of your awareness be larger than the space of your mind. - Importance for emotional health is being aware of the spark of the emotion before you express them in the flame of behavior. Recognize if the emotion is worth expressing (1), if it is worth expressing now (2) and how you should express it (3). Be emotionally wise. - Definition of free will: The ability to making wise and compassionate choices that are conducive to our own and others genuine wellbeing. - The following meditation may be the most transformative. It is not only important on the cushion but off the cushion, on the front-line. The meditation is on shamatha focused on the mind and begins at minute 32.40. Text discussed: - The first part of the text is cutting the root of suffering - The second part is the related but separate topic of equalizing excitation and laxity - The discussion of the text start with the questions from Drom: “Master, what facsimile leads to the path?”… and ends with "Master, that results in the right degree of granularity.”
Fall 2013 Shamatha and the Seven-Point Mind Training, 26 Sep 2013, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
We immediately go into the guided meditation. After the meditation, merging the mind with space, Alan shares and comments on various quotes from Asanga and Tsongkhapa on the implosion of the five senses while practicing Shamatha.
After that, he tells a story about a yogi and his attendant travelling from Kham to Lhasa, finallizing in an elaboration on why there are so few people realizing Shamatha in the world today.
Meditation starts at: immediately
Fall 2015 Stage of Generation, 31 Aug 2015, Araluen Retreat Center, Queensland, Australia
Alan stresses that cultivating or unveiling the immeasurable of Equanimity is indispensable from the beginning for our shamatha practice. The development of meditative equipoise is applied to practicing Equanimity in attending to people and all other sentient beings whilst maintaining recognition of their differences. This allows a cutting through of the veil of appearances to the view of the equal worthiness of all to have happiness and its causes and be free of suffering and its causes. The practice of Equanimity is applied to, and the culmination of, the other Immeasurables. Without this practice, one is not attending to reality. It is a prerequisite for one’s Vipashyana practice to be effective. There is no Mahayana path without Equanimity. The view of equal purity of all is necessary for one’s own liberation and consequently the liberation of all, as Equanimity makes understood the common nature and goals of all. Alan returns to the ordinary view of appearances, noting the amazing thing that of all the faces we encounter in life no one looks like any other. The appearances of others are affected by the fruiting of one’s karmic kleshas from prior mental afflictions being seen through the filter of present mental afflictions. We need conceptualisation to ‘make sense’ of the world of objects and other people. However, Alan says the truly amazing thing is that these appearances are all me (i.e. Alan) like an artist painting each of us every moment from the colours of the mind’s palette. It is one’s own mind being personified or reified in the appearance of others with the consequent arising of attraction, aversion or indifference. The infinity of names designating others and all appearances are all my name. With this view, the notion of purifying and liberating all sentient beings individually takes on a different light. To achieve liberation quickly, then purify one’s mind, dissolving all appearances and take fruition as the path with Equanimity. [A more personal note from this synopsis writer (as it probably cannot be fully captured listening to the podcast) is that while Alan was expressing his insight that we paint others in this way, the collective stillness in the room of nearly 50 people was palpable and poignant. Clearly these teachings are penetrating.] Meditation is on Equanimity. The meditation starts at 35:19. ___ Course notes, other episodes and resources for this retreat are available here The text for this retreat can be purchased via the SBI Store. Finally, Please contribute to help us afford the audio equipment we rent to make these, and future podcasts freely available.
Fathom the Mind. Heal the World., 04 Oct 2022, Online and in person from Blazing Mountain Retreat Center, Crestone, Colorado
Lama Alan begins this session with a preliminary but important comment on the verb „have“ which doesn't exist in Sanskrit or Tibetan. Sanskrit emphasizes being instead of having and in Tibetan possessions are indicated by the word „there for you“ instead of an ownership. In the same way our body is not ours but there for us. There are thoughts, memories and desires that are there for us. We can use them. Even consciousness is there for us. This is what the whole close application of mindfulness to the body, feelings, recognition, mental formations and the six modes of consciousness is designed for. We see that they are just there for us, but they are like a shell and we are like hermit crab who appropriate a shell every lifetime. The mediation starts at minute 6:46 and is on mindfulness of the inhalation and exhalation by engaging with the aggregates. After the meditation, Lama Alan mentions that this was straight and authentic Vipashyana but held with the arms of Shamatha of simply being aware of the ebb and flow of the breath. Quoting His Holiness, the Dalai Lama „It is never too soon to practice Vipashyana!“ he comments that even in the simplified and contemporary version of Vipashyana is great benefit and practicing Shamatha only for one hour a day is mental hygiene. However we should not forget that there is a professional level of Vipashyana, so let’s have both. He highlights that Vipashyan) is the best use of human mind, which is so much more intelligent than what is need for survival and procreation. Before we die, we should know who we are and not die without ever having figured out who we were in the first place. Next, Lama la turns to the fourth practice within the context of mindfully bearing in mind the respiration: the thorough training of mindfulness of breathing while the central focus of attention is the four realities. He explains the difference between reality and truth and the meaning of the four noble truths. He explains how reality look like for an Arya and that we can roll suffering back if we understand its causes and conditions. Then he explores the text and explains it.
Fall 2011 Shamatha Retreat, 30 Sep 2011, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
Equanimity is the final fruition of the path. In the Theravada tradition, equanimity is envisioned as a composure of imperturbability, of not being thrown out of balance by adversity or felicity. In the Mahayana literature, it's also seen as an even open-heartedness and caring for all sentient beings without exception. Three steps to descend to deeper levels of authenticity are outlined, involving ethical restraint, settling the mind in its natural state and uprooting the conceit of 'I am.'
Meditation starts at 21:19
Fall 2015 Stage of Generation, 12 Aug 2015, Araluen Retreat Center, Queensland, Australia
Alan introduces the meditation with a reminder of the benefits of the preliminary practices, namely building a sense of trust, the development of bodhicitta and enabling us to draw closer to the Dharmakaya to supplant our samsaric selves with something better, purer and non-reified. The meditation is on observing the appearances in the space of the mind. After the meditation, Alan expands further on Buddhist epistemology and in particular the dhatus of the six consciousnesses. Of the six consciousnesses only the mental consciousness domain is able to embue all other domains of consciousness. For example we can direct our mental consciousness to visualise a "Mickey Mouse" on top of a person's head. However the visual consciousness, as other sense consciousnesses, is unable to direct any of the other domains of consciousness in this way. Alan explains that the domain of the mind is considered to be the Dharmadatu, in the same way that our conventional nature obscures ultimate nature but is also part of the ultimate truth. Further, the substrate or alaya is a relative level of knowing that obscures the ultimate level and therefore has the same qualities of emptiness. Alan therefore advises that between meditation sessions we continue to cultivate stillness and view all appearances as arising from the Dharmadatu and dissolving back again. Meditation starts at 13:28 ___ Course notes, other episodes and resources for this retreat are available here The text for this retreat can be purchased via the SBI Store. Finally, Please contribute to help us afford the audio equipment we rent to make these, and future podcasts freely available.
2019 8-Week Retreat, 19 Apr 2019, Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, Tuscany, Italy
Lama Alan begins with a pith instruction from Yangthang Rinpoche. The first moment of perceptual awareness is usually ok, it doesn’t make any mistake. Mistakes happen from the second moment with conceptual mind. Mental afflictions ride on conceptual mind. The first moment is like a person who cannot speak but can see everything. The second moment is like someone who is blind but can talk really well. As much as possible we should rest in luminosity and emptiness. This helps to avoid getting caught in the grip of conceptualization. Discussion of the benefits of Shamatha as a base camp. Meditation is on awareness without conceptualization. After the meditation Lama Alan returns to the text, last paragraph of Phase 3 on the inner glow of the ground sugatabarbha. He discusses how this can relate to western categories and the similarities to the term gnosis which has the same root as Jñana in Sanskrit. Lama Alan also discusses the debate between proponents of Rang Tong (self emptiness) and Shen Tong (other emptiness) and notes that there are tremendously accomplished beings from both traditions. His Holiness talks about Rang Tong as objective clear light and Shen Tong as subjective clear light. There is discussion of the inseparability of Dharmadhatu and Dharmakaya. Lama Alan briefly discusses the 12 links of dependent origination and how they are presented in reverse in the text. He also briefly discusses quantum physics and how time falls out without an observer. Lama Alan reads the paragraph regarding how Sugatagarbha transcends the eight extremes while we meditate looking for that stillness that transcends. The meditation begins at 19:58
The Wisdom of Atisha and Knowing Our Own Minds, 14 Sep 2021, Online from Miyo Samten Ling in Crestone, CO
After finding a comfortable position, we release the body into its natural state, relaxed, still and vigilant without identifying or appropriating with either the idea of "my body" or the tactile sensations in the body, so that there is no mental image of the body, there are simply tactile sensations arising in space. As for settling the respiration in its natural rhythm, we don't do something called „breathing“, we allow the body to breath effortlessly. When we settle the mind in its natural state, we let the eyes at least partially open, to let in the spaciousness, the lack or absence of enclosure, knowing that all the visual appearances arising, are arising in the space of awareness. Without paying any attention to them, like a sovereign resting on the throne, we let our awareness right were it is. Utterly at ease, effortless. Releasing all effort of grasping, appropriating. Awareness is still. And by not appropriating any of the activities or states of mind, we leave unobscured the natural luminosity of awareness. Then we see that this is the actual nature of awareness. It is naturally effortless, we don't have to try to be aware, it is effortlessly still, effortlessly luminous. Rest there. As we move into the main practice which is Shamatha, then we do allow for the noting of the rhythm of the respiration as it rises up to meet us. "When the in-breath is long, note that it is long, when the out-breath is long, note that it is long. When the in-breath is short, note that it is short, when the out-breath is short, note that it is short." And when the breathing does settle in its natural rhythm, sinusoidally, smooth, shallow and regular, almost imperceptible, we will know that as well. When the breathing has settled into that smooth rhythm then we can effortlessly sustain the flow of mindfulness of the whole body of the breath, the whole cycle.
Fall 2013 Shamatha and the Seven-Point Mind Training, 20 Oct 2013, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
Tonight we return to the meditation on the two bodhicittas. Before the silent meditation, Alan give a short preamble on the importance of motivation for one's practice. Once one engages in any virtuous practice such as meditation, charity work or any other type of work for others, one accumulates merit. But how this merit will manifest will depend on the motivation that lead to the practice. If the motivation is mundane, one can possibly enjoy a prosperous next lifetime, but this merit would be then used in that lifetime as well and will not continue from lifetime to lifetime. On the other hand, if one is propelled by genuine bodhicitta, such motivation and merits accumulated by it will continue from lifetime to lifetime, eventually leading to perfect fruition. The key to remember here is that merit (like karma) can be accumulated but it can also be lost or burned. Hence, one should always check on his/her motivation. Ask yourself a question: what is it that you really want? And as motivation can change or weaken over time, one should make sure to keep checking this motivation and its sincerity. Alan concludes by saying that investing in the motivation of genuine bodhicitta is like investing in a secure, long-term, inexhaustible investment. After the meditation, we go back to the Seven Point Mind Training and the last six pledges, which are tools to protect one's Dharma practice. At the end, Alan answers one participant's question on how to handle abusive people. Shall we be doormats or how do we respond if someone is abusing us. Alan explains how settling the mind in its natural state can be helpful in such situations to distinguish between wholesome and unwholesome impulses arising in oneself and how to skilfully chose the most appropriate response.
Technical note: the older computer here snagged, and 2-3 minutes of the lecture were unfortunately lost. Apologies.
Meditation starts at: 24:33 (silent, not recorded)
2018 8-week retreat- The Essence of Clear Meaning, 24 Apr 2018, Lama Tzong Khapa Institute in Pomaia (Pisa), Italy
Lama Alan Wallace starts the evening session revising his interpretation of the Phase 1 of the teaching. Actually, Dudjom Lingpa takes us right on the cusp, but we finally enter the path only on Phase 2, where we receive pointing out instructions to recognize rigpa. Then he describes how you cannot stop reifying appearances without seeing their empty nature, without realizing how things do not exist from their own side. We need to pull the weed of reification from the root. After that, we are not fooled again because we recognize the liar as the liar. Practicing the union of shamatha and vipashyana in the rich soil of the preliminaries, we are ready to enter the path pristine awareness. As a context for the practice, Alan explains that an arhat in the Shravakayana is the destroyer of the foes of afflictive obscurations, the jina in the Mahayana is the conqueror of all cognitive obscurations, but now, in Dzogchen, instead of looking for victory, it's time for a total surrender of our sentient being's body, speech and mind. An unconditional and irreversible surrender, releasing all grasping to every aspect of oneself as a sentient being. Lama Alan Wallace makes a request: "Please don't think or say that Alan Wallace gave pointing-out instructions". This misses the whole point! With pure vision, you can receive the pointing-out instructions directly from the source: the Lake-Born Vajra (speech emanation of Padmasambhava) through the words of Dudjom Lingpa. The lineage is very short because Dudjom Rinpoche is the mind emanation of Dudjom Lingpa and Tulku Natsog Rangdröl the enlightened activity incarnation of Dudjom Lingpa, both gurus of Gyatrul Rinpoche, which is the guru of Lama Alan Wallace. While listening to the pointing-out instructions, just rest in awareness. Lama says: "Don't think about them, don't make it a task for your sentient being's mind". The meditation starts at 26:10 After the meditation, Alan suggests that we record the pointing-out instructions so we can practice hearing our own voice. In that way, we received them from our own pristine awareness. It's not a question of worshiping and reifying a deity out there or a guru up on a pedestal. Then we return to the text. Alan describes the "not this and not that" approach to the eight extremes of conceptual elaboration: arising and ceasing, coming and going, one and many, existent and non-existent. Rigpa is unboxable! When we rest in rigpa, we do not block anything and because we do not grasp onto anything thoughts and appearances are self-arisen and self-liberated, without any sentient being in sight. Alan also teaches the importance of being free of activity to deactivate the mind of a sentient being and descend to rigpa. With the attitude of "I need to get this under control!" we will always be stuck in samsara. He reads two quotes about inactivity, from Dudjom Lingpa's Vajra Essence and from a Dzogchen teaching by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In the end, we are reminded of the principle of conservation in Vajrayana/Dzogchen: nothing is cut or terminated, we just need to shift our perspective so the five poisons are revealed as the five facets of primordial consciousness, mentation shifts to wisdom, and so forth. Text p.60-61
Spring 2012 Shamatha Retreat, 11 May 2012, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
With awareness of awareness, the body and speech are settled normally while the mind is given a complete reboot: all concerns are released, attention from all phenomenon is revoked, then that which remains will dawn. We're given the metaphors of the sailor's raven and the dueling swordsman. Then the three types of knowledge and their relationship to the qualities of the substrate consciousness and the method of resting in non conceptuality with knowing.
Meditation starts at 21:05 - 46:05
Q&A
* When sensations at the belly are subtle.
* Why Tibetans don't give forgiveness; how to deal with resentment.
Fall 2013 Shamatha and the Seven-Point Mind Training, 15 Oct 2013, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
We lock onto an object, reify it and then attachment or aversion arises. The discovery model allows the mind to heal itself by doing nothing but maintaining cognizance.
Discussion of blessings arising from Buddha nature.
Meditation – Rest for a while without grasping. As the clarity and warmth of awareness becomes really obvious then explicitly attend to it.
Discussion of the five inner qualities necessary for long term shamatha retreat.
Meditation starts at: 18:15 (silent, front loaded at start of session)
2019 8-Week Retreat, 26 May 2019, Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, Tuscany, Italy
Lama-la starts the afternoon by highlighting that with the transitional process of ultimate reality we are entering into the “stratosphere” of this practice and text. This is why we would ideally already have some experience with the practice of Tögal. Nevertheless Lama-la goes over this part of the text as it will implant seeds in our mind stream. The challenge of this practice will be to see that all the appearances (wrathful and peaceful deities) that arise during this transitional phase are expressions of our own pristine awareness. This theme is cropping up in other Buddhist practices like Lojong or taking awareness and appearances as the path and culminates in the ability of being able to transmute whatever happens into Dharma and into the path. For this we need to change our priorities towards eudaimonia. Only then the universe will rise up to meet us. Lama-la compares this to a dance with reality where we have to make the first step. He then segues to the mediation in which he infuses it with the wisdom of Yangthang Rinpoche on how to take the mind as the path. In the first step of single-pointed mindfulness, thoughts are released by recognizing them. In manifest mindfulness thoughts unravel themselves simply by maintaining mindfulness, whereas in the culminating phase one realizes that thoughts are neither beneficial nor harmful. They have no power. This can be taken a step further if one can see thoughts as aids or, on the highest level - the Dzogchen approach - that they are expressions of one’s own Dharmakaya, nothing other than facets of primordial consciousness. Meditation is on all appearances arising as aids. Before going to the text Lama-la emphasizes the importance of moving slowly out of meditation, for this will be better for the continuity of our practice and the transfer into time off the cushion. He then continues with the topic of the transitional process of ultimate reality by reading and explaining it in detail. The meditation starts at 26:43
Fall 2015 Stage of Generation, 21 Sep 2015, Araluen Retreat Center, Queensland, Australia
Alan begins this morning’s meditation by asking us to initially imbue our practice with taking refuge, of Bodhichitta and our guru devotion, and permeate it with pristine awareness. Then release all appearances and simply rest in non-meditation. Following meditation practice, Alan comments we are choosing when taking refuge involving, among other matters, deciding which community, path, practice or method. However, if you can’t take refuge in yourself then how do you expect to find it in your choice? Refuge is not an intellectual thing, it is more intuitive. When we adopt practices coming from outside ourselves such as guru devotion, Avalokiteshvara and Lake Born Vajra sadhanas, you must have some confidence or trust in that practice and the guru. It comes back to being your choice. But what do you do when big questions arise? You can invoke and pray to the guru, but bear in mind this is of your own appearances. Alan says we should clearly articulate the question before meditation, then initially during meditation generate devotion, Bodhicitta and the indivisibility of body, speech and mind, followed by releasing the question and resting in non-meditation. If something comes up that looks like a response (perhaps nothing) to the question, then cognitively evaluate it. Is it contradicted or refuted by anything I know to be true? Does it have the taste of truth? Then pragmatically evaluate it in practice and life. This becomes a practical implementation of to not look outside of oneself for the Buddha. ___ Course notes, other episodes and resources for this retreat are available here The text for this retreat can be purchased via the SBI Store. Finally, Please contribute to help us afford the audio equipment we rent to make these, and future podcasts freely available.
The 4 Yogas of Mahamudra 2019 Retreat, 17 Jun 2019, Shambhala Mountain Center
**Anonymous** Regarding the 3 elements required to reach the small stage of the first yoga, what is the distinction between the 2 elements of some realization of emptiness and identifying rigpa? Regarding the uncommon preliminaries, what is meant by pure view? What are its effects on whom? Why pure view for sangha brothers and sisters, why not for other beings as well? Does having a pure view regarding sangha brothers mean we will automatically be friends and want to hang out together over coffee and scones? **Mary** When you were talking about the animals and sentient beings, my first thought was that the reason they don't have to liberate is because they don't have culture and parents, they haven't had all that conditioning put in to them. I don't understand or I always wonder why did pristine awareness get itself in this pickle of being stuck in the human brain? **Nancy** I've got a question regarding Maitripa, and regarding the term "without recognition". Taking the example of your grandmother, suppose you observe an image of your grandmother; it arises as you're following your thoughts and it's followed by or overlaid with language: grandmother. And then an emotion arises. Is this lairing of mental events that are all related to the original image, recognition? If there's a physical response, say tears, like in the same example the grandmother image came up and then you're going down this kind of road and then you've got an emotion that arises and then you've got a physical manifestation of tears. It seems to me that the emotion is a subjective mental impulse, be it sadness or loss perhaps or deep love, are the tears an indication of grasping or desire? **Ken** For shamatha meditation, do you recommend the tongue on the top of the mouth posture? I was just under the impression that it goes a little deeper than that, I think that Vairocana recommends that posture. And also if you've seen certain cats like feral cats and other animals, they do that to kind of sense certain energies. **Ana** This is regarding the awareness of awareness meditation. I just had a question on the last meditation we did. You reminded me of merging the mind with space. Are they not the same? Is awareness of the space of the mind, watching the events of the mind, not vipashyana already? **Rick** You mentioned yesterday that in Tibetan language they don't have the possessive past, present, future verb to have, but that doesn't mean that there isn't an "is", "has", or "will be"? Today you gave the instruction: do not look out, look in. My question had to do with looking out, reification happening is not good or not where we want to head. But in some practices, there's mantra practice with eyes closed, there's no visual input. And there are some practices where the instruction is to keep the eyes open. I'm just wondering if there's more you can say about eyes closed or open. **Elis** From your book The Attention Revolution, you mention the steps for improving attention and also that you need a teacher, and when do you need that, and how often do you need to see your teacher? And also I was meditating and focusing my breath, but I would like to know if I could focus on my heartbeat?
2023 8-Week Retreat: The Vajra Essence – Part 4, 07 Apr 2023, Crestone, Colorado and Online
With the body deeply relaxed, sitting at attention, breathe out, releasing everything, letting go, utter surrender. Arousing and releasing, like sweeping dust from the kitchen floor. The Inner voice rests. Resting in awareness, like a pure mountain stream water, non-conceptional. You are the rock while the formations of the mind flow down the stream. A question is posed experientially: what is the referent of the word ’consciousness’? What do you see when inverting and releasing? And then rest.
2018 8-week retreat- The Essence of Clear Meaning, 18 May 2018, Lama Tzong Khapa Institute in Pomaia (Pisa), Italy
In Vajrayana we don't attempt to eradicate all of our mental afflictions. Rather, we sublimate the 5 poisons and the 84,000 mental afflictions, transmuting them into something that will propel us along the path rather than in samsara. Using the "Shower of Blessings", Lama Alan explored the "approach/accomplishment" of Guru Yoga through the 7-Limb Prayer. We sublimate the whole spectrum of afflictive attachment into a sublime devoted heart. However, we need to understand the emptiness of the Guru otherwise we fall into reified idolatry, as we can have afflictive attachment to a Guru as much as we could to a lover. 1. Homage is an expression of reverence, of adoration of the Guru/Yidam/Khandro which are none other than personifications of our own pristine awareness. In this first step, Lama Alan explored how we view objects of refuge, bringing to mind their sublime qualities, feeling adoration while seeing them as empty appearances, not really there. On that basis, we create an I/Thou relationship. The parallel with falling in love is when we feel "I can't get my mind off of you", we see them everywhere, see their presence in every person, thinking of them constantly, obsessing about them, hearing their voice, longing for them. This is like the practice we discussed yesterday, seeing the Guru/Yidam/Khandro everywhere, seeing all their good qualities manifesting in the world around us. 2. Offering: I give you everything I am, everything I cherish. 3. Confessing: If I've offended you, if there is anything that I've done that gets in the way of our relationship, if I've let you down in anyway, please forgive me. 4. Rejoicing: Addressed briefly in the actual meditation on the Shower of Blessings. 5. Requesting to teach. 6. Requesting to remain: for 5. and 6. the parallel with being in love is "baby you really turn me on", have dinner with me, walk with me, be with me, and never leave me. 7. Dedication: I dedicate anything and everything to being in union with you. This sublimation/transmutation of sexual love into love for the divine isn't limited to Vajrayana Guru Yoga. The great Christian mystic nuns, like St Teresa, experience and express passionate love for Jesus. The Bhakti Tradition revolves around devotion and Divine Love. If the love is pure, without idolatry, then it can propel us into union with the Yidam. And we talk about "divine madness" which is devotional love so passionate, so overwhelming it looks mad, crazy, insane from the outside. "I want you so bad, you're driving me mad" is being driven mad by mental afflictions, but when we invert it back on the mind that is utterly infatuated, then we find bliss at the relative level. Breaking through to the ground we discover discerning primordial consciousness, the union of bliss and emptiness. The meditation is the "Shower of Blessings" sadhana and starts at: 19:42
The Wisdom of Atisha and Knowing Our Own Minds, 19 Sep 2021, Online from Miyo Samten Ling in Crestone, CO
After settling the mind in its natural state we try to witness mental events and particularly mental afflictions as they come up. If we are able to rest in awareness (1) and simply view mental afflictions arising without appropriating them, we don't have to do anything at all. However, if we have appropriated (2) a mental affliction by moving towards its referent, we have to apply an antidote or stop appropriating it. If we go even further and a negative intention (3) comes up, we are accruing karma and immediately have to apply the four remedial powers.
Fall 2011 Shamatha Retreat, 03 Sep 2011, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
In this session Alan introduces the practice of awareness of awareness, or shamatha without a sign. Alan first reviews mindfulness of breathing and settling the mind in its natural state. In the practice of awareness of awareness there is no object, awareness is inverted into itself and one just rests in the knowing of knowing. Alan adds: "But don't expect too much"
Meditation starts at 20:12
The Seven Preliminaries according Düdjom Lingpa, 13 May 2020, Online - Originally part of 2020 8-week retreat
Today we will start the next preliminary practice, Phowa. So, might this give an ultimate answer to ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’. We can enter this practice with a sweet, uplifting attitude. Eva (Yangchen) reads an excerpt from the book “The Velveteen Rabbit”, as a parable for the path to enlightenment. Yangchen then addresses how Phowa practice is not in contradiction with the aspiration to reach buddhahood in a single lifetime, rather it is complementary. What characterizes our aspirations is the perseverance to remain in a path no matter the number of eons it takes, as Tsongkhapa writes, the quickly part is for the sake of others. She talks about how Phowa helps on our surrender, knowing that we are and will be taken care of by our Guru, our ultimate Guru, even when our configured mind is losing its ground. Phowa is letting our heart fly, into infinite space. The Phowa practice we focus on is based on a Nirmanakaya Buddhafield, which arose from Amitabha’s intense prayer. Yangchen reads Lama Tsongkhapa’s prayer to Amitabha, and explains how birth and life unfold in Sukhavati. She then talks about the possibility of feeling a greater connection to other pure lands, and what this implies for us when practicing Phowa. She also elaborates on the state of mind the prayers generate, as we aspire to be reborn in Sukhavati. Yangchen clarifies that two termas are put together by Düdjom Lingpa in his commentary, adding up to seven preliminary practices. She also clarifies why there are two Phowa practices in the Khandro Nyingtik text, and reads the opening colophon, as well as the closing lines, of both of them. After this, she goes into “A Treasure House of Blessings” and reads the starting paragraphs related to the practice of Phowa.
2019 8-Week Retreat, 10 Apr 2019, Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, Tuscany, Italy
Lama Alan continues to elaborate on the practice of “taking the mind as the path”. The challenge is to continue to detect increasingly subtler events in the space of the mind. Mental events that seemed to be subconscious eventually come to the forefront of our attention. However, tightness in practice is not sustainable, and on account of that Lama Alan introduces the practice of “balancing earth and wind”. Earth symbolizes the grounding of awareness in the tactile sensations of the somatic field, specifically those corresponding to the pranic fluctuations of breathing (Asanga’s approach). In contrast to Buddhaghosa, Asanga doesn’t directly reference tactile sensations, but rather the fluctuations of prana associated with breathing. In this practice, we exert just a minimal amount of effort to sustain the awareness of these fluctuations without disengaging, but no more. We balance relaxation and vividness. Lama Alan recommends the supine position for this purpose. The next phase of this practice, we move from the somatic domain and shift over to the domain of the mind, maintaining the same quality of awareness, without reification or grasping to the mental events arising. Lama Alan brings to mind the Bahiya Sutta, “In the seen, let there be just the seen”. The idea is that once stability is reached, we turn our attention from earth to wind; from the somatic field to the field of the mind. Meditation is on balancing earth and wind. Lama Alan returns to the text on page 167, on the topic of the four types of mindfulness. The text mentions that while some experience pleasure (sukha), others may experience wind disorders. Lama Alan mentions that the text continues to list bile and phlegm disorders coming up ahead. He says that some of these may be the result of past life karmic imprints. For example, lust and craving may result in wind disorders, while sluggishness may result in phlegm disorders. The three poisons create imbalances in the constituents of phlegm, bile, and wind, according to Tibetan medicine. Wind, bile and phlegm correspond to craving, hatred and delusion, respectively. Lama Alan invites to test this out: starting with the mental affliction of craving/desire. We see the object of desire as intrinsically desirable. Once we have it, we become attached to it. We can see this in our own experience. When we notice craving arising, we find that it feels pushy and it wants to pull our attention like a magnet. The trick is, next time this happens, don’t be obedient to it, but turn the vector of attention right in upon the mind that is craving rather than the object itself. Lama Alan suggests the following hypothesis: if one is craving something, we decontextualize it and fantasize about attaining pleasure from it by way of anticipation. In other words, deriving pleasure from anticipation. Then when we probe into the nature of craving, we may find pleasure at the source. The same can be done with the other afflictions. When we’re experiencing anger, if we look at the mind that is experiencing it, we may experience a sense of intensity, luminosity, heat. For the affliction of ignorance, when we look at the mind experiencing it, we may find non-conceptuality. Bliss, luminosity, and non-conceptuality are what we find in the mind when we look into it as it experiences the corresponding mental afflictions. The three poisons are obscurations of the three salient characteristics of the substrate consciousness, and they only appear as afflictions when we fixate on the objects rather than the mind apprehending them. Lama Alan returns to discussing the text. Dudjom Lingpa mentions that in the early stages of mindfulness, while some experience well being, others may experience disturbances. At the time of writing of the text, Tibetan culture traditionally attributed these disturbances to demonic or godly influences, and would seek various antidotes to remedy them. Düdjom Lingpa sees these methods as futile, and attributes the cause of these disturbances to the mind. Some may experience visions of gods and demons, while others may experience extra sensory perceptions. All of these are to be dismissed as meditative experiences (nyam), with no attachment or aversion whatsoever. Additionally, meditation may result in outer and inner upheavals, which are also nyam, anomalous transient experiences that disappear of themselves as we continue to practice correctly. Eventually, coarse mindfulness (enmeshed in the grid of language and conceptuality) subsides, and consciousness rests in a spacious state of flow. At this stage, the thoughts arise and are known automatically, without effort. Lama Alan compares this to the effortless flow state of an athlete. The practice is sustained by sheer momentum rather than additional effort, this is called “naturally releasing mindfulness”. Lama Alan relates this to the common notion that people suffering from mental disturbances need to necessarily do something to alleviate the problem by way of some kind of antidote. While this may sometimes be the case, Lama Alan offers the alternative of letting the mind heal itself by stopping effort altogether, simply by resting in awareness. By attending to the afflictions with stable awareness, the disturbances release themselves. Continuing with the text, at this stage, Dudjom Lingpa mentions that there may be a strong sense of bliss (possibly a reference to priti; one of the five dhyana factors). This too can be a pitfall if it triggers craving. At this stage, bile disturbances are prevalent. Eventually, coarse mindfulness along with the field of experience slowly shuts down. A subtle mode of knowing arises, in dependence upon which we remain wakeful in a vacuity. This is approaching stage 9 of shamatha development, a state of limbo shifting from coarse mind to subtle mind. The vacuity is the “ethically neutral space” of the substrate, devoid of contents. Lama Alan gives the analogy of a settled snow globe with empty transparent space. This is the third type of mindfulness, “mindfulness devoid of mindfulness”, a transitional stage between "mind 1.0” and “mind 2.0”. This is also comparable to the culminating state of the dying process. At this stage, phlegm disorders are prevalent. Lama Alan says that despite the sluggishness experienced here, it’s still possible to remain vivid to the dullness of the mind. Eventually this subsides and gives way to luminosity. As we move towards the achievement of shamatha, there is bliss, luminosity, and non-conceptuality. The fourth stage of mindfulness is the self-illuminating mindfulness. Dudjom Lingpa continues to caution us not to cling to these positive aspects of this stage, as some people may mistake these states for nirvana or rigpa. The meditation starts at 8:45
Fall 2010 Shamatha Retreat, 18 Nov 2010, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
This evening, as we return to the theme of Immeasurable Compassion, Alan offers an expansive and truly remarkable presentation of how the Buddhist approach to suffering runs directly against the grain of modernity’s approach to suffering, and finally how the bodhisattva’s response to suffering departs radically from that of a hinayana practitioner aspiring to the state of an arhat. Challenging, mind-expanding and deeply inspiring; one hour of Alan at his finest.
2018 8-week retreat- The Essence of Clear Meaning, 27 May 2018, Lama Tzong Khapa Institute in Pomaia (Pisa), Italy
Lama Alan began this afternoon session with a small note regarding this morning practice of the Shower of Blessings, mentioning that the visualization he leads us in (imagining Avalokiteshvara on the crown of our head, Amitābha on our throat chakra and Guru Rinpoche at our heart chakra) is a bit of a departure from the more traditional way to do it, where usually Amitābha is visualized at the top of the crown chakra (it's simply his own personal preference). Afterwards, he explored the required conditions to be reborn in Sukhavati, the pure land of Amitābha, which 'just' imply ethics, one's devotion to bodhicitta, and simply praying and dedicating merits to Amitābha, so that one can take birth there, and then continue one's practice. Ahead of the meditation, Lama explained the two practices we would engage in the meditation. The first was taking the mind as the path, where as a reminder, we're choosing one out of six fields of experience, and resting in the stillness of the awareness in the midst of the movements of the mind, as our best approximation of substrate consciousness. The second segment would be a non-meditation (open presence) where in a shift in practice, one leaves all senses open, with the awareness remaining still, and just resting in complete freedom from effort (desiring, striving) with the view of Dzogchen, which is our best approximation of rigpa. The meditation's first segment was on taking the mind as the path, and the second segment was on non-meditation, and starts at 34:32 After the meditation, we returned to the text and Lama continued with the oral transmission and commentary, moving on to section "5' How People of Middling and Inferior Faculties Who Do Not Reach the Culmination of the Path in This Lifetime Are Liberated in the Transitional Phases of Ultimate Reality and of Becoming", on page 127. He made comments about the reduction of the typical presentation of the six bardos down to 4 (due to this being a short presentation), also on the metaphor of a 'swallow entering its nest' to represent the transitional phase of living, where he commented on the fact that a swallow chooses its nest with significant reflection, because it has repercussions for years and years to come (swallows nest in the same place for generations); he also made brief comments about the beginning of our experience as sentient beings, and lastly, he commented on the importance of engaging in practice once one realizes that death is near (whether it's applying the suggestions from Atisha we explored some days ago, praying to be reborn in Sukhavati, or engaging in powa). Tomorrow we will end the oral transmission and commentary of the text.
2018 8-week retreat- The Essence of Clear Meaning, 18 Apr 2018, Lama Tzong Khapa Institute in Pomaia (Pisa), Italy
Before the meditation, Alan discusses the theme of relativity in Madhyamaka and the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, commenting that they don't have physical applications, but rather they have soteriological ones (i.e. for freedom). Alan doesn't know anybody who achieved liberation just by understanding relativity theory! Motion and stillness are not absolute, and also the space in which they happen is not absolute. This is really core to the writings of Nagarjuna, in which he addresses the emptiness of inherent nature of both space and time. But let's come back to our practice. When you relatively settle your body, speech and mind and come to rest into some stillness, is that stillness relative or absolute? Relative to what do you know when your awareness is still and when it's in motion? Then Alan explores briefly the following three dimensions, in which the coarser obscures the subtler: (1) A sense of stillness that is what remains when you release grasping right now (we can simply call it mental consciousness, heavily conceptual) together with the relative dharmadhatu; (2) Substrate consciousness (by nature relatively non-conceptual), that doesn't go out and merge with its object, and the substrate; (3) Primordial consciousness and the ultimate dharmadhatu (the actual nature of existence). After the meditation, Alan makes some brief comments about the pyramid of relaxation, stillness and vividness, and then he returns to the text and oral commentary. We are now in the enormously important part entitled "1'' Recognizing the Essential Nature of that Which Is to Be Abandoned". Finally, Alan makes some comments on two different ways of reporting our experiences and on the trajectory of the practice of mindfulness of breathing, which can bring the meditator from a peaceful state to an ambrosial dwelling, as the Buddha famously said. The meditation is on Taking Aspects of the Mind as the Path (silent and not recorded). Text p. 53-54
2018 8-week retreat- The Essence of Clear Meaning, 14 May 2018, Lama Tzong Khapa Institute in Pomaia (Pisa), Italy
Lama Alan begins this morning's teaching explaining the three meanings of equanimity (Sanskrit: upeksha): 1. Within the three feelings, equanimity is the neutral feeling. 2. Equanimity (impartiality) when directed towards all sentient beings, is looking through appearances, beyond the I-it relationship and 3. The equanimity of non-intervention, which is attained at the eighth stage of shamatha. Lama then referred to yesterday's teaching on yearning for bliss to arise in our practice, as in: "When is this going to start to be fun?" - the sense of waiting for some pleasurable sensation or outcome. He explained that our very seeking for pleasure is what will bind us to the Desire Realm and will be a major obstacle to breaking through to the Form Realm. Shamatha is designed to bring us to bliss, luminosity and non-conceptuality by way of meditations on a completely non-sensually desirable object like the breath in mindfulness of breathing. The Buddha said that this practice would bring us to a calm state, then a sublime state, and finally an ambrosial dwelling. Gradually through sustained practice, as the mind calms down, we move from calmness to a sense of sublime well-being. As afflictions further subside, we get a greater sense of bliss or joy (Sanskrit: priti). Lama Alan then taught about the importance of The Four Applications of Mindfulness as taught in the Pali Canon, especially focussing on closely applying mindfulness to feelings. Looking into their causes, and their dissolution. It is an insider's job. The meditation begins with taking aspects of the mind as the path and gradually moves to resting in awareness and viewing feelings as feelings, without identifying with them. After the meditation, Lama encourages us to seek out the inner refuge - a shelter from the storm. Meditation starts at 54:44
Fall 2011 Shamatha Retreat, 07 Sep 2011, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
Introduction
Description of the difference between Awareness of Awareness practice and Open Presence/Open Awareness.
Imagine you are in a sensory deprivation tank so have no sensory input and Merlin removes all activities of mind. You have just had three espressos, so you are awake. What are you aware of? All that is left is awareness of awareness.
Guided meditation (9:15)
Expanding the field of awareness. Awareness pulled out to right, left, up, down and then into the heart chakra.
Fall 2013 Shamatha and the Seven-Point Mind Training, 22 Oct 2013, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Phuket, Thailand
Alan begins with two quotes from William James regarding aspiration.
The guided meditation is on developing your personal aspirations and the causes to fulfill them.
Discussion of Aspiring Bodhicitta and engaging Bodhicitta. Within engaging Bodhicitta, shepherd like Bodhicitta, Navigating Bodhicitta, and King like Bodhicitta.
Alan continues with the 7th point of the Seven Point mind training.
Meditation starts at: 9:23
2019 8-Week Retreat, 17 Apr 2019, Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, Tuscany, Italy
Continuing on the subject of personal and phenomenal identitylessness, Lama Alan once again relates this to the Bahiya Sutta and Satipathana Sutta. In the text, Düdjom Lingpa does his own analysis investigating the various body parts in search of a self, and coming to the conclusion that no self is to be found in any of them. Lama Alan cautions that even while doing such investigations, the elusive ego will tend to hide itself in plain sight and our investigation may fail to reach its intended conclusion, particularly off the cushion, when we slip into rumination predicated on self-grasping. This is where shamatha comes in to sustain our insight from vipashyana. Moreover, without a firm foundation in ethics, mental afflictions can undo any progress by continually unbalancing the mind. Lama Alan remarks on the profundity of the text as it highlights that not only do phenomena depend on bases of designation, but the bases of designation themselves depend on further bases of designation, empty all the way through. Lama Alan then stresses the importance of maintaining this view of emptiness off the cushion, particularly when it comes to observing thoughts the moment they arise and recognizing them as empty phenomena arising in the space of the mind, which allows them to release themselves without modification. This is how the view relates to conduct. Meditation begins: vipashyana on six sense doors and the awareness that apprehended them. After the meditation, Lama Alan returns to the text’s presentation of emptiness and how it’s in line with the Prasanghika Madhyamaka view. After explaining how phenomena are empty of inherent existence, he discusses how phenomena do arise without being inherently existent by their own side; a threefold approach covering interdependence on previous causes and conditions, parts and whole analysis, and the role of the observer. Meditation starts at 22:35
Public Teachings from Lama Alan, 04 Apr 2024, Online
On Dakini Day, April 4, 2024, Lama Alan emerged from retreat silence for a few hours to offer Part One of his public talk, "Believers, Contemplatives, and the Future of Human Civilization,” intended as a response to a talk that Khandro la offered on March 25, 2024, "A Spontaneous Discussion on Material Science and Buddhist Science of Mind." You can listen to this talk from Khandro la [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-CeLjac5Xs).
The Wisdom of Atisha and Knowing Our Own Minds, 16 Sep 2021, Online from Miyo Samten Ling in Crestone, CO
Content: - There will be no meditation during this session. - The topic of the dialogue is how we can transform things that can be perceived as obstacles into the path. - Relationship between Atisha, Drom Tönpa, Tara and Avalokiteshvara. Text discussed: - Lama-la continues with the discussion of the text starting from "Master, please reveal the essential point." (middle of page 4) and ending with "This completes the teaching on how to bear in mind the guru’s instructions when pride and a sense of superiority arise." (bottom half of page 6)
Fathom the Mind. Heal the World., 06 Oct 2022, Online and in person from Blazing Mountain Retreat Center, Crestone, Colorado
Eva starts the day with a prayer dear to her heart, to the Holy Spirit. She continues with quotations from St Symeon writings, highlighting numerous poignant similarities between Buddhist and Christian contemplative practices. There is a clear parallel made between Vajrasattva and the practice of purification from negative karma which always includes offerings to the other buddhas, and the purification of sin in the Christian contemplative practice. The Buddhist and the Christian systems (mandalas) are completely compatible if one fully understands emptiness as unifying at the depth and leading to the same Truth. The Empowerment is equivalent to the Baptism which enables the Holy Spirit to enter the practitioner, arising from the Word, just as Vajrasattva arises from the seed syllable. Christ's sacrifice is the supreme offering of the flesh and death is the most sublime opportunity to realise the Clear Light. Further she offers a commentary on a quotation of St Symeon regarding the Spiritual Father, who asks to be saved together with his disciples, as Salvation has no purpose for one alone, similar to the aspiration of Bodhicitta. In accordance with The One Hundred and Fifty-Three Practical and Theological Texts, without a Spiritual Father (the Guru) it is impossible to keep the commandments of God (equivalent to samayas) and avoid the snares of the devil (the mental afflictions). He gives advice on how in a spiritual community one has to be disciplined, avoid mundane distractions and rely solely on the Spiritual Teacher and the fellow spiritual practitioners. Eva proceeds with extensive commentaries on several quotations regarding Repentance, Prayer and Illumination, highlighting in detail parallels to the Buddhist Paths of seeing, insight and meditation, with their similarities and differences. There is discussion on the virtue of humility in the face of eternal retribution (the never-ending agony of samsara) and the importance of taking the four revolutions in outlook at heart in a personal manner. God is personal in Christianity. The experiences during authentic prayer described by St Symeon have striking similarity with tummo and the description is indeed one of subtle body experiences which open the heart chakra like inner fire. Demons encountered are nothing else but nyam. In contrast with the skilful means and 'clinical' approach in Buddhism, the devotional search in mystical experience is described as all-consuming and sublime, ordinary mind dissolving into the subtle mind and further into the very subtle mind, experienced as the Light of God, always there to be discovered, Pristine Awareness.
