Everyone’s lives are interconnected - Battlecry of Freedom

 

Everyone is always completely compromised. It is not possible to live in the world without cooperating with the exploitation of others, or without inadvertently hurting others. Everyone everywhere is totally dependent on everyone else. Everyone’s lives are interconnected. This is not about being politically correct. It is not about buying fairly traded products, and recycling to save the planet, donating to charities, working as a volunteer, and so forth – though such activity may be beneficial. It is about accepting the reality of being unable to live as a physically present human being without harming others. It is about taking responsibility for harm through that acceptance, rather than abdicating responsibility because there is no intention to harm. It is about attempting to live causing as little harm as possible, and making life meaningful by being as much benefit as possible.

Battlecry of Freedom by Ngakma Nor’dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2019, ISBN 978-1-898185-46-8 Part II - the slogans, p. 189

Breathe it in, breathe it out - Battlecry of Freedom

 

Commiserate with bad luck and try to help. Recognise what is bad and breathe it in. Appreciate and celebrate good luck – whomever is experiencing it. Appreciate what is good and breathe it out. It is not necessary to own or personally experience good fortune to enjoy it. There is no need to examine justice or fairness. Awakening practitioners wish all beings to be happy, and to find the path of awakening.

Battlecry of Freedom by Ngakma Nor’dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2019, ISBN 978-1-898185-46-8 Part II - the slogans, p. 188

A moment of success - Battlecry of Freedom

 

It is fine to feel happiness and pride at being able to recognise awareness in the moment – a moment of success when the open choice becomes available through seeing the pattern directly. That sense of pride however, must not become a reason to play with awareness as an internal game of skill, disconnected from the needs of others and insensitive to others.

Battlecry of Freedom by Ngakma Nor’dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2019, ISBN 978-1-898185-46-8 Part II - the slogans, p. 184

Conceptual Rehearsal II - Illusory Advice

 

Apprentice: When I read about these terrible things I start to wonder what is the point of meditating and reciting mantra. How can this help to solve the real problems in the world? It seems rather self-centred.

Teachers: Your practice of shi-nè and mantra is not going to miraculously manifest food in the mouths of the starving, or a roof over the heads of the homeless. However your practice makes you different, and this difference can have an influence on everybody and everything you touch. Your practice creates a little prism that facilitates the sparkling through of realisation. It can feel as though this is centred on yourself when you practise alone a lot of the time, but as your practice changes how you respond to people and situations, that prism can radiate to a surprising degree. Being—or attempting to be—a present, aware, and honourable human being affects all who come into contact with you. Having a kind and friendly approach to life influences your circumstances. If every human being was kind and honourable, many of the problems in the world would mysteriously dissolve – but there would still be the chaotic dance of events being exactly as they are.

page 167, Illusory Advice, Ngakma Nor’dzin & Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin, Aro Books Worldwide, 2016, ISBN: 978-1-898185-37-6

Conceptual Rehearsal I - Illusory Advice

 

“Terrible things do happen in the world and there is the possibility of losing loved ones. It does not change the situation however, to dwell on this, and it does not help anyone to become miserable with worry. Imagining terrible things does not prepare you for when bad things do happen or prevent them from actually happening. It is common to daydream about the horrors-that-might-be. This can be a way of attempting to keep them at bay. You think that if you are able to conjure an image of the worst thing that could happen to you, then it probably won’t happen. You feel that if you have lived through it in your mind, it probably will not happen and if—heaven forbid—it does happen, at least you are prepared. It is a coping strategy.”

page 166, Illusory Advice, Ngakma Nor’dzin & Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin, Aro Books Worldwide, 2016, ISBN: 978-1-898185-37-6

Does Samsara really exist? - Illusory Advice

 

“Samsara exists because of duality. It can easily cease to exist in the moment through changing your view. Dwelling in the natural state would not mean that you lack the ability to act – your actions would be totally appropriate and compassionate. It is possible to be wrathful without being angry. It is possible to be destructive where the situation requires it without this being out-of-control energy. It is possible to make a stand without justification and self-protective posturing. To dwell in the natural state would be to be a Dharma warrior.”

page 165, Illusory Advice, Ngakma Nor’dzin & Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin, Aro Books Worldwide, 2016, ISBN: 978-1-898185-37-6

Being a practitioner is damned inconvenient - Illusory Advice

 

Apprentice: It’s easier to get hurt and angry and distant than to sit with and stare into my pain. 

Teachers: Of course it is. This is what you have always done in the past. You are used to being reactive and it takes time to be able to simply sit with the sensation you are experiencing. Being a practitioner is not easy. Being a practitioner is damned inconvenient – because you can no longer indulge the patterns that have become transparent through practice.”

page 157, Illusory Advice, Ngakma Nor’dzin & Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin, Aro Books Worldwide, 2016, ISBN: 978-1-898185-37-6

For tantrikas life is practice - Illusory Advice

 

“When practitioner experience doubt they sit anyway and see what happens. When things feel meaningless, they sit anyway and sit with the pointlessness. Practice is life, life is practice. That is all there is. Practice can be formal or informal, organised or chaotic, intense or relaxed. For tantrikas life is practice”

page 155, Illusory Advice, Ngakma Nor’dzin & Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin, Aro Books Worldwide, 2016, ISBN: 978-1-898185-37-6

Being a practitioner - Illusory Advice

 

“Apprentice: It has been a difficult period of doubt, but yes, I now know that I cannot actually stop being a practitioner any more... fortunately! 

Teachers: It is wonderful to hear you say this. This makes everything possible. It also makes everything simple. Once you know at a fundamental level of your being that you are a practitioner, and nothing will ever change that … eventual success in practice is guaranteed. You’re on the path – which is indistinguishable from the goal.”

page 153, Illusory Advice, Ngakma Nor’dzin & Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin, Aro Books Worldwide, 2016, ISBN: 978-1-898185-37-6

 

"

Part 3, chapter 2 - Battlecry of Freedom

 

Ngakma Nor’dzin and Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin read from ‘Battlecry of Freedom’.

‘Battlecry of Freedom’ by Ngakma Nor’dzin, published by Aro Books worldwide in 2019, explores the Tibetan Buddhist practice of Lojong, Mind Training, as presented by Chekhawa Yeshé Dorje in the 12th century. His Seven Points of Mind Training offer a complete approach to daily practice in 59 slogans.

This video is part 3, chapter 2, which describes how to work with slogan cards. This is the final video of the 'Battlecry of Freedom' series.

Monday Meditations: 7 - 8:30 pm (UK time) on Zoom Monday evenings.
Zoom Meeting ID: 85249620913
Passcode: 640389
Do join us for silent sitting and yogic song, finishing with a reading from ‘Battlecry of Freedom’. Everyone is welcome.

Part 3, chapter 1, point 7 - Battlecry of Freedom

Point 7 of part 3, chapter 1 of ‘Battlecry of Freedom’ is now available to view on Aro Ling Cardiff’s YouTube channel: https://youtube/KiB48be8gCc

For live commentary on these slogans of Buddhist Mind Training, join us for Monday Meditations: 7 - 8:30 pm (UK time) on Zoom, Monday evenings.
Zoom Meeting ID: 85249620913
Passcode: 640389
Silent sitting and yogic song, finishing with a slogan from ‘Battlecry of Freedom’.
Everyone is welcome.

To see all videos with Ngakma Nor’dzin and Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin, go to:
https://www.youtube.com/c/AroLingCardiff

Flirting - Illusory Advice

“Apprentice: I’ve just started to realise that I’m a dreadful flirt! 

 Teachers: It’s important to understand that these things you notice about yourself have always been there – you just start to see it because of practice. You are not suddenly becoming a more neurotic person or developing new bad habits. Playfulness in relationship with others is fine as long as it does not undermine or conflict with your relationship with your partner, or the flirting becomes inappropriately sexual in its nature. If the flirting overflows into fantasising about another person or wishing for a romantic relationship with someone other than your partner, then there is the danger of this becoming adulterous. If it becomes behaviour that suggests inappropriate intent, then this is not conducive to whole-hearted conduct. Playfulness is enjoyable for everyone, but must include awareness, and honourable behaviour and intent.”

page 150, Illusory Advice, Ngakma Nor’dzin & Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin, Aro Books Worldwide, 2016, ISBN: 978-1-898185-37-6

Storm Mind - Illusory Advice

 

Apprentice: I have knowledge enough to know that relaxing is the way out of the hell-realm, but the storm in my mind seems to be running on autopilot.

Teachers: Storms can be frightening – but they can also be exciting and exhilarating if you can have the confidence to ride them. There is a lot of energy in a storm. The mind cannot be controlled and forced to behave. The mind will do what it does based on your individual patterning. The more you try to force a pattern out of the mind, the more prominence it will have in your life. Similarly, you will not succeed in forcing a pattern into the mind even if it would seem preferable to your existing mind-state.

page 145, Illusory Advice, Ngakma Nor’dzin & Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin, Aro Books Worldwide, 2016, ISBN: 978-1-898185-37-6

Arising emotion - Illusory Advice

 

Teachers: It is generally not worth intellectualising too much about ‘why’ something is. Such ‘why’ questions do not generally go anywhere. It is as it is. Just observe how you are and let it go. This emotion has always been there but you have not been aware of it. When you start to allow the mind to settle through practice, all sorts of things may manifest….. 

….If you are experiencing a great deal of powerful emotion you may also find it helpful to engage in yogic song. This can allow the energy to transform. Also, you could try to observe where you feel the emotion in your body and focus on the sensation. The important thing is to not get involved in the intellectual concept around the energetic emotion.

page 152, Illusory Advice, Ngakma Nor’dzin & Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin, Aro Books Worldwide, 2016, ISBN: 978-1-898185-37-6

Part III, chapter 1, point 6 - Battlecry of Freedom

Point 6 of part 3, chapter 1 of ‘Battlecry of Freedom’ is now available to view on Aro Ling Cardiff’s YouTube channel: https://youtube/KiB48be8gCc

For live commentary on these slogans of Buddhist Mind Training, join us for Monday Meditations: 7 - 8:30 pm (UK time) on Zoom, Monday evenings.
Zoom Meeting ID: 85249620913
Passcode: 640389
Silent sitting and yogic song, finishing with a slogan from ‘Battlecry of Freedom’.
Everyone is welcome.

To see all videos with Ngakma Nor’dzin and Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin, go to:
https://www.youtube.com/c/AroLingCardiff

Part III, chapter 1, point 5 - Battlecry of Freedom

Point 5 of part 3, chapter 1 of ‘Battlecry of Freedom’ is now available to view on Aro Ling Cardiff’s YouTube channel: https://youtube/KiB48be8gCc

For live commentary on these slogans of Buddhist Mind Training, join us for Monday Meditations: 7 - 8:30 pm (UK time) on Zoom, Monday evenings.
Zoom Meeting ID: 85249620913
Passcode: 640389
Silent sitting and yogic song, finishing with a slogan from ‘Battlecry of Freedom’.
Everyone is welcome.

To see all videos with Ngakma Nor’dzin and Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin, go to:
https://www.youtube.com/c/AroLingCardiff

The Hell Of Being A Practitioner - Illusory Advice

 

Relationship with the teacher will turn the heat up. Because the teacher sees us as we really are and recognises the enlightened potential of our neurotic tendencies, they act as a mirror for the student. The teacher allows the student to catch glimpses of their realised qualities, but also puts a magnifying glass on the neurotic tendencies.

This can be a hellish experience as we struggle to present those aspects of ourselves we believe to be worthy, and try to hide what we believe is less presentable. The teacher will play with this till we begin to realise that what we see as our neurotic side is actually also our realised nature.

page 143, Illusory Advice, Ngakma Nor’dzin & Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin, Aro Books Worldwide, 2016, ISBN: 978-1-898185-37-6