No. 136 THE MIRROR June 2017 Upcoming Events with Contents Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Schedule . 2 The Relationship between the Physical Body and the Mind . 3 The Importance of the International Gakyil . 7 Photo: P . Fassoli Update on the IDC Annual General Meeting . 8 2017 Taiwan September 11–13, 2017 Roles of Responsibility Italy Taiwan Retreat within the IG . 9 Merigar West June 30–July 4, 2017 Malaysia Perseverance, Engagement, Ati Dzogchen Kyung-chen Ding-va, September 18–20, 2017 and Personal Commitment. 11 the Dzogchen Semde text “The Kuala Lumpur Retreat Great Garuda in Flight” Members of The P.R.C. International Gakyil . 13 Germany Samtengar Munich October 1–7, 2017 Shang Shung Foundation . 14 July 14–16, 2017 Samtengar retreat of Longsal Longde Ati Dzogchen Tsalchen teaching and practice ASIA . 20 Austria October 14-20, 2017 Dzamling Gar . 21 July 28–30, 2017 Long life practice with Chüdlen of Vienna Retreat Guru Amitayus Merigar West . 24 P.R.C. Hong Kong Merigar East. 27 Chengdu October 27–29, 2017 August 11, 2017 Giving Initiation of Shitro Korde Samtengar . 28 Travel to Chengdu and meeting Rangdrol of Changchub Dorje with Tibetan dancers and singers Namgyalgar . 29 Singapore August 18–20, 2017 November 3–5, 2017 Tsegyalgar East . 29 Chengdu Retreat Singapore Retreat Tsegyalgar West . 30 August 26, 2017 Australia Public Talk at the University November 10–14, 2017 Tashigar South. 31 Namgyalgar Retreat Beijing The Reopening of August 30, 2017 Argentina the IsIAO Library . 32 Visit to Jamyangling and Ganapuja November 24–28, 2017 Tashigar Sur Retreat Tibetan Coins Japan and Paper Money . 34 September 2–6, 2017 Colombia Dzogchen Teaching – The Cycle of December 15–17, 2017 The Life and Teachings of Day and Night Bogota Retreat Patrul Rinpoche . 37 Front cover: A detail from the obverse or front of a Art=Life=Art . Tibetan 10 srang banknote dated Tibetan Era 1689 Back cover: Details from the obverse of a Tibetan 38 which corresponds to the year 1943. The coin on 10 srang banknote with a red seal symbolizing the left is the obverse of the Tangka dkarpo, the spiritual authority and a black one showing an Artists in the most used silver coin in Tibet until the 1930s. On inscription in phags pa script – gzhung dngul Dzogchen Community . the right the obverse of the three srang coin in khang, which stands for ‘government bank’ or liter- 40 silver showing a snow lion encircled by the legend ally ‘government’ and ‘silver house’. The coin is the ‘dga ‘ldan pho brang phyogs las rnam rgyal’. reverse of the Tangka dkarpo. How I Met . 42 2 THE MIRROR · No. 136 · June 2017 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Photo by Lesya Cherenkova I have been requested to explain a little about the relationship between body and mind . In general, in the Tibetan sciences and the spiritual path, when we speak about a human being we speak about The Relationship three gates . A gate means something for entering into knowledge, or a way to come out of a problem . For example, if we want to visit between the a museum, we have to go through a gate or door . When we enter then we can discover what is inside . In the same way if we are inside a prison, in order to free ourselves, we need to go through Physical Body the door . For that reason our physical body, our energy, and our mind are called our three gates . It is important to understand that we all have this base . If we study Tibetan medicine, it is explained and the Mind and people learn it that way . That is the base of the relationship between the physical body and the mind . A public talk given on April 28, 2017, during a This is connected to our different kinds of energy . Basically our three day event on Tibetan Medicine and Culture on physical body and everything is related to the five elements, and the island of Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain the function of all our vital energy and movements is part of en- ergy . For example, if we want to have a peaceful calm state in our mind, even though we may have a very nice idea about it, it isn’t am very happy to be here with all of you . This is the first time easy to find this peace because mind is related to our energy . If we I have been in this place . In general most of the time I live in want to have a peaceful mind, we should know how to work with I Tenerife . My origin is Tibetan and I received all my education our energy . If we want to control and coordinate our energy, we when I was in Tibet . When I was 20 years old I came to India and need to understand how our physical body is because energy is two years later I was invited by the famous Tibetologist, Giuseppe also dependent on the physical body . Tucci, to Italy, and worked at the university in Italy for many years . Energy is very important in our daily lives . Sometimes we are As you know, for many centuries Tibet remained isolated and happy and everything goes well . I am sure that all of you have had for that reason ancient spiritual knowledge and many ancient sci- this experience . We think that it is a fortunate moment for us be- ences have remained as they were up to this moment . When I was cause everything is going well and we don’t need much effort to studying in Tibet, I did not realize the value of all the education that do things . Even if we buy a lottery ticket in that moment, perhaps I received there, but after working for many years at a university in we can win . Other times we have the opposite situation and even the Western world, I have understood that Tibet has many things though we make our best efforts, everything goes badly . When we that are valuable not only for Tibetans but for all human beings . So have these experiences we think they are linked to luck or fortune, a little later when I finished working at university I dedicated my- but they are based on the condition of our energy . self to trying to communicate this knowledge to people . >> continued on the following page THE MIRROR · No. 136 · June 2017 3 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu >> continued from previous page we know everything . Perhaps we don’t say this to other people In Tibetan medicine we talk about the three humors, which re- because we want to be polite and if we tell people that we know ally have their origins in the three emotions . The first of these is better than they do, then they think it is strange . We don’t say it, ignorance . But ignorance doesn’t mean that we have no education . but we think it . Our ego is very strong and for that reason when It means we are ignorant of how our real condition is . We do not we have some problems we immediately think that we are the in- observe it and we do not know it, only going after our minds, judg- nocent party, that it’s all the fault of the other person . We insist on ing and thinking . Then, when things do not correspond, we are it . That means that we do not know how it is related with interde- upset . But in the real sense, instead of fortune, it is the condition pendence . If there is no connection of interdependence, then why of the three humors . When our three humors are balanced in a do we have a problem with that person? When we have a problem perfect way, we are very healthy . When one of these humors is dis- with someone, there is some connection . It may not be easy for us ordered, or missing some function, then we have illness and prob- to convince that person because they, too, have a very strong ego, lems . It is the same with the condition of our five elements; when and so we develop our tensions more and more . The best way is some are damaged or not balanced, we have many problems . When that we observe ourselves . We can change our own ideas easily, but we have problems and everything goes badly, in that moment our it is difficult to change someone else’s . energy is disordered or damaged . In general, when we have these This way of doing things is called ‘evolution’, in your language . types of problems, we are upset . But it doesn’t help to be upset . It We work with our condition and when we free our tensions, we feel is more important that we understand that . happy . If we keep these tensions and they develop day by day, we There are many ways to coordinate and strengthen our energy . are not happy at all . This means not being ignorant and observing . At the physical level there are many types of movements such as Another of the root emotions is attachment . An example of this Yantra Yoga to coordinate and strengthen energy . For example, if is when we need or want something . When it is difficult or not we have this kind of problem, by learning and applying the eight possible to have it, then we get angry . Attachment and renunci- movements of Yantra Yoga, we can coordinate our physical energy . ation are the two bases of the emotions and we go ahead in that There are many things related to our energy level .