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THE SNOW LION NEWSLETTER
Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
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"Recognize Where You Stand in Relation to Practice"
An edited excerpt from Summer 2005 oral teachings
by Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
As I guide meditation practices at retreats, I often say during the
visualization, "Try to imagine and feel." But there are other ways to
approach the practice. The best way would be that you don't even have to imagine, that you don't have to visualize, that you don't have to try and feel; rather, the moment you intend to be in the experience, you are there. It's like when you are eating lunch—do you have to imagine eating lunch? Do you have to feel that you're eating lunch? Do you have to think that you're eating lunch? No, you are eating lunch and that's it. There's no question that would be the best way to practice, right?
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What would be the second best way to do practice? Feeling the
experience, right? Feeling it with heart, feeling it in a real or
authentic way. When I am feeling the presence of a divine being of
light, for example, the sense of reality in that experience can be
just as strong as when I experience a negative feeling or emotion.
How real does that negativity feel? It is with that same sense of
reality that I can feel the presence of the quality of love, or generosity, or openness. So, having this feeling naturally arise in practice would be the next best thing.
And then, to simply imagine the presence of the divine being of
light, or the quality of generosity, say, during practice is the next
best way. "Imagine" is a word I use a lot in teaching. In every
positive experience we aspire to in practice, we first have to
imagine it happening. We have to imagine it well, and we have to
have a good, creative imagination. When done right, this imagining
has a sense of realness to it, a good sense of clarity to it. There
is some sense of certainty there, but still it is imagination. When
the imagination is real, clear and certain, then the practices will
definitely have power. That is not so hard to imagine, is it?
Finally, if imagining is difficult for you, then the next best
possibility is for you to use your conceptual mind and in a way,
think your way through the practice, talk yourself through the
practice. This is similar to being guided by someone else in
meditation. The practice leader is guiding your experience by talking
to you. You are listening to the sound of the words, and hopefully
following the leader at that moment. Over time, with the help of the leader you can develop confidence and a deeper connection to the practice.
So you can see the different ways in which practice can work. They are all valid in their own ways. The only question is: Which way do I normally find myself connecting to practice; and from that place, how can I further develop my connection?
Students often tell me, "I can feel" or "I can't feel"; or, "I can
visualize" or "I cannot visualize." They'll ask, "Am I doing it right?" "Am I supposed to do it a different way?" These questions always pop up in people's minds, right?
Students often tell me, "I can feel" or "I can't feel"; or, "I can
visualize" or "I cannot visualize." They'll ask, "Am I doing it right?" "Am I supposed to do it a different way?" These questions always pop up in people's minds, right?
In a way, everyone is in the right place in practice, no matter what
method they are using. It cannot be the wrong place, because it is
the only place that exists at that moment for you, so to be there is
the right place to be. It is important to recognize that it is indeed the right place for oneself at this moment—while also to recognize that other experiences are possible. For example, if you have become comfortable with using the imagination during practice,then you may want to try practicing now a little bit more from the place of feeling. If a better approach is easy for you, then begin practicing in that better way. If it's not so easy, then understand that the way you are connecting to practice at the moment is fine. Don't think, "I am unable to do it the better way; I'm only able to do it this way—what's the matter with me?" When you think in this way, not only are you saying that your way is a bad way, but you are mistakenly labeling yourself. Recognizing this will be the first step of growth in your development.
Looking at the different ways of doing the practice, where do you
stand? Have you reflected on your choices? Have you narrowed them down? Can you now look at your practice and say, "I think I practice this way and sometimes that way"? Have you become comfortable in a certain way of practicing? And have you looked into the next step you can take?
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