Healing with Form, Energy, and Light: The Five Elements in Tibetan Shamanism, Tantra, and Dzogchen

183 Pages·2002·3.98 MB·English

by  Tenzin W. Rinpoche

HEALING WITH FORM,
ENERGY AND LIGHT
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HEALING
WITH
FORM, ENERGY AND LIGHT
The Five Elements
in Tibetan Shamanism,
Tantra, and Dzogchen
by
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
Edited by
Mark Dahlby
Snow Lion Publications
Ithaca, NY / Boulder, CO
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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
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CONTENTS
Preface x
The Prayer of the Intermediate State xiii
Introduction xvii
The Bön Religion xix
ONE: The Elements 1
Three Levels of Spiritual Practice 3
External 3
Internal 3
Secret 4
Relating to the Sacred 5
The Five Pure Lights 8
The Dissolution of the Elements 11
Understanding Through the Elements 11
Relating Oneself to the Elements 12
Earth 13
Water 15
Fire 16
Air 17
Space 19
The Elements and Our Well-Being 21
How the Elements Become Unbalanced 22
The Arising of Problems 24
Purification and Cultivation 26
Knowing Which Element to Work With 27
Working with the Elements 28
Choosing the Level of the Practice 30
TWO: The Five Elements in Shamanism 33
La, Yee, and Sem 36
La, Sok, and Tse 38
Practices 38
Working with the Elements in Nature 40
The Nine Purification Breaths 41
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Earth 42
Water 43
Fire 44
Air 45
Space 45
Dedication 46
Elemental Spirits 46
Relating to Non-Physical Beings 50
First Guests 50
Second Guests 51
Third Guests 51
Fourth Guests 52
Making Offerings 53
Soul Loss and the Retrieval of the Elemental Energies 57
The Arrow, Turquoise, and Soul Deer 59
The Practice of Retrieving the Elemental Energies 60
Outline of the Practice 60
The Nine Purification Breaths 61
Guru Yoga 61
The Four Guests 62
The Transformation of the Body 63
The Transformation of the Energy 65
Retrieving the Elemental Energies 66
The Transformation of the Mind 68
The Long Life Mantra 70
Dedication 70
The Goddess Practice with the Other Elements 71
The Practice in Daily Life 74
THREE: The Five Elements in Tantra 76
The Horse, Path, Rider, and Armor 77
The Horse: Prana 77
The Functions of the Five Pranas 77
The Path: Channels 80
The Rider: Tigle 82
The Armor: Syllables 82
Aspects of Tantra 83
Chakras 83
Positive and Negative 84
Supporting Positive Qualities 86
The Practice of Tsa Lung 89
Posture 90
Breath and Prana 90
Transformation in Holding and Releasing 92
Instructions 93
The Five External Tsa Lung Movements 93
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The Five Internal Tsa Lung Practices 105
The Five Secret Tsa Lung Practices 107
Opening the Chakras 109
FOUR: The Five Elements in the Great Perfection 111
The Great Perfection 111
Creating Samsara 112
The Six Lamps 113
Sound, Light, and Rays 118
Being with Problems 120
Dissolving Samsara 122
Appreciating the Space Element 126
Integrating with Space and the Other Four Lights 129
The Dark Retreat: Visions of the Five Elements 130
FIVE: Final Words 134
Glossary 139
Bibliography 147
Appendix 1: Astrological Directions 149
Appendix 2: List of Contacts 151
Appendix 3: The Prayer of the Intermediate State 155
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H.H. the Dalai Lama at Menri Bönpo Monastery in India
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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
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