Can a complete beginner benefit from Dzogchen practice?

amanitamusc
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Re: Can a complete beginner benefit from Dzogchen practice?

Post by amanitamusc »

Grigoris wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 8:47 am
amanitamusc wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 7:44 am
Grigoris wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 7:35 am No. It is a Karma Kagyu retreat center associated with Karmapa Thaye Trinley Dorje called Dhagpo Kagyu Ling. It had been pumping out top notch practitioners and lama since it's founding in 1975 under the direction of Gendeun Rinpoche (who was sent to France by the 16th Karmpa).
Who in particular?
Well, apart from my friend Lama Joseph who is currently completing a 12 year, there is my friend Lama Maria who completed 9 years, my friend Lama Daphne who also completed 9 years and is a vow holding bhikshuni living in a mountain retreat center in northern Greece. These are just (part of) the Greek Sangha that graduated from the specific retreat center. I could go on, but it would be rather boring...
Not boring at all.I think its wonderful. :thumbsup:
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kirtu
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Re: Can a complete beginner benefit from Dzogchen practice?

Post by kirtu »

Aryjna wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:25 am
kirtu wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:21 am
Aryjna wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:10 am

It looks like they had separate rooms. You cannot really call this significantly more cramped than any other place where there is communal living, like the army, or even a university dorm.
And they still couldn't get along! This was part of my point.
I was getting the impression that people practice and sleep together in a medium sized room in this kind of retreats.
That is correct although I have read of Tibetan retreats where people did live in separate (but possibly shared) rooms. I was shocked to see a video from a 3 year nuns retreat in which they were all actually in the same room.

Kirt
I think having a separate room would make a retreat of this kind quite comfortable, as far as being annoyed by others goes. Sleeping and practicing in the same room could make it horrible and it is a very big difference, but it depends I suppose, as you will be constantly practicing anyway.

Are there more videos on youtube?
There are more videos on YT but some media that clearly shows "cramped" conditions are in other outlets. For example, I'm pretty sure that the nun's retreat I mentioned is in "Blessing : The Tsoknyi Nangchen Nuns of Tibet" , but the full video for this is not in YT but is on Amazon Streaming Video.

Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
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Aryjna
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Re: Can a complete beginner benefit from Dzogchen practice?

Post by Aryjna »

kirtu wrote: Wed Mar 21, 2018 3:34 pm
Aryjna wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:25 am
kirtu wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:21 am

And they still couldn't get along! This was part of my point.



That is correct although I have read of Tibetan retreats where people did live in separate (but possibly shared) rooms. I was shocked to see a video from a 3 year nuns retreat in which they were all actually in the same room.

Kirt
I think having a separate room would make a retreat of this kind quite comfortable, as far as being annoyed by others goes. Sleeping and practicing in the same room could make it horrible and it is a very big difference, but it depends I suppose, as you will be constantly practicing anyway.

Are there more videos on youtube?
There are more videos on YT but some media that clearly shows "cramped" conditions are in other outlets. For example, I'm pretty sure that the nun's retreat I mentioned is in "Blessing : The Tsoknyi Nangchen Nuns of Tibet" , but the full video for this is not in YT but is on Amazon Streaming Video.

Kirt
Thanks, that looks interesting.
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heart
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Re: Can a complete beginner benefit from Dzogchen practice?

Post by heart »

kirtu wrote: Wed Mar 21, 2018 3:34 pm
Aryjna wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:25 am
kirtu wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:21 am

And they still couldn't get along! This was part of my point.



That is correct although I have read of Tibetan retreats where people did live in separate (but possibly shared) rooms. I was shocked to see a video from a 3 year nuns retreat in which they were all actually in the same room.

Kirt
I think having a separate room would make a retreat of this kind quite comfortable, as far as being annoyed by others goes. Sleeping and practicing in the same room could make it horrible and it is a very big difference, but it depends I suppose, as you will be constantly practicing anyway.

Are there more videos on youtube?
There are more videos on YT but some media that clearly shows "cramped" conditions are in other outlets. For example, I'm pretty sure that the nun's retreat I mentioned is in "Blessing : The Tsoknyi Nangchen Nuns of Tibet" , but the full video for this is not in YT but is on Amazon Streaming Video.

Kirt
They don't have rooms, they have their own meditation box. That's it.

/magnus
"We are all here to help each other go through this thing, whatever it is."
~Kurt Vonnegut

"The principal practice is Guruyoga. But we need to understand that any secondary practice combined with Guruyoga becomes a principal practice." ChNNR (Teachings on Thun and Ganapuja)
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Re: Can a complete beginner benefit from Dzogchen practice?

Post by A Ah Sha Sa Ma Ha »

heart wrote: Wed Mar 21, 2018 4:45 pm They don't have rooms, they have their own meditation box. That's it.
I would probably gather a bunch of grass, and make a nice bed (outside) for myself.... :jumping:
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Re: Can a complete beginner benefit from Dzogchen practice?

Post by Schrödinger’s Yidam »

The retreats here have small individual rooms but no bed, just the box to sleep in. But if you’re old you can ask for a mattress.
1.The problem isn’t ‘ignorance’. The problem is the mind you have right now. (H.H. Karmapa XVII @NYC 2/4/18)
2. I support Mingyur R and HHDL in their positions against lama abuse.
3. Student: Lama, I thought I might die but then I realized that the 3 Jewels would protect me.
Lama: Even If you had died the 3 Jewels would still have protected you. (DW post by Fortyeightvows)
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Re: Can a complete beginner benefit from Dzogchen practice?

Post by A Ah Sha Sa Ma Ha »

smcj wrote: Wed Mar 21, 2018 5:10 pm The retreats here have small individual rooms but no bed, just the box to sleep in. But if you’re old you can ask for a mattress.
The older you are , the thicker your mattress gets ?

Man....mine would be plush....great for sleeping meditation. .. :smile:

Smcj....you are there NOW? ?
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Re: Can a complete beginner benefit from Dzogchen practice?

Post by Schrödinger’s Yidam »

Kunga Lhadzom wrote: Wed Mar 21, 2018 5:54 pm
smcj wrote: Wed Mar 21, 2018 5:10 pm The retreats here have small individual rooms but no bed, just the box to sleep in. But if you’re old you can ask for a mattress.
The older you are , the thicker your mattress gets ?

Man....mine would be plush....great for sleeping meditation. .. :smile:

Smcj....you are there NOW? ?
I’m a resident at a monastery. I’m not in retreat or even planning on one.

There’s a men’s and a women’s retreat on the property. The current retreat is almost halfway done. But the other residents have either completed one or two retreats or else the are preparing for the next one. The retreats are the main focus. So, barring secret practice stuff, I can ask people about it.

I’m the only resident that posts here. But sometimes the head nun reads some threads. I’m always a bit nervous about getting into trouble about my DW activity.
1.The problem isn’t ‘ignorance’. The problem is the mind you have right now. (H.H. Karmapa XVII @NYC 2/4/18)
2. I support Mingyur R and HHDL in their positions against lama abuse.
3. Student: Lama, I thought I might die but then I realized that the 3 Jewels would protect me.
Lama: Even If you had died the 3 Jewels would still have protected you. (DW post by Fortyeightvows)
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kirtu
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Re: Can a complete beginner benefit from Dzogchen practice?

Post by kirtu »

heart wrote: Wed Mar 21, 2018 4:45 pm
kirtu wrote: Wed Mar 21, 2018 3:34 pm
Aryjna wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:25 am

I think having a separate room would make a retreat of this kind quite comfortable, as far as being annoyed by others goes. Sleeping and practicing in the same room could make it horrible and it is a very big difference, but it depends I suppose, as you will be constantly practicing anyway.

Are there more videos on youtube?
There are more videos on YT but some media that clearly shows "cramped" conditions are in other outlets. For example, I'm pretty sure that the nun's retreat I mentioned is in "Blessing : The Tsoknyi Nangchen Nuns of Tibet" , but the full video for this is not in YT but is on Amazon Streaming Video.

Kirt
They don't have rooms, they have their own meditation box. That's it.

/magnus
As I said:
 I was shocked to see a video from a 3 year nuns retreat in which they were all actually in the same room.
Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
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Re: Can a complete beginner benefit from Dzogchen practice?

Post by Schrödinger’s Yidam »

A couple years ago Shenpen Hookam and a couple students went to Nepal. When they came back they said some Tibetan & Nepalese Kagyu Nuns were on a Mahamudra retreat with their boxes outdoors on a hillside. There were umbrellas overhead but no walls.

I think that’s a little extreme I think.
1.The problem isn’t ‘ignorance’. The problem is the mind you have right now. (H.H. Karmapa XVII @NYC 2/4/18)
2. I support Mingyur R and HHDL in their positions against lama abuse.
3. Student: Lama, I thought I might die but then I realized that the 3 Jewels would protect me.
Lama: Even If you had died the 3 Jewels would still have protected you. (DW post by Fortyeightvows)
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Re: Can a complete beginner benefit from Dzogchen practice?

Post by A Ah Sha Sa Ma Ha »

smcj wrote: Wed Mar 21, 2018 10:38 pm I’m a resident at a monastery.
Are you a nun ?
smcj wrote: Wed Mar 21, 2018 10:38 pm head nun reads some threads. I’m always a bit nervous about getting into trouble about my DW activity.
Oy vey...i better clean up my act too :emb:
smcj wrote: Wed Mar 21, 2018 10:38 pm I’m not in retreat or even planning on one.
Why not ? What are you doing there ?

I think at this stage in my life (i was born in 1700), if i ever did a buddhist retreat, it would be at home. They could see Holiday Inn written across my face if i ever walked into a real remote retreat place...
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kirtu
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Re: Can a complete beginner benefit from Dzogchen practice?

Post by kirtu »

smcj wrote: Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:50 am A couple years ago Shenpen Hookam and a couple students went to Nepal. When they came back they said some Tibetan & Nepalese Kagyu Nuns were on a Mahamudra retreat with their boxes outdoors on a hillside. There were umbrellas overhead but no walls.

I think that’s a little extreme I think.
WOW! Certainly if they did that for longer than a month or two. Or it was cold ....

Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
A Ah Sha Sa Ma Ha
Posts: 1494
Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2010 2:01 am

Re: Can a complete beginner benefit from Dzogchen practice?

Post by A Ah Sha Sa Ma Ha »

kirtu wrote: Thu Mar 22, 2018 2:16 am
smcj wrote: Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:50 am A couple years ago Shenpen Hookam and a couple students went to Nepal. When they came back they said some Tibetan & Nepalese Kagyu Nuns were on a Mahamudra retreat with their boxes outdoors on a hillside. There were umbrellas overhead but no walls.

I think that’s a little extreme I think.
WOW! Certainly if they did that for longer than a month or two. Or it was cold ....

Kirt
I would be outside too as much as possible...i love fresh air & i am a little claustrophobic....
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