Sudden glimpses

There is no sudden breakthrough that remains forever – there are only sudden glimpses.  But the glimpses encourage us to see more until, gradually, we develop the ability to integrate these experiences of unconditioned being with the rest of our life.  The process of being total in the moment enables us to embrace our emotions; and, through doing so, to discover our beginningless enlightened nature.

 p241, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, ISBN 0-9653948-0-8

Ecstatic sensation

When you can simply be with the sensation of your emotion and experience it fully at the non-conceptual level, you will notice a dynamic reversal taking place.  The spinning energy that seemed to be generating rivulets of words and ideas has a vast still centre: like the eye of a hurricane.  From that experience of stillness it is possible to perceive that the obsessive spinning is not caused by the emotional sensation, but that it is in fact the cause of it.  When you realise the empty nature of the emotional pain, the pain dissolves into an ecstatic sensation of presence and awareness.   

p240, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, ISBN 0-9653948-0-8

Free energy

To relinquish analysis allows you to stare directly into the face of an arising emotion.  You can accomplish this by focusing on the physical sensation of the emotion as the subject/object of meditation.  Your whole field of attention needs to be immersed in the wordless sensation of the emotion as it manifests in the body.  If you can maintain the presence of your wordless gaze, the emotion becomes a free energy.

p240, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, ISBN 0-9653948-0-8

The non-dual energy of emotion

To renounce one’s anger in order to cultivate a less harmful response, is the practice of Sutra.  To transform the energy of the emotion through the implementation of symbolic method, is the practice of Tantra.  Only the spontaneous experience of the nondual energy of the emotion is the practice of Dzogchen.

p58, Spacious Passion Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books, 2006 ISBN: 978-0-9653948-4-0

Spontaneous realisation

To control one’s anger and refrain from hurtful words and actions in an honest attempt to be aware and kind, is appropriate practice for a Dharma practitioner.  However we must be clear this is not the practice of Dzogchen.  It is not the spontaneous realisation of the nonduality of the emptiness and form of the emotion.

p57, Spacious Passion Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books, 2006 ISBN: 978-0-9653948-4-0 

Bardo

Between the consciousness of the dying physical being and the consciousness of the reborn physical being –  a dream-like state of consciousness is experienced, and this is called Bardo.  This is a disorientating or frightening experience if the consciousness has had no experience of the empty nature of Mind.  We become embodied once again and begin the process of identifying with physicality in which we ignore the nature of existence as a stream of moments of emptiness, energy, and form.  If we have any feel for the experiential nature of this continuity, we can begin to grasp the importance of engaging in spiritual practice.  Any practice that hones awareness and the ability to allow mind to be free in complete identification with the present moment will be of immense benefit.

p112-113, Spacious Passion Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books, 2006 ISBN: 978-0-9653948-4-0

Sky mind, cloud mind

In our attachment to this specific physical form, we have forgotten that mind does not depend on physicality.  Through attaching all experience to the sphere of our physicality, we limit our awareness of the nature of Mind.  Practice enables us to experience Sky mind, rather than remaining trapped in cloud mind with its referential need to grasp at physical form.

p112-113, Spacious Passion Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books, 2006 ISBN: 978-0-9653948-4-0

It’s actually quite funny

The vow to lead the extraordinary life of the changchub sempa is the determined commitment to practice, not for ourselves – but for all beings.  We make the vow to renounce the atttainment of nonduality until all beings realise their nondual nature.  It’s a paradox.  In fact it’s actually quite funny.  The expansive good heart and open warmth we generate through our intention, projects us inevitably towards our goal – through the practice of giving up our goal.

p80-81, Rays of the Sun, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1-898185-06-2

Devotion

 

Devotion is letting go of the importance we place on the stresses of life, and embracing total responsibility.  It is release from the bondage of neurosis into identification with honour.  Devotion has the deliciously ambiguous, inexpressible quality of Vajrayana itself.  It is emptiness and form.  It is allowing oneself to dissolve into emptiness in relation to the Lama and arising in the form of the Lama’s pure view.  It is freedom from the bondage of referentiality.

p224, Spacious Passion Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books, 2006 ISBN: 978-0-9653948-4-0

We do not flinch

When feeling intense sorrow at images of people suffering, know that your practice will help.  As warriors, we do not flinch from the horrors of life circumstances.  We face them, experience the horror and transform the feeling of being overwhelmed into ubiquitous intelligence.  The warrior does not retract into indifference, or kid themselves that putting 50p in a charity box has fulfilled their responsibility.  The warrior practices wholeheartedly and energetically to be of benefit to others.

p227, Spacious Passion Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books, 2006 ISBN: 978-0-9653948-4-0 

The imaginary illness

Kyabjé Düd’jom Rinpoche said, “Sentient beings see Buddhas as sentient beings – but Buddhas see sentient beings as Buddhas. This disparity causes Buddhas great irritation – and that irritation is known as compassion or pure appropriateness.”  The Lama gives us skilful remedies for the imaginary illness of dualistic derangement in order that we discover for ourselves that our illness is imaginary. 

p97, Rays of the Sun, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1-898185-06-2 

Playful as ever

Our relationship with the external Lama is the interplay of our nondual mind with the nondual mind of the Lama.  It is a Vajrayana game of ‘hide and seek’ in which the Lama is trying to persuade us that we are not dualistically deranged.  The game has been going on for so long that it should be tedious – but the Lama remains as playful as ever.  It is this playfulness that is known as compassion.

p97, Rays of the Sun, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1-898185-06-2 

Every experience

The khandros and pawos are our environment: the earth, water, fire, air, and space which manifest as the conditions in which we find ourselves.  When we realise that the entire phenomenal world is the dance of the khandros and pawos – every experience becomes a teaching.  Every experience becomes the possibility for liberation. 

 p99, Rays of the Sun, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1-898185-06-2 

Practitioners’ best friends

Khandro and pawo are the female sky-dancing and male warrior aspects of the nondual state.  We discover the khandro principle when we begin to discover our spaciousness.  We discover the pawo principle when we begin to discover our innate compassion.  The khandros and pawos are the circumstances of the path – practitioners’ best friends.

p99, Rays of the Sun, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1-898185-06-2    

Everything seems to fall apart

Our lives do seem to go through phases when there is more emptiness.  Everything trundles along nicely for a while and then suddenly everything seems to fall apart.  Emptiness happens.  Do not read significance into this – it is just what is happening now.  Recognising this emptiness and attempting to relax with it is heroic.  This is practice.

p188, Illusory Advice Ngakma Nor’dzin and Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin, Aro Books, 2015, ISBN: 978-1898185-37-6 

Simple, clean and straightforward

Everyone relapses into neurotic patterning all the time.  Regret is useful, but shame simply adds another layer of neurosis to plough through.  Regret the relapse and move on.  Shame is actually holding on to it and not allowing yourself to move on.  Regret the action and let it go – this is simple, clean and straightforward.

p175, Illusory Advice Ngakma Nor’dzin and Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin, Aro Books, 2015, ISBN: 978-1898185-37-6 

Restaurant Reality

I was far from sick of the world, even though it had its lows as well as its highs.  I was currently riding pretty high – and although I was aware that I needed to find the one taste of pleasure and pain, I had no objection at all to pleasure.  Maybe I’d just have to accept that you had to choose both from the menu at Restaurant Reality.  Would I ever be able to do that?  I both wanted it and feared it.

p179, Goodbye Forever: miscellaneous memoirs of an English Lama, Volume One Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books Worldwide, 2020, ISBN 978-1-898185-51-2  

Some kind of miracle

I was always amazed with the way that phenomena could be brought into being.  Even when I was part of the act of creation – the creation was still some kind of miracle.  There was no God – but every creative human being—every artist—was some kind of god.  Creativity was a natural phenomenon that pulsed in us all – and our rôle as beings was to allow that to surface from the primal ocean of existence. 

p173, Goodbye Forever: miscellaneous memoirs of an English Lama, Volume One Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books Worldwide, 2020, ISBN 978-1-898185-51-2 

Buddhism and Blues

There was something about being seated on a motorcycle that fitted both Buddhism and Blues – especially a chopped easy-rider motorcycle.  I had to concentrate in a relaxed manner – alert, yet not anxiously alert.  Being aware of the manœuvres of other motorists—which were not always precise—was a form of open-ended vigilance.  It was delightful that anything could be meditation if one was open to that dimension of experience.

p168-169, Goodbye Forever: miscellaneous memoirs of an English Lama, Volume One Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books Worldwide, 2020, ISBN 978-1-898185-51-2  

What matters

It does not matter how many teachings we may have attended.  It does not matter how many empowerments we have received.  What matters is how kind and open we are becoming.  

p92, Rays of the Sun, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1-898185-06-2