Using Twitter to Bring Love & Stop Hate

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I am so happy to see #stop the hate moving with the speed of #LOVE and #LIGHT!  RT and keep it going!

Twitterverse is the perfect place for kindness and loving support! So #stop the hate!

Friends made in Twitterverse are true treasures. So much #LOVE is shared so #stop the hate!

When hateful people cause heartache cut them off or read them the news. #stop the hate!

When people rant with hateful views, invite them to change or shut up. And #stop the hate!

When you see Tweets filled with hate and slander, tell them you stand up for #LOVE and #stop the hate!

When Twitterverse is used for negativity and slander and meanness we ALL lose! So #stop the hate!

#Stop the hate. And #BRING THE LOVE!  We have the power, let’s use it!

Some people are ill, and live and breathe to hate. Show them a better way and #stop the hate!

Some people are chronic haters, and rage is all they know. You need not join them! #stop the hate! #BRING THE LOVE!

It is difficult to reform a hater. They are broken inside. But you are not, so #stop the hate! #BRING THE LOVE!

Will you foul your own nest? Excrete where you eat? #stop the hate! #BRING THE LOVE!

Did you ever think the people would have the power? Together we can #stop the hate! And #BRING THE LOVE!

Feed a starving world! Heal the people! Now is the time, here is the place! #BRING THE LOVE! And #stop the hate!

Let’s refuse to accept hate! And honor only love! Keep it going! #stop the hate! #BRING THE LOVE!

Let’s have a revolution of compassion! #stop the hate! #BRING THE LOVE! RT!

The Life, Death, and Liberation of Ani Palchen

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Thank you one and all for having prayer and recitation with us. While we are grieving dear Ani’s loss, the comfort of your presence is strong.

We are greatly sorry to lose her. But hers was a noble life, with merit, Bodhicitta and unbroken Samaya. We honor her.

Venerable Ani Palchen was a woman of faith and virtue. She never had a mean word to say. She made people feel welcome and loved.

I loved her. We all did. Do. While our hearts are heavy we rejoice that her Sangha, her Lineage, her family, and her Guru were there.

Not all will die a noble, auspicious death free of suffering. Not all will instantly be reborn in Dewachen. Not all are so loved.

She will be cremated in full robes, adorned with incense and flowers. The pure smoke will please the Buddhas, as did she.

Many have failed their ordination. Have lost their path. Not Venerable Ani, who honored Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha as well as her Tsawei Lama.

Therefore she did not die an ordinary death, as promised. And now remains in the Pureland Dewachen.

We pray for her swift rebirth; that she find Dharma quickly in that life. And lead others to liberation. I myself will look for her.

Prayer for Thubten Palchen

Ani Palchen needs our prayers.  Jetsunma wrote the following prayer for Ani Palchen.  Instructions were, “Please alternate the Seven Line Prayer with this prayer.”

To All the Root and Lineage Lamas,
And to none other than the Primordial Lama His Holiness Penor Rinpoche,
Kye Ho!
We bow down to your precious Lotus Feet
And to the fount of your endless wisdom.
We bow down to your Great Compassion
And offer the Celestial Mandala
Along with every perfect adornment.

We beg for the life of our vajra sister, Thupten Palchen,
Here she is, fighting for her life,
And we beg that you uphold her life,
And allow her to recover without suffering or fear.
If this is not possible, may she pass easily
And be reborn in Dewachen immediately.
This good Ani has served Palyul for many years
And we beg for the gift of her life and liberation.
Making countless prostrations from all your monks and nuns,
And including Jetsunma herself,
Please grant us this blessing
And may it benefit all sentient beings.

Feeding Wildlife in the Winter

Bird Feeders
I thought I’d share some of my #wildlife endeavors. First a healthier suet recipe, guaranteed to help little birdies make it through cold.

Melt a jar of peanut butter and a tub of lard together, mix thoroughly, add rolled oats, cornmeal and birdseed until desired. Can add

Leftover nuts, cereals like Cheerios, a little sugar, and pack it into pound size tubs, freeze till hard. Unmold using hot water

And store blocks of suet in freezer. I offer it in a fly-thru feeder type. It will draw cold hungry ones from all around.

I also provide squirrel food blocks on the ground, sold in stores. They get corn and peanut butter too.

For the deer I provide planted forage, corn and apples. And fresh salt mineral blocks each season.

The best seeds for little birds in winter is Black Oil Sunflower seed, for the oil. For finches, Nyger seed.

If you can maintain an unfrozen water source, please do. Many birds die for lack of drinkable water in winter. I have a running stream.

Your larger birds, starlings, crows, etc will, oddly enough, eat small bite dog kibble, cheap brand w/GRAIN as main ingredient.

Isn’t good for your dog, they aren’t engineered for it. But larger birds are and they like the extra fat and protein in the winter.

My son made me the perfect bird feeder. He found an old disker or harrow, up-ended it and tied it to a tree. Viola! 6-level fly-thru feeder!

You can be creative with bird feeders and housing. I’ve been collecting and using all kinds of homemade stuff! Really fun.

Around here we have all kinds of oddball houses and feeders as well as bought stuff. Birds nest in almost anything with the right hole.

I hope you all enjoy helping the critters as much as I do. And there are many choices to help with. Love to hear some of your ideas!

Enlightened Activity

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An excerpt from a teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo from the Dakini Workshop

Enlightened activity is considered consistent with the nature of the dakini in that it arises from pure spaciousness and does not remain fixed or absorbed in the mind of duality.  What arises, arises effortlessly and spontaneously and is spontaneously complete because the basis of that emanation is the Buddha nature, free of distinction, free of contrivance, free of duality, free of ego clinging.

What arises in an uncontrived way from the sphere of truth without clinging, without fixation is pure enlightened activity.  Pure enlightened activity always results in perfect result, perfect meaning or enlightened result.  From the point of view of practitioners, from the point of view of those who have not established themselves firmly in the view, activity appears in a myriad of ways and we attach meaning to that activity. What we see then, when we see that activity, is only our meaning.  We do not see the activity.  Therefore, when one holds to and one views the enlightened activity that is consistent with the dakini nature and when one sees that compassionate activity from the point of view of duality and distinction, one will always see ones own mind.  Therefore that activity will be seductive in the way that our minds seduce us, that activity will be meaningful in the way that our minds deduce meaning, that activity will be objectionable in the way that our minds object and that activity will be confusing in the way that our minds are confused.  That is what we see.

Yet, in striving to attain a deeper understanding of this enlightened activity we have no other recourse other than to achieve realization ourselves.  We have to.  That is the only way to reach any kind of understanding.  And we are beaten over the head with our own minds because our own minds are flashed back at us. We see our mind constantly.  We are relentlessly seduced with our own stupidity.  We are browbeaten with our own inconsistencies until at some point, eventually, because this is an effortless process, because it is natural, because it arises from the uncontrived state, because it is our nature, this intensified process of putrefaction will putrefy itself into pureness effortlessly.

Well, it will not seem effortless on your part, exactly.  But that is because the mind is still clinging to perceptual experience.  The mind is in that continuum.   The consciousness is there.  That is what the perception is.  But try to remember that all that is being viewed is our own confusion.  That is all that is being seen.  It is very much like the symbolic image of the peacock – the bird with big feathers –who eats poisoned things and ends up with this beautiful plumage.  To some degree, that is what our practice looks like.  We just eat ourselves and eat ourselves and keep on consuming this thing that we see that arises only from our mind until finally at some point we can achieve a glimpse of the pure basis of that.  At that point, the pure basis of that is understood to be effortless.  It is understood to arise from the sphere of truth and complete itself instantly.  It is understood in its nature, but while we revolve in confusion we cannot feel that way.

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.  All rights reserved

Condensed Amitaba Practice

Buddha Amitabha Downloadable Image
Buddha Amitaba Downloadable Image

I’d like to address the very newest Dharma practitioners, and offer the #METHOD I speak so often and so fondly of. All can benefit.

Many are interested in Buddhism, read and think about it, enjoy it’s thoughtfulness. But the main point of Dharma is accomplishment.

One can be a friend of Dharma, a supporter, collector, even a Guru junkie! But the point of Dharma is awakening, + method applied.

There are no quick and easy routes, no magic buttons, no gadgets, no tincture of this or that worth the money or effort. Dharma is free.

All you really need is a comfy cushion, a quiet sacred space, a Mala (prayer beads) an image relating to your practice really helps.

Most practice requires empowerment (Wang) breath transmission (Lung), and the Lama’s commentary. Therefore one needs a qualified Guru.

Fortunately, through compassion, certain Buddhas have made themselves more accessible in these times. One is Buddha Amitaba.

Amitaba vowed that anyone speaking His Mantra or even hearing it, He would liberate at death, thus accomplishing Dharma in one life.

Practicing Amitaba, then, is swift and extraordinary, can be done without wang or lung if the strong vow is made to seek these out asap.

As quickly as possible these tweets will be arranged usefully with an image of Amitaba for practice. Now, settle onto your cushion.

Allow the mind to simply relax and clear. Practice makes perfect, you will improve in time. The body is relaxed but the spine straight,

The legs should be crossed Indian style or Lotus style, but comfortable.

THE PRACTICE

Instantly in the space in front-above arises Buddha Amitaba.

He is red in color, one face, 2 hands resting in His lap, palms up w/knuckles touching. This mudra symbolizes meditative equipoise.

He is holding a begging bowl and wearing robes of ordination, seated in Lotus Posture. He is surrounded with His retinue of Sublime ones.

As we are awed by His splendor we take refuge with body, speech, and mind.

Buddha Amitaba I take refuge in you in this and every life”  repeat 3 x

Then, thinking kindly of all sentient beings, recite:

For the sake of beings I give rise to the Bodhicitta so all may benefit” repeat 3 x

If you have a PURE Lama, consider that while the appearance is Amitaba, the essence is identical to one’s Root Guru. If not, get one.

Then hold the mala and recite Mantra, counting with beads. One full Mala is 108 reps.

The mantra; OM AMI DEWA HRI is repeated 108 times.

While reciting, one concentrates on compassion as motivation, the extraordinary qualities of Amitaba, the yearning for Liberation in one life.

So the mind should be filled with pure Devotion and wholesome yearning, and Kindness toward all beings, every one, animals, ALL.

After at least one full Mala of Mantra, recite:

I prostrate to Amitaba Buddha!”

May I be reborn in the pure realm of great bliss

Then Amitaba and his entourage dissolve into light, and pour into top of one’s head (crown). And mixes like milk and water with one’s mind.

“And may all sentient beings without exception be placed in that very state.”

That’s a VERY short condensed method, taken from Nam Cho.

The best thing to do is make a commitment to do this practice every day. It is in the commitment and the doing that benefits,

Along with the very sacred Mantra and the blessing it holds. Therein lays benefit and accomplishment. Samaya.

Some links you may find helpful:

How To Use a Mala

A List of Palyul Centers Around the World

Follow ahkonlhamo on Twitter

The Importance of Following an Accomplished Teacher

His Holiness Karma Kuchen Rinpoche
His Holiness Karma Kuchen Rinpoche

The lucky one is (s)he who has spiritual discrimination. A clear sign that one has made progress on the path. There’s so much empty jargon.  Many people pass around their learned and personal wisdom, which indeed, is precious and to be respected. It’s progress!  Spiritual discrimination is seeing the difference between that communal sharing and an accomplished and qualified Guru to follow.  The entire spiritual community is strong, and growing, yearning, expressing, sharing, and loving! Hurray! Yet we must find a true Master.

I see the Lamas of Palyul, for instance. Taught and trained, profound and accomplished Lineage Masters, only here to enlighten us. These great Lamas live and die to liberate sentient beings from the sufferings of Samsara, return life after life for that alone.  That is something different from the great ocean of seekers, thinkers, poets, philosophers that we meet online and in life.

In Vajrayana we hear: “Why cross the ocean of suffering in a ship captained by one who has not yet themselves made the journey?”  Or “Why invest in a belief that has not produced even one fully Enlightened Buddha?”  Or “why travel a path not yet even one century old, and one cannot see the result?” If a man creates his own path, should YOU follow?  If we do not know the value of their path, not having seen the result, why go there? Why cross in a ship untested? Maybe it is flawed!  So we are advised to practice method and follow Lineage tested and proven over centuries and traceable lifetimes.

I read a claim by a man that he had changed Yoga to make a way to get enlightened immediately. The man looked middle age. Big ego. It is so much better to share one’s insights freely, love each other, learn from each other, but discriminate on path and guru. Or else we just have a bunch of well meaning sweeties walking around in spiritual circles, blind leading blind. It is kinda silly, especially when there are Buddhas and Bodhisattvas taking rebirth consciously, solely for the sake of all beings. That’s cosmic Love!

Not just talking heads, yada yada. A Guru must provide method to attain, or what good are they? You can’t talk your way to Liberation!  Sweet, loving, syrupy, flattering words are wonderful to see and taste. But are not the food of the Sublime Awakening!

If a “teacher” butters you up with flattery, pretty words, crazy promises, or says their blessing ALONE will Liberate-RUN! They are politicians!  They flatter and cajole for their own egocentric reasons. You will yourself receive no benefit at all. Except for a swollen puffed up ego.

The path of results, of Liberation requires daily effort, practice, mindfulness, and compassion, constantly developing! A living path!  A true path, like Vajrayana requires that you CHANGE. Utterly, completely- as we are awakening to Buddhahood. Old ways are abandoned. That old ego’s gotta go to make real progress! It ain’t for sissies. If one has been spiritual for 20 years and remains the same, there is no benefit.

Are you willing to change? Learn something new? Take a giant step that may -WILL rock your world? That is the student I value most.  We cannot remain the same, in our comfort zone, no new intake, same old spiritual mumblings and hope to attain Buddhahood.

If you were my own sweet babe in my arms, I would not teach you different. There is a lot to buy and sell, but nourishment is RARE!  Your true nature is the fundamental ground, Primordial Luminosity. You are Buddha! Do not throw yourself away! Awaken! AWAKEN to your Nature!  Lord Buddha said as He left this world: “I have given you METHOD! Now work out your own Liberation!” And that is exactly how it is.

Gyaltrul Rinpoche, Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo and His Holiness Penor Rinpoche
Gyaltrul Rinpoche, Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo and His Holiness Penor Rinpoche

Discernment and the Spiritual Friend

Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo at KPC Maryland
Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo at KPC Maryland

From a series of tweets:

So many Spiritual teachers today are deeply invested in being a teacher solely out of ego, are only giving and loving when adored.

How sad, like the blind leading the blind over a cliff. If a teacher puts someone down because the person will not follow- watch out.

There you have a demon in disguise, and locked into defending their own ego. What has such a teacher to offer? Nothing. Ego.

Yet we see this all the time. If a teacher has doubts about those that do not automatically fall under their spell they R as dust.

In fact, if a teacher is not completely impartial, where is their realization? Should I have less loving concern for one who will not follow?

That kind of teacher can be bought and paid for and are of absolutely no use. They sell Dharma for power + approval, are addicts themselves.

Wisdom and compassion cannot be bought, faked, created, rented, copied. Only when ego is destroyed is there progress.

Wisdom and compassion are naturally occurring when ego is pacified. Ego is a contrivance, and must be dismantled brick by brick.

Therefore if a teacher is flattering and pumping your ego up, they are buying it, and you. Like a slave you are sold into bondage.

As the ego is puffed up larger and larger, neurosis, fear, hatred greed and ignorance rise up and overcome.  Spirit sickens, dies.

If some “teacher” is buying you with praise and flattery, it will certainly be taken back when you do not agree completely.

Likewise, if a teacher will reflect bad qualities back so they may be purified, is willing to go toe to toe, can then still LOVE,

You can comfortably and with confidence call that one GURU. If they have credentials and compassion, you are truly home.

If you were my own babe at breast, I would not tell you differently, and would always offer the milk of Bodhicitta!

Guru Rinpoche & the Inner Work of Vajrayana

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In Dharma, one of the most important jobs we have is to fight and pacify our inner poisons. They are our inner demons, and that is the work.  At the same time we must enrich and grow our virtue, our good qualities. This is a mirror to the way Guru Padmasambhava entered Tibet.

When Guru entered Tibet he was met with Demons and local demi-gods. The Bon religion existed there and these demons were associated.  Guru Rinpoche defeated all of them with debate and miraculous powers, including flying above them. He won over some demons and made them holy protectors. Those unwilling to be oath bound were destroyed.

Then Guru Padmasambhava could enter Tibet. There he gathered translators and worked.  Guru Rinpoche translated Dharma from Sanskrit to Tibetan. Due to His power, purity and virtue Tibet became a great land of Dharma.

We must do the same thing in our own minds. Conquer our own demons and make the way for Dharma to take root. Then move forward and develop.

So Dharma is not a bland tutti-frutti faith and path. Vajrayana is meant to change one’s habits, non-virtues, so it is powerful. It can cut!

Vajrayana is potent, and should not be mixed with anything else. It cannot be changed or it loses its potency. And I can tell you it is not for the weak. It requires self-honesty and pure intention. It requires us to abandon the mentality of materialism and ordinary view.

Self-honesty can be brutal. Ask ANY recovering alcoholic. We are all addicts to samsara. We like the hit, the buzz, all of it.  So there is real inner work to be done. Can’t just sit and contrive “blissing out”- anyone can do that. The idea is this IS relative reality.

We ARE experiencing old age, sickness and death. So there MUST be a remedy SO POWERFUL to awaken us to Buddhahood! It ain’t Kansas anymore.

Spiritually we must break lifetimes of habit and confusion! That takes work, a dedicated life.  That is why Guru Padmasambava said Vajrayana is the right way for THIS time called Kaliyuga, the time of degeneration. And Enlightenment is more easily gained. As samsara is thick, so is the door of Liberation more firmly opened to those who work it.

This is the essence of THIS method. If you were my very own babe I would not, could not tell you different. This is the wisdom and clarity of the great Bodhicitta, the milk of awakening. From the very heart of Dharma, the Precious Guru, it is offered to you.

Om AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG! Samaya EH MA HO.

Advice for the Vajrayana Practitioner

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When following the path of Vajrayana, there are steps one must take just as they are. They are the technology, or method.

Method must be accomplished as taught in each Lineage. If you mix it up, or combine with other methods there will be no result.

Some people sample Buddhism and mix it up with Hinduism, New Ageism, shamanism, etc. all are fine but Vajrayana should NEVER be mixed.

Vajrayana Masters say this constantly. If mixed with other views purity and potency are watered down, so no benefit. Samaya is ruined.

Practitioners are constantly warned to follow step by step until true realization. If one simply dabbles, Vajrayana is not for you.

Each step is practiced until accomplished for the benefit of sentient beings- it is said one is of benefit when enlightened.

Many people through ordinary human kindness can be helpful; but not like a Buddha, Supreme Guide.

Until one reaches tenth Bhumi level, one can still fall to the lower realms, revolving in confusion and lost in delusion, how sad.

To say Enlightenment is not possible, or is irrelevant is false Dharma. Even if one means well, this is spiraling downward.

Please abandon such wrong view and wrong activity, you are harming others! This is not kind. Not what Buddha taught.

Guru Rinpoche the peerless Vajra Master taught like this; that with intense practice one can attain realization in this life. EMAHO!

NEVER abandon that promise made by Guru Padmasambava at the very cost of your life! It is the great hope of humankind.

These are the sacred unalterable truths of Dharma, of Tantric Buddhism, and if polluted, are polluted for all

This is why Lineage is essential; to hold and confer the Dharma in pure succession, untainted, from a pure Lineage Master!

Following the path of Vajrayana purely, one will never be duped, or confused, the way is as straight as an arrow!

May pure Dharma, even in these dark times always be available to the sea of beings as vast as the sky! May we never abandon Bodhicitta!

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