If you are interested in more articles and teachings, and presentations of basic good Dharma, please read the Invitation to the Vajrayana Pathways Institute Without Walls site, and make application there [nothing scary] to join the VPIWW ONLINE SANGHA! VPIWW is my main teaching site on the Internet. Lately, I haven't spent a lot of time there, mostly due to THREE PERMACULTURE GARDENS, and involvement taking a PC Design Certification Course, and some traveling. But I shall be back to add things here to the Med Dzog Ati Yoga Healing Circle site next month and into the Fall. I do hope that your Practice & Study are flourishing! Please do go to VPIWW and read there more about Master Keith Dowman, who visited in Colorado recently. Kindest regards, Sapan R. / Kunga

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I am new to dzogchen, but it draws me and I bought the, "Dzogchen Primer" and am about to read it. I've read other books on it & it really calls to me. I'm a 53 yr. old F writer who lives in Seattle w/my 5 yr. old M cat & am waiting for my service dog. I've had M.S. for 26+ years. It's killed me numerous times where I had to get several jolts from the paddles, but, obviously, I'm meant to be here now. I was doing fine for a long while, I had what is called, "remitting/relapsing M.S." which means I'd have an episode that lasted about a week and then I was back to "normal". Some episodes left me more disabled. But it has turned into, "Progressive M.S." & I find myself needing the type of help & companionship that a service dog would offer. Before I couldn't work anymore, I was a Vet Tech & Professional dog trainer, I am a passionate animal lover and peaceful animal activist. I've been meditating daily for years, watching my breath & even tho dzogchen is more contemplative, I won't give the meditating up. It helps w/the pain. I am a published writer and am putting together a manuscript of my poetry for publication. I refuse to pay to publish it myself; there is so much junk out there and I humbly say my poems are publishable by a publisher. It took me 52 years to get to that point! And I am sooo glad I finally did. I admit I am a student here, don't know much, but am open to learning. Nice to meet you & metta to all of you. Yours in Kindness, Lin

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Hello Sapan and everyone,  I joined the Vajrayana Pathways first a while back and introduced myself there.  I've been doing quite a bit of reading, but after reading the recommended threads on Dzogchen I am reminded of the fact that I intellectualize a lot, and a little reading goes a long way for me.  I need to commit myself to some daily sitting time, and just sit.  I look forward to continuing to learn.  It is nice for me to connect with some people who are doing the same.  Thanks for the invitation to join this group.

Peace,

Judy C.  

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Greetings Sapan, and thanks for the invitation. I know how wonderful meditation is for the soul, but I don't know enough about dzogchen or ati yoga. I'll look around at various threads of interest.

Namaste

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Thank you, Sapan, for the invitation. I look forward to exploring this group and its threads, as well as the portals.

Pamylle

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Thank you so much for the invite to this group!  I am really looking forward to getting in here and lookin around and chattin and learning with you guys!! This seems like a really great group!! Thanks again for the invite!!!
Hugs
Lacey

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A WikiPedia Dictionary entry about DZOGCHEN has been place on the "DZOGCHEN: Four-Themed Precious Garland" thread on the Vajrayana Pathways site. See instructions about this ONLINE SANGHA in the pinned list on this site. Thanks. =sr=

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Welcome to you from the Daily Om if you are just getting here from there! Have a good look around and happy new year!

Kindest regards,

Sapan Rinpoche

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The Lineage Transmission

Guru Rinpoche to King Mutik Tsenpo (son of King Tsirong Deutsen) to Drigung Tertön Rinchen Phuntsog (17th lineage holder of Drigung Kagyu & YangZab gTerma Revealer) until the present day lineage holders Chokyi Jugne (Present Holiness Chuntsang Rinpoche) and Thinley Lhundrub (Present Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche).

Brief Introduction
Drigung Kagyu Maha Ati (Dzogchen) Lineage

The Yang Zab (The practices of the Very Profound Vision) is regarded as  supreme among all the Yanas--it embodies the very essence of the tantric teachings. As a Dzogchen practice, it is unique within the Drigung lineage, as it was revealed by the Drigung Tertön (hidden treasure revealer), Rinchen Phuntsog and he is also the 17^th throne holder of the Glorious Drigung Kagyu Order.

During the eighth century, King Trisong Deutsen of Tibet, an emanation of Manjushri, invited Guru Rinpoche to the Land of Snows in order to subdue demonic forces hostile to the Dharma. Having accomplished his wishes and having founded Samye Monastery, the king showed signs of approaching death, and soon passed away. The  king's son, Prince Mutik Tsenpo (also known as Sena Lek) became king, and received the Yang Zab empowerments and instructions from Guru Rinpoche.

The youthful king found that his fathers duties were were so numerous that he had little time to practice Dharma. Guru Rinpoche instructed him to put the practice into text form  and prepare six copies on durable sheets of gold, turquoise, copper and other materials.

These were then wrapped in precious materials and  hidden by Yeshe Tsogyal in Zhoto Terdrom on the limestone massif to the north in the Great Assembly Hall of the Sky Dancers cave (Khandro Tsok Khang Kiri Yang Zong Namkha Phug) located in a towering peak.

The terma was revealed by the Drigung Tertön Rinchen Phuntsog, himself an emanation of King Mutik Tsenpo, during the first half of the sixteenth century. The Yang Zab has been transmitted uninterruptedly down through the Drigung lineage to the present.

View Drigung Kagyu Transmission Flow Chart PDF  |  JPG

http://www.dharma-media.org/ratnashripj/lineage_intro.html

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*** THIS *** IS *** WHY *** YOU *** JOIN *** THIS *** GROUP !

Group Host of

ALTERNATIVE CHOICE (252)CAPSTONE FOUNDATION of LIVING LIGHT (115)ETERNAL LIGHT (39)Elderberries (217)GOLDEN AGE ADVOCACY FORUM (35)MEDITATION - DZOGCHEN - ATI YOGA - HEALING CIRCLE (142)Phuntsok Choephel Ling Monastery Project (64)SPIRITUAL ECOLOGY & PLANETARY SHAMANISM (49)UNIFIED FIELD THEORY OF CONCIOUSNESS - Discussion Group (51)VAJRAYANA PATHWAYS INSTITUTE WITHOUT WALLS (8)WIHC South America - Interfaith Healing Circle (22)WIHC-AUSTRALIA-Interfaith-Healing-Circle (49)WORLDWIDE - AFRICA - Interfaith Healing Circle (14)WORLDWIDE - ASIA - Interfaith Healing Circle (8)WORLDWIDE INTERFAITH HEALING CIRCLE (218)WORLDWIDE-North America-Interfaith-Healing-CIRCLE (84)

*** THIS *** IS *** WHY *** YOU *** JOIN *** THIS *** GROUP ! -

SAPAN !!!

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Zach, oh precious Dzogchenpa, it is so good to see your "introduction" here, and have you aboard as a Host. Please weigh in whenever your way is open, start some new threads, which would be a good thing, and tell us how the book is going. I am eager to get a copy and will go into Boulder next week to see if it is available there, at my favorite Independent Book Store ... the BOULDER BOOKSTORE on the Crazy Mall there! Thanks, my Vajra Brother ... all is well!  E Ma Ho!  =sapan=

AND, Elizabeth, I am so happy to see you here and wafting some energy toward the "Healing Circle."  As anyone can see, from the way that I named this group, months and months ago, part of the my intention at that time, aside from "Meditation" ... "DZOGCHEN" ... and "Ati Yoga" (The Great Perfection Tantra) ... was to form a "Healing Circle" that addressed the profundities and practicalities of HEALING through an ONLINE MEDIUM such as this, and from the viewpoint of the High Spiritual and Mental/Emotional aspect of the healing modalities. From the Tibetan Mediacal point of view, the Body-Mind-Heart is very central to the core health and wellness that all beings seek. I know that Meditation is a very important part of the Healing Mandala -- and the use of Sound Healing, for example, along with profound Aromatherapy and Remote Healing Practices (like Reiki, but also others), although in practice, accomplished by many good practitioners, is still, GLOBALLY, in its infancy. Your interest in the Healing Circle makes my Heart ... Soar!

What online groups are you working with now, Elizabeth? At the end of 2005 I started the "WORLDWIDE INTERFAITH HEALING CIRCLES" and they have now spread to Six Continents, with new Circles coming up in Africa and Asia soon. You seem really committed and involved.  It would be good to develop Remote Healing -- Online -- FROM THE TOP DOWN, so to speak, or, if you like, FROM THE FOUNDATIONS UP. Are you interested in putting a focus on that here, and helping, really to get our healing cricle going here? I would be happy to welcome you as a new Co-HOST, and work with you to launch our Healing Circle. You are the first person that has mentioned the "Healing Circle" and I knew that somebody, such as yourself, would do so sooner or later! Do you have any interest and/or time go devote to HOSTING? Please send me a PM and let me know.  Kindest regards, Sapan ... and WELCOME!

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Hi Friends,

Thanks to Sapan for introducing me to this group and inviting me to be a host. 

My name's Zach (Tibetan name Ngawang Yonten) and I am a practitioner and translator of Dzogchen in the Nyingma tradition.

I have had the good fortune of meeting and receiving empowerments/blessings from many of the great Dzogchen masters from Tibet, such as HH Chatral Rinpoche, Trulshik Rinpoche, Minling Trichen Rinpoche, Penor Rinpoche, Dudropchen Rinpoche, Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche and Lama Wangdu Rinpoche.  My root teacher is Shyalpa Rinpoche (www.tibetan-buddhist.org), who is a disciple of many of the above teachers and a venerated Dzogchen master.  I work with him on many of my translation projects.

Thanks to Sapan for sharing with this group my latest translation project, the book "Compassionate Action by Chatral Rinpoche."  It contains the teachings, prayers, life story, and photos of Chatral Rinpoche, considered by most to be the greatest living Dzogchen master.  It just became available this week!  The book's homepage is www.myspace.com/CompassionateAction if you want to learn more about it.

I have been studying and practicing Buddhism since age 16 (I'm 28 now), but I am still a novice and haven't finished the first 100,000 repititions of my preliminary practices yet. 

I lead a meditation group in New York City (disciples of Shyalpa Rinpoche) and we are now focusing on Guru Yoga, the union of one's mind with the Wisdom Mind of the Guru.  This is a swift path for attaining the Great Perfection of Dzogchen.

I look forward to being a part of this group!

Cordially,

Zach

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I'm Sorradin, a Reiki practitioner and crystal keeper who also dabbles in herbs and oils.  I've had an association with Yoga since the 60's when my mother was diagnosed with deteriorating disks in her spine (I don't remember what the name was).  After they told her all the things she needed to do in a day or lose the use of her legs, she bought a Yoga book, and we started to have home sessions.  For good reasons, she didn't swim 5 miles every day (we lived in western Pennsylvania in a small town -- no indoor pool) nor bike ride 10 miles every day (snow mean anything to anyone?) nor any of their other suggestions.  She's 78 now, has never lost the use of her legs but did just have a knee replacement.  We think her regular Yoga did the trick. 

I knew about but did not become active with meditation until later in life.  More recently, I've been channeling while in meditation and have been working on lucid dreams and conscious channeling with quite a bit of success.  This started when I had a photo aura reading done and was told to approach my connection with my guides more openly and from a shamanic point of view in order to help more people in need. 

I'm 52 -- eeeuuuwww, 53 next month -- and don't feel like a day is complete unless I learned something that I didn't know yesterday.  I am fascinated with all forms of religion/spirituality and have read a lot of religious history and pre-history books.  As I grow older and realize that my time left here is short, I'm focusing more on the areas of spirituality which I have personally found to be more valuable.  At this time your focus here, I hope, will not only take me further on my path but will be knoweledge that I'll be able to share with my family, friends, clients and anyone else whose path I cross.

I look forward to learning a growing with all of you!

Live in the Light,
Sorradin     

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Greetings all, I am new here at the urging of Sapan. My background has covered several esoteric doctrines. I am a student of Ayurveda and Tibetan medicine among other things. Also, Reiki. I am here to add my energy to yours and to continue working at raising the level of mine!

Namaste  Marilyn

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Hi Sapan, Thank you for your invitation. I am a bit lost with my new flapper. So this time shortly: Nice to be here.  

Arctic Princess 

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Welcome to the group, Ayasha!  Sapan will be back on deck in early December, so it will be good to compare notes about different styles of meditation then. 

I'm still reading and learning about Dzogchen style of meditation myself.  My copy of Thinley Norbu's "A Cascading Waterfall of Nectar" arrived today!  I can't wait to read it.

It would be good to find out which book Sapan recommends for starters, as I haven't read all the Dzogchen books in English.

Much warmth,

Merril

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well, at least Dzogchen seems to be for people with a good sense of humour ....so I will stay here and see what comes up .

I practice meditation (zen style - and native american style ) for quite a while but have not yet grasped any "real" idea of Dzogchen ...though working my way through threads and bushes of info...but my mind closes the doors - too much ENGLISH ...maybe i help myself to a german book soon !

love always, Dagmar

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Hi there Lisa, [Sonia, Scott and everyone reading this],

I'm a calm-abiding meditation enthusiast with big aspirations to practice what I preach.  Smiling at myself. 

Developing the tool to bring the mind into one-pointedness is a slow and gentle process with such big results that it's quite a surprise to find out how something so simple can help in so many ways.

Let me respond more fully in the Calm-abiding Meditation - Testing the Waters thread as I've been wanting to share this with Sonia and Scott and others tracking this topic for some time.

Much warmth,

Merril

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Hello everyone, My name is Scott. I'm in the process of learning as a beginner. I've been in contact with Sapan for some time now(actually only on occasion computers take up so much time). I met him at the Daily OM site and have learned alot from th Dzogchen disscusion group. He found me elsewhere and brought me here where I hope to learn more.

My sprituality was lost early in childhood and with the recent "activities" of the clergy of all faiths I figured that they are all hipocrates. I remembered Buddhism from my travels in the NAVY and found it very interesting. I decided to continue as a suggestion of my sponsor to relocate my sprituality. I've found so far that Buddhism is what I've longed for and that following "the path" has kept me out of trouble with the bottle. It is my true endeavor to follow "the path" and to learn more about Buddha, his teachings, and myself. 

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... Just AMAZING ... left me right here ... um, no OVER HERE ... LMAO ... um ... so to speak. Hear we go again ... HERE ... HEAR?

 :-"   (~~)   %-(    :-@   (%)   (*)   [-O<   >-

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So ... to weigh in with my NOPE ... NO Answer to Merril's Question: ""Is Dzogchen as simple as Calm-abiding meditation?  I don't know."

SR:  "NO, maybe ... it all depends!" It depends upon your PREPARATION in both cases. Meditation forms such as Shamata (Calm Abiding) and Vipassana (Insight Meditation) are DIFFERENT for Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana Practitioners, especially those involved in the Practice of Ati Yoga Dzogchen ... and the preparations required at all levels are, at best, simply very  TIME CONSUMING!  Once you know HOW to Swim or Ride a Bike, you can just jump in the water and do it, or just hop on your vehicle and do it!  Learn how to perform well in the Buddhist Vehicles, and THEN you can jump in, hop in and JUST DO IT ... without doing anything ... free from any elaborations or distractions ... Undistracted Non-Meditation!  Does THIS commentary help anyone?  Anyone at all?  I hope so!

     In the process of DOING MEDITATION, and often Sitting Too Much, while progress towards a GOAL, we are generally caught up in DOINGNESS ... "Oh, I have to GO and MEDITATE NOW ..." -- that sort of process -- DOING the Meditation Session thing. In Dzogchen Meditation we are still caught up in doing something, but most of that resides in the PREPARATIONS to be able to just rest in "Rigpa," basic innate pristine awareness, with nothing else in DOINGNESS! Free from ALL GRASPING! Free ... Undistracted Non-Meditation.

Now ... THIS:

    This would be fun, but it would take a lot of work and DOINGNESS! It would also require a certain Karmic Propensity! When you are fully prepared, and have some FREEDOM in Space & Time, almost all forms of Meditation are EASY ... especially Dzogpa Chenmo!  Thanks, Sapan R.   

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My goodness, Merril, it is GOOD that you finally, as a HOST of this group, bother to introduce yourself, and with such a GREAT GREAT QUESTION!

Merril, who is a certified Calm Abiding instructor in Australia [The Land of OZ!], asks "Is Dzogchen as simple as Calm-abiding meditation?  I don't know."

WOW ... what a loaded and great question! It is a great question because the answer, from my side anyway, is "YES, OF COURSE!" and "NO, maybe ... it all depends!" Here is my COMMENTARY ON MY SIMPLE ANSWER:

One could say that Dzogchen Meditation [Question: Now what in the heck is that ... THIS THANG that we are supposedly talking ABOUT in this blog, and suggesting so much READING, STUDY and then, presumably, PRACTICE with respect to, for, and by Skillful ("Skilful" in OZ!) Means, applying it in our Contemplative Lives? *end*of*diversionary* question*], IF & ONLY IF one has done the necessary foundational practices (which include Calm Abiding and other "sitting practices") and spent enough necessary time to CULTIVATE IT WITHIN ONESELF, WITHIN ONES OWN PRACTICE!! ... DILLIGENTLY (i.e., gently indulged!), and pursue it [DAILY, like breathing and eating, sleeping, %#&!*%, chopping wood, carrying water, etc. etc. etc.] ... then, um, one could say that Dzogchen Meditation is the EASIEST form of meditation that there is on the Planet or off the Planet. Simple! Dzogchen is the easiest form of meditation! YES, Dzogchen is far simpler than Calm Abiding! Um ... does that answer Merril's question?

NOPE ... NO ... there is still the "NO" part.

[WHOOPS ... I have got to RUN ... off to a Church Service, a Christian one, to meditate, pray, and be with some of my non-Buddhist friends.  I'll come back and complete this just as soon as possible!]

{Complex} COMMENTARY ON MY SIMPLE ANSWER ... To Be Continued ...

 In the mean time ... CONSIDER ... 

Like this?    This would be fun! 

Merril says, "I feel like a 'newbie' in this area, so hopefully, because I feel I don't know a lot and will ask all kinds of questions, everyone will also become comfortable with asking all sorts of questions too."

OH GOOD ... me too, I don't know much, but I do know some things, yet, I still feel like a "newbie."

Thanks, Merril, for the {complex} question! I-I-I gotta run!   =sapan=

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Hello everyone,

I'd like to introduce myself. About time, I guess!  Smile.  Given how full on my life is at the moment, I've been focussed on the Worldwide Interfaith Healing Circle.

One of my teachers, Lama Choedak Rinpoche, stirred my interest in Vajrayana Buddhism in 1989 by gently introducing me to "Calm-abiding Meditation", his speciality in Australia.  I was attracted to its simplicity.  I became a Buddhist on the Ides of March, 1992.

However, gradually over the years, I have embraced
Vajrayana in a big way, finding myself engrossed in how all the symbols are like a finger pointing to the moon.  We can only point to enlightenment.  I feel prodded and helped in all sorts of ways to get a taste of this enlightenment experience, and am still jumping and guessing at what it could be!  However, I know it's possible. 

I'm hoping by studying Dzogchen through texts and with teachers, I'll be able to gain some realisations of this experience.  Is Dzogchen as simple as Calm-abiding meditation?  I don't know. 

Like this?    This would be fun! 

I feel like a "newbie" in this area, so hopefully, because I feel I don't know a lot and will ask all kinds of questions, everyone will also become comfortable with asking all sorts of questions too. 

Welcome Sonya and Pamela to this CIRCLE!

Much warmth,

Merril 

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  Look Sapan.....10 more members!

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Let us work our heads off and learn how to do this!!!  =sapan=

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And I love that Emoticon ... wish I could learn to MEDITATE like that little fella ... at least I can also get a group (Sangha) together to study that situation!

 [-O<    =sapan=

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A fine practitioner, hell_ZEN, has joined us as a HOST on this auspicious site. He is the provider, and a coordinator and a teacher on the teaching site, www.PerfectCircleServices.com/DOME for which this site is a PORTAL!  H/Z will bring much to this adventure on which we are all fortunate to be traveling!  CONTINUE ...

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WELCOME to "MEDITATION ...

   D   Z   O   G   C   H   E   N 

ATI YOGA ... the Highest of the Vajrayana Tantras!

AND WELCOME TO AN ESOTERIC HEALING CIRCLE!

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