Yeshe Tsogyal Phowa, the Path of
Transference |
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| The art of dying is of great importance in the Buddhist tradition which
views death as a valuable opportunity for gaining enlightenment. Phowa literally means
"to move from one place to another" and in this context refers to the meditative
practice of directing our immediate awareness at the moment of death towards a favorable
level of consciousness. Guru Rinpoche described phowa as "buddhahood without
meditation" because unlike other practices, it does not require a long training
period. Signs of proficiency are achieved within seven days, and sometimes in just one
session. There are many traditions of phowa with their own methods and standards of practice. The Yeshe Tsogyal phowa cannot be learned from a book. It must be taught by a qualified spiritual teacher and practiced under supervision until the signs of attainment are visible. Once mastered, it is repeated twice a year for the practitioner's benefit and can also be practiced limitlessly for others who have died, with no danger to the practitioner. |
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| The retreat began with a Yeshe Tsogyal empowerment .
The wisdom dakini Yeshe Tsogyal is the great consort of dynamic space, the mother of all buddhas. Each day began with a morning teaching session on the phowa instructions and the bardo teachings that explain the preparation for death, the process of dying, and the experiences after leaving the body. |
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| Morning teachings were taken quite seriously by all, but Lama Yeshe
Wangmo always knew when a little humor was needed. At the conclusion of morning teachings, there were two practice sessions of ninety minutes each, with a lunch break in between. The practice sessions were done privately in a secluded outdoor location on Peace Valley's beautiful grounds. |
 Susan Waters, the owner of Peace Valley, and Lama Yeshe Wangmo hold the statue of Yeshe Tsogyal. |
The group spent evenings studying "The Tibetan Book of Living and
Dying" by Sogyal Rinpoche and "Natural Liberation," Padmasambhava's
teachings on the Six Bardos. Retreatents also read and discussed a Phowa teaching by Lama
Tharchin Rinpoche.
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One of Peace Valley's most colorful (and loudest) residents always put on a show for us |
