Body Mandalas
The kingdom of Shambhala
An old Tibetan story tells of a young man who starts out on a journey for Shambhala. After a difficult crossing in the wilderness of deserts and mountains, he came to the cave of an old hermit, who asked him, “Where are you going across
these peaks of snow?”
“To find Shambhala,” the youth replied. “Oh, young man, you need not travel far,” the hermit said. “The kingdom of Shambhala is in your own heart.”
Whenever I walk in the forest or on the beach, I have a habit of collecting heart
shape stones and shells. If I am considering a specific idea and I find a heart shape stone I take it as a good omen. In many cultures, the heart is a symbol for truth, purity and love.
Now with the onset of the summer season I
take the pulse of my heart, listening and feeling its tenderness. I recently made a life changing decision to listen to my heart’s desire to be closer to nature. Now I am a step closer to it and feel the joy of having listened to my
heart’s calling. Every day I express gratitude to be in the midst of trees, animals, birds and good air and water.
Happy summer’s solstice! The heat, the long days, an energized relaxation from feeling the sunshine, the flowers
and gardens, swimming, being outside a lot. Summer is a very active time; the most yang of the season, life is expanding into maturity.
Amongst the plentiful of summertime’s events and within British Columbia’s mountains is a
more easily found Shambhala: the Shambhala Music festival held on August 10 – 14 in beautiful Salmo River near Nelson BC.
Shambhala or "bde 'byung" in Tibetan, means "The source of happiness". It is also a warrior path first
introduced by the Vidyadhara, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche to his Western students in 1976.
Every culture has myths and tales telling of a paradisiacal cradle land of humanity, a place where sacred wisdom is kept. Shambhala is one of
the Buddhists "pure lands”, a society where all the inhabitants are enlightened and enjoy a life of happiness. In the words of His Holiness the Dalai Lama:
"Although those with special affiliation may actually be able to go there
through their karmic connection, nevertheless it is not a physical place that we can actually find. We can only say that it is a pure land, a pure land in the human realm. And unless one has the merit and the actual karmic association,
one cannot actually arrive there."
There are many stories of Shambhala. Its location and nature varies depending on traditions.
Most speak of 3 Shambhalas. 'Outer Shambhala' exists as a kingdom in the external world, the
'Inner Shambhala' lies within the body and mind, and the 'Other Shambhala' is an extension of the Kalachakra yoga mandala with all its deities.
Inner Shambhala is linked with the heart chakra. Similarly, in Chinese Medicine the
heart is said to be the residence of Shen or spirit.
Activating the heart centre. Although the mind can lead some there is a quantum leap into love.
“Gate Gate, Para Gate, Para Sam Gate, Bodhi Swaha”
Gone, gone, gone
beyond, gone altogether beyond, O what an awakening, all-hail! (Excerpt from the heart sutra)
The heart is associated with summer as well as its protectors the small intestines, pericardium circulation sex and triple warmer.
The (supernatural) powers of Summer create heat in Heaven and fire upon Earth. They create the pulse in the body and the heat in the viscera. Of the colors they create the red color and of the musical notes they create “chih” and
they give the human voice the ability to express joy. In times of excitement and change they grant the capacity for sadness and grief. Of the orifices they create the mouth with its palate: of the flavors they create the bitter flavor,
and of the emotions they create happiness and joy.” (Nei Ching: The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine)
Like Shambhala the heart is a pure land where happiness can be found.
What is happiness for you? One of my
teachers told me that the capacity for deep appreciation is an indication of high spiritual achievement. When we are able to put aside our complaining, criticizing and condemning of … (write whatever seems appropriate for you at this
time), we can extend gentle kindness into the world.
As Eckhart Tolle writes in his book A New Earth: “ Unhappiness is an ego-created mental-emotional disease that has reached epidemic proportions. It is the inner equivalent of
the environmental pollution of our planet. Negative states such as anger, anxiety, hatred, resentment, discontent, envy, jealousy, and so on, are not recognized as negative but as totally justified and are further misperceived not as
self-created but as caused by someone else or some external factor.”
In taking the inner journey to Shambhala, we regain the ability to experience the world directly. Coming back to a state of innocence filled with wisdom. Only
by becoming aware of our illusions and how we are addicted to them can we free ourselves from their grip and awaken a clear and direct awareness of the world around us.
Meditation and contemplation practices, celebration through
dance, music, poetry, sacred sexuality, are all vehicles to awaken the body and mind and to communicate with spirit. Through them we can enhance our appreciation of life as it is.
The warriorship of the Shambhala training is an
education of the heart on how to bring gentle kindness into the world by first, conquering aggression toward oneself.
Shambhala Education is a series of weekend levels, which include meditation practice, discussion, talks and contemplation.
Shambhala Levels The weekends are:
Level I: Ordinary Magic
Goodness, Sacredness and Confidence
Level II: Birth of the Warrior
Obstacles to that Goodness and the discovery of Fearlessness
Level III: Warrior in the World
Confidence in
Daily Life
Level IV: Awakened Heart
Unity of Intuition and Intellect
Level V: Open Sky, Primordial Stroke
Opening Completely to Others
For more information visit
www.shambhala.org
Although I have never been to the Shambhala Music Festival, I have been to many gathering of peaceful celebration. In Germany, I went to a mega rave where as
many as 22,000 people gathered peacefully to celebrate May Day. I have been to other, more intimate outdoor events where the intention was to raise the energy of love.
I am not sure if you will find the source of happiness at the
Shambhala Music Festival but it promises to be filled with good vibrations. There will be six originally stages with performances by DJ’s, bands, MC’s as well as other live entertainment, all within a natural environment of trees, beach,
magical trails and boardwalks. The stages draw on state-of-the-art sound technology combined with awe-inspiring visuals including lasers and film that generate a multimedia Mecca.
www.shambhalamusicfestival.com
Visualization for the heart
Sit in a comfortable position where you can feel undisturbed. Bring your awareness to the
level of sensations in your body with the intention to be calm and relaxed. Take three deep and full breaths and become aware of the central channel along your spine. Chant the Heart Sutra nine times:
“Gate Gate, Para Gate, Para
Sam Gate, Bodhi Swaha”
Visualize that you are in front of an enlighten being and that you are bathed in its light.
The light enters your crown chakra (at the top of your head) and goes down your central channel into your
heart. Bring the image of a pink lotus flower into your heart.
With each in breath say to yourself: “I am well and happy”
With each out breath say to yourself: “ I am free of (whatever you want to be free off at this time or
simply I am free)
Keep doing this until you feel the light has penetrated into all of your cells.
Now feel compassion entering your heart, the light shines out through you on the exhale, then returns to you brighter on the
inhale. When it goes out again send it to your spiritual teachers (past present & future), then bring it back again into you heart even brighter. Now send the loving energy to your family & friends, community, allowing it to flow beyond,
embracing the whole universe in pure loving light. Bring it back to you again.
May all being be happy and enjoy a beautiful summer! |
