PURIFICATION: Dreams, Aches, Turbulence and Other Signs of Progress by ROB PREECE Just as Jung recognized that the greater need to receive some kind find these images interesting be- psyche's way of revealing itself is of approbation that tells us we cause we can gradually learn to History of the Karmapas through dreams, so too in the Ti- are worthy or that we have spiri- read their meaning and apply it betan tradition, dreams are often tual qualities. to our life. Purification dreams considered a way of discovering Looking for signs of the suc- can be extremely diverse and Recognizing a Tulku the effect of practice. There are cess, or otherwise, of our practice sometimes very graphic. I recall even texts, referred to during the may not be particularly useful. someone in retreat saying how for the discovery of his future in- giving of empowerments, which However, as we do Buddhist she had looked down at her right Most of us know that tulkus carnation, or tulku. Writing such describe the kinds of dreams practice, we will inevitably have leg; a split opened up in it and are recognized as reincarna- a letter, which was sometimes meditators may have. In the case some experiences that do reflect exuded a mass of little insectlike tions of specific masters, but transmitted orally to a trusted of tantric practice, it is even sug- the effect of purification in par- creatures. She was horrified un- we may not know the begin- disciple, then became one of the gested that sometimes medita- ticular. It is clear from my own til she realized this image might nings of the tulku "system." methods for recognizing the Kar- tors should continue a particular experience of this, however, that actually symbolize that some- Here's the story, along with a mapas. Later it would frequently retreat until they experience cer- these effects are not usually quite thing was being cleared out. Def- bit of the fascinating history happen that even masters of oth- tain signs, such as these kinds of as grand and elevated as visions ecating, urinating, and vomiting of the first recognized tulku er lineages called on the Karmapa dreams, of accomplishment. or dreams of deities. dreams, as well as dreams where and his magical dealings with to discover tulkus. As Westerners, we may have a When we embark upon the something is leaving the body, the famed Kubilai Khan. For example, the fifteenth Kar- tendency to hold these signs with preliminaries, our dreams may are actually quite positive signs Adapted from The History of mapa, who lived at the end of the a little more ego-investment than be full of all manner of images, of purification. Dreams that in- the Karmapas by Lama Kun- nineteenth century and the be- Tibetans do. We seem to have a which may not at first mean volve cleaning are also fairly clear sang; Lama Pemo, and Marie ginning of the twentieth century, much or might even cause us signs of purification, so clearing Aubele. recognized around one thousand Above illustration: Gary Waters concern. As a psychotherapist I or sweeping a room in a house, tulkus during his life. or redecorating a room are good Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, a signs. Washing or cleaning the contemporary master, recounts body or another object, such as a Tulkus: The First Karmapa the following: statue, is also a sign of purifica- Dusum Khyenpa [the first Kar- "Although he had unimpeded tion. Often our dreams refer back mapa] made numerous predic- clairvoyance, the [fifteenth] Kar- 746 to previous dreams in which we tions concerning his successors. mapa explained that he did not were experiencing some difficulty always have complete control STD Before his death, he wrote a let- NO. NY14851 ter wherein he gave instructions (Continued on page 12) (Continued on page 11) POSTAGE PAID PRSRT U.S. PERMIT ITHACA, The Five Indestructible Warrior Sounds by TENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE 2*1-...; Before the development of hu- classes of demons mentioned in m man language, there were only the teachings, some related to kar- the sounds of nature: waterfalls, mic forces, others to the subtlest wind, rain. Sound had no concep- attachment of our own grasping tual associations. When we trace mind. Whether we are troubled sound farther back to its very be- by distracting thoughts, hav- ginnings, we arrive at the pure, ing problems with anger, feeling primordial sounds of the seed too much desire or attachment, syllables. or suffering from karma-related According to the ancient Bon chronic illness, whatever obstacle Buddhist tradition, the first or obscuration we have is related sounds that arose from the es- to one of these demons. And for The five warrior syllables sence were the five warrior seed every demon, there is a warrior are the seed syllables of the five syllables, the pawo dru nga [pawo, syllable that can overcome it. wisdoms. "warrior"; dru, "seed"; nga, The warrior syllables are pure According to Tibetan Bon Bud- "five"). They are called warriors and indestructible. They are able dhism, the profound empathy because they have the ability to to penetrate through fear and of compassion is not enough to The catalog in this magazine Requested conquer our demons. The de- cannot be destroyed by it. They contains only a selection of items bring us to enlightenment; there mons they fight are not necessar- cut through ignorance and open Publications must also be wis^iilitOnly wis- 14851 available from Snow Lion. ily evil beings; rather, they are the space; they are the doorway to dom can ultimatt:y,riclestroy the Service 6483 NY See www.SnowLionPub.com for familiar demons of our emotions connecting back to the original Lion deluded ego that is the source of our complete catalog of products Box from which the experience of evil essence and to the wisdom quali- all our demons. & descriptions! may arise. There are four other ties that arise from the essence. Ithaca, Change Snow PO (Continued on page 2) ITOPSSt,: AS*:; 'Mi i .. .,., "if.::::."'-,::-: ::■:■:■ :::■:■■:■■■■■■:■■■■ .:■::::.:-■ ■::::;,:: ,,,:,:,;■ -: ........■...■■.,-... .... ,: .,.,; ....... ..;.,.,,:,,,.,..,,.. Crown chakra V\ Chakra of Great Bliss The Warrior Syllables (dechen khorlo) Warrior syllable; A and Healing «', Throat chakra An example of how this practice can help free us from difficult feelings from a student of Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche: fAf c,lakra °f Abundance C>] {longchd khorto) "When I added the last sacred syllable, DZA, to my formal Q Warrior syllable: OM practice, both times I had a very powerful emotional release. Tears \Q/ Heart chakra came flooding down my face, and I felt like a lot of the old trauma Chakra of Bon Essence and pain that I was storing in my secret chakra was released! I (bonnyi khorlo) continued to sound DZA as best I could to release all the stuck Warrior symbol: HUNG pain from the past as you instructed. It was a significant healing for me and I feel more free yet a bit vulnerable and raw. Feelings from my childhood that have plagued me for years were coming up, first issues around sexual and emotional abuse, then feelings of insecurity, not feeling good or worthy enough, not feeling heard or acknowledged, etc. Wow! A lot of stuff is com- ing up each time to be healed. As a child, I was very trusting and loving but some took advantage and abused that quality. Many O Navel chakra S Secret chakra would say I was just "gullible." Now as an adult I have more dis- JUST Chakra of v Chakra of Method cernment at least. I want to be able to open my heart and share ^ Emanation y\. s and Wisdom love without the fear of being hurt. Towards the end of my sec- (trulpe khorlo) (thabshe khorlo) ond formal session I started feeling more love coming in and tears Warrior syllable: Warrior syllable: more of joy in gratitude for this healing practice." RAM DZA * * * Question: I am wondering if/how these practices could be used to heal an issue of chronic physical pain in my body. In other words, what would be the best way to go about using sound healing to work with physical pain ? Rinpoche: Normally when one has physical pain, one can either have a generally good attitude toward it, relating to the pain with some level of openness, lightness, and kindness; or one can relate with physical pain in a negative way, a critical way, a hateful way, thinking "Why me?" This negative mental relationship to the pain Figure 1: The three channels, five chakras, and five warrior seed syllables can create even more physical pain as a result. So in that sense I recommend the same approach we are using with the practice: THE FIVE INDESTRUCTIBLE Try to cultivate more openness in relation to the pain. Physical WARRIOR SOUNDS pain needs the help of positive attention and loving kindness in Continued from page 1 order for it to heal. This kind of positive attention might not re- move chronic physical pain completely, but by improving your The Internal Warrior •s. & relation to it, it might actually help to minimize it. ■ V3 o .2 Syllables For several years now I have been A Body Crown White Wisdom of Khagylng Karoo teaching a practice of the five in- w emptiness ternal warrior seed syllables, A, TIBETAN YOGAS OF BODY, SPEECH, AND MIND OM, HUNG, RAM, and DZA, OM Speech Throat Yellow Earth Mirrorlike Mugyung Karoo based on a text from an oral trans- wisdom by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, edited by Polly Turner mission of the fourteenth century 230 pp., 22 photos, 5 drawings, 12 tables. #TIYOBO $18.95, called The Peaceful Luminous A.