I have become aware of my tendency to stray from my objective of talking about those things not part of the actual teachings into the realm of teaching. I will try to keep away from actual teachings in this post.
This time I will cover the issues that arise around practices that require some quite complex visualisations. This came from a question posed to me on how to visualise when you are not a visual person. Good dilemma!
The image is of the wrathful deity Mahakala. It is a good example of how much detail needs to be visualised. As well, there is a requirement to visualise a mantra-mala at the heart, with the appropriate symbol on it and a variety of different coloured and formed rays of light emerging from the mantra.
Let's go back to the structure of the practices. In the Sakya version of Ngondro or The Excellent Path of the Two Accumulations there are five aspects – Refuge, Generation of Bodhicitta, 100 Syllable Vajrasattva Mantra, Mandala Offering and Guru Yoga. These are called the Preliminaries, as they purify karma from previous lives and accumulate merit. Prostrations may be done as part of Refuge or Bodhicitta. Other traditions may have more or fewer parts, but they all recommend 100,000 repetitions of each to achieve purification before undertaking more advanced practices.
Similarly, the Vajrapani practice recommends recitation of 1,000,000 short mantras and 100,000 long mantras.
When I enquired about the exactness of these numbers, I was told that experience shows by the time you have reached the nominated count, you will have habituated your Mind into a new way of being and you will have moved along the path towards to enlightenment. No great magic, just practice.
In the words of that great philosopher, Groucho Marx, when asked about Sincerity he said "Sincerity is all that matters. When you can fake that, you've got it made". Likewise, the Buddhist practice is keep faking it in your Mind until it becomes your Mind.
But how do we keep visualising when we are not of a visual nature?
We expect too much of ourselves to be able to fully visualise the complex image that is presented to us when we are doing a Vajrayana practice. The level of concentration just to remember the image, let alone be an embodiment of the image, just drives our Mind to distraction.
It becomes easier if we view a visualisation as a process of experiencing rather than seeing. When we assume the state of the Bodhisattva upon whom we are meditating, think of it as just being that Bodhisattva. Try to capture a sense of the essence of the Bodhisattva, not an identical image. It helps to consider the image as if it were seen in a mirror and not as a substantive figure.
Then consider the roles of all the senses. Sight gives us an image, which may be blurred, hazy, imprecise. It doesn't matter that much.
Sound from recitation of the mantra gives us another avenue to capture the essence of the Boddhisattva. If concentration is waning, up the volume of your voice or change the rhythm. That will quickly bring you back to the essence.
You may use incense or candles to add perfume to the air, and bring in an appropriate aroma that relates to the nature of the particular Bodhisattva. Soothing lavender for Tara, fire and brimstone for Mahakala.
Again, by varying your voice and breathing you can generate vibration, so you can feel the essence of the Boddhisattva.
I am struggling with taste, maybe I'll come up with something another time.
In summary, visualisation is more about experiencing rather than seeing. Keep faking as much as you can and over time some parts will become natural and you will invoke other parts to focus on. Play with your senses to experience different aspects of being the nature or essence of the Bodhisattva. If it all falls apart, come back to looking out from the third eye and slowly extend your sense of body from there.
And never let go of what it is about that Bodhisattva that will enhance your journey along the Path.
Thus ends this post. May whatever virtue or merit that derives from this posting be for the benefit of all sentient beings.
Yours until next time, Vajramate.
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