Chapter 1 of “Anything is Possible”
[…] have done the extraordinary work of learning and becoming fluent in other languages so they could understand their teachers, and they could read the texts in their primary languages. Both Ken and Bill have translated what they learned from traditional sources into contemporary English for our lives today. Not so long ago, it was […]
Article
One of the primary characteristics of learned helplessness is that the person feels passive with respect to the system. The passivity, however, is only half the story… Can learned helplessness be undone? The answer is “Yes.” The cost, however, is high.
Chapter 2 of “Power and Presence”
[…] going to say is now in our next sitting session, I’d like you to think about showing up in your body, in the practice we’re doing, the primary practice. Okay? We tend to believe that our ideas about our experience are far more important than our actual experience. [Laughter] They’re not. So showing up in […]
Chapter 9 of “Guru, Deity, Protector”
[…] next three verses, I think, I’m not positive, all refer to Jamgon Khyentse Wangpo, who was one of the great nineteenth-century teachers. He was one of Kongtrül’s primary teachers. Then the next four verses refer to Kongtrül. You get a name when you become a monk, you get a name when you become a […]
Chapter 8 of “Pointing Out Instructions”
[…] plane or same— Ken: So you see it’s another example of level of attention. You follow? Student: Mm-hmm. Ken: Yeah. This is why I gave you the primary practice. You do this on a regular basis. It’s an energy pump. And it’s transforming energy of sensations and then internal material, into attention. That’s one of […]
Chapter 14 of “Then and Now: A Commentary on The Jewel Ornament of Liberation”
[…] to discuss it under six topics. “Classification of karma.” I am not sure what he means by ascription here. [The Jewel Ornament of Liberation, p 74] “ Primary characteristics” … [reading] Just to put this in plain English … [reading] Aah, interesting choice of words there. What are the different types of karma? What […]
Practice Material
[…] beings without limit.Help me to know that all experience is insubstantial and illusory.Make appearance and mind dawn as the three dimensions of awakening.19 Kagyus of the four primary and eight secondary lineages,20 think of me.Look upon me from the realm of sacred outlook.Help me to clear away confusion in the four states21And complete experience […]
Article
[…] retreat. He excoriates the view that the first root downfall means absolute obedience to the guru. He is very explicit: you have to do everything your lama tells you only as it pertains to your spiritual practice. He says that the first root downfall doesn’t apply to how you live and function in the world.
Chapter 8 of “Power and Presence”
[…] rest of it. Valerie: I’m thinking about how when you sit down to meditate, you begin with an intention, for instance, in this retreat to do the primary practice. And yet I sit down on the cushion and maybe I start with that, but then something comes up and it’s like the group turned and […]
Chapter 6 of “The Warrior’s Solution”
[…] a level of attention there, and can experience that, then you’re able to experience the next level down. So you start peeling them away. Further instructions: The primary practice and sacrificing what you are unable to do Ken; Now there are a couple of more things I want to do this morning. I want you […]
Chapter 12 of “Mind Training in Seven Points”
[…] bit more about that. What do you see? Student: [Unclear] Ken: Yes, in that sense. I would say in that sense and in also one other. The primary definition of faith that I work with is, faith is the willingness to open to whatever arises in experience. And here there has been an opening, […]
Chapter 2 of “Ideology & Wisdom”
[…] keeps us occupied [laughs]. Ken: Yeah, it keeps us occupied, which by the way is why there’s so much logic and philosophy in Buddhism. It was the primary way they kept monks busy. Got to give them something to do: logic, philosophy, and ceremonies. Okay, so thinking doesn’t do it. So we’re going to […]
Chapter 4 of “Buddhahood Without Meditation”
[…] it usually takes that kind of energy or attention to bring that about. You follow? Practice instructions Ken: So, next piece in your practice. You do the primary practice, say. And if you just do it at the first level, welcome to all sensory sensations. You can do this right now. We sort of did […]
Chapter 7 of “Then and Now: A Commentary on The Jewel Ornament of Liberation”
[…] kind of environment, we can go into that in a bit more detail, like which behaviors are appropriate and which aren’t and so forth, and why. The primary format for spiritual teaching Ken: How many of you know a film called Meetings with Remarkable Men? Okay, for those of you who don’t know it, […]
Chapter 1 of “The Unfettered Mind”
[…] techniques that you can train in. And we have the same kind of thing when it comes to living awake, living in attention and living awake. The primary ability that we need to cultivate is the ability in attention, which is how I view what Buddhist practice is actually about. It’s various techniques or […]
