[…] deity, is connected with non-self. As we discussed yesterday, we have all of these different identities, senses of self, each one associated with a whole set of reactive patterns or personality. And one way of looking at yidam practice, is adopting one identity and approaching everything in life from that. And some of you had […]

[…] it, in the sense of actually change it, that’s probably unrealistic. I mean, you know how difficult it is to cut through the momentum of your own reactive patterns. Roger: The consequences, that’s why [unclear]. Ken: Yes. However, we can and cut through our own confusion and see things clearly, and that’s what I was […]

[…] go so far. Okay, now, last question Diane? Diane: [Unclear] Ken: Yes, a very, very good point. The opponent whether it’s operating as your family system or reactive patterns in you, uses all of those six techniques and the remedies that I have suggested will apply. So that if in your family system everything gets […]

[…] and I’m trying to put it into English-English. So, that’s why I chose the word ordinary, because these people, or these gods, have not stepped out of reactive patterns. They’re caught up in them in exactly the same way that we are. Robert: In Buddhism or the Tibetan text, are they actually using the word […]

[…] these as headings, basically. Internally it’s extremely important not to regard any internal pattern as an enemy. And the reason for that is that all of those reactive patterns—well, maybe it’s too strong to say all of them—but a very large number of the reactive patterns that operate in this originally developed as survival mechanisms. […]

[…] I pray. Ken: What this line is describing is letting yourself feel that longing so deeply that it makes chaos out of all of your habituated patterns, reactive patterns, because that’s what comprises samsara. It’s a scary place to go to for a lot of people. For some, it’s actually quite an easy place to […]

[…] a very, very far reaching intention. This make sense to everybody? Okay. Randye: Along those lines, because I was editing all your teachings in the book about reactive patterns and dismantling, in that same vein with despair, what really struck me in thinking about despair and then listening to so much of that chapter in […]

[…] is fine, and you let your mind rest there. Then as you breathe out, you imagine hūm coming out of your heart. And all of your negativity, reactive patterns, confusion, bewilderment, etc. going out and just being dispersed, so it’s gone. This is traditionally done with om ah hūm. The om is white. The ah […]

[…] spiritual awakening is. We come and we have this wonderful spiritual awakening. And what happens so frequently when there’s some kind of spiritual awakening, is that the reactive patterns just shut everything right down. This has never happened. Anybody know this experience? And we go, what happened? I was so open and everything like that. […]

[…] energy available for attention. So you develop more and more powerful attention, so you can see deeper and deeper into the working of things and dismantle the reactive patterns and so forth. But if you’re protecting an area of your life from the practice, it means you’re not including it in your attention. However, although […]

[…] your own experience. In essence the offering of torma is an offering of attention to, on the one hand, those aspects of experience which pull us into reactive patterns, and on the other hand, those aspects of our experience and activity which are an expression of being awake. Okay? Don’t waste any time Ken: Someone […]

[…] Ken: So let’s move on to intention. Joe, we can come back to you. Joe: What you said was really true. For me, was sort of like reactive pattern’s greatest hits. [Laughter] Ken: Say a bit more please. Joe: Just seeing what I wanted, they were all the result of patterns running. Ken: I see. […]

[…] resting mind, just as you are experiencing now, it is stable and clear. Is everybody with me on that? What can happen is the stability is lost. Reactive patterns create disturbances. That’s where you start thinking; that’s the loss of stability. And then you just go off. The other thing that can happen is you […]

[…] four immeasurables, but particularly things like meditation on suffering, meditation on impermanence, and so forth in which you’re using these practices to dismantle the operation of various reactive patterns.
 One of the simplest ways to think about or to understand the reactive patterns is from the Theravadan tradition, the three marks of existence which are, […]

[…] do you have a question then? Student: Well, I just have a comment on homeland. When I think about it, it reminds me of comfort zone, or reactive patterns, sort of getting out of your comfort zone. Ken: Well, let me talk about homeland a little bit. One of Milarepa’s more famous sayings is, “If […]