Alan Wallace retreat video and empowerment

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Javierfv1212
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Alan Wallace retreat video and empowerment

Post by Javierfv1212 »

Recently Alan Wallace had a retreat in Italy and I started watching these videos. I have listened to a full retreat by him on Dzogchen before as well and done the practices. They have been immensely helpful and I have had some powerful experiences recently, these experiences have started to carry over into daily life.

Because of this I have started reading and researching Tibetan Buddhism in general and Dzogchen in particular. Coming from a background of mostly Theravada Vipassana and some Zen, the secrecy of Dzogchen strikes me as odd but I would like to respect the tradition nevertheless. Now I have come across the whole idea of empowerment and secret texts and so on. I take it from what I have read on this forum that one should not attempt to practice unless one has had some kind of empowerment or teaching by a qualified teacher. I guess my question is, does it count that I have watched and listened to retreats by Alan Wallace and practiced the guided meditations? I have also listened to and practiced meditations by Lama Surya Das on Dzogchen and a video by Namkhai Norbu.

Video of the Brazil retreat

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PjVFPj32OoI

Immediately after the one hour mark for example, Wallace states "you have received empowerment". Sounds to me like I should just continue with my practice which is based on his instructions. I have also started attending a local center which is Karma Kagyu, so I'll ask the lama about this when I can.
It is quite impossible to find the Buddha anywhere other than in one's own mind.
A person who is ignorant of this may seek externally,
but how is it possible to find oneself through seeking anywhere other than in oneself?
Someone who seeks their own nature externally is like a fool who, giving a performance in the middle of a crowd, forgets who he is and then seeks everywhere else to find himself.
— Padmasambhava

Visit my site: https://sites.google.com/view/abhayajana/
Schrödinger’s Yidam
Posts: 7885
Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 6:13 am

Re: Alan Wallace retreat video and empowerment

Post by Schrödinger’s Yidam »

Wallace's teacher is from the Dudjom branch of the Nyingma. I'm a Karma Kagyupa, so I don't have any issue with that approach. But if you could find someone closer to the material and orientation you've been exposed to you won't get conflicting information. For that matter Wallace himself may be available via email. It's not like he has rock star level guru status.
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)
TaTa
Posts: 421
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2012 1:15 am

Re: Alan Wallace retreat video and empowerment

Post by TaTa »

The empowerment inst in the video. He seems to be talking about something that happend while the video was cut or something they all received (that shangha) at some point.
Yes. There are teachings that you cant not put into practice without empowerment. Nevetherless most of allan's teachings you can. What are you practicing?
steve_bakr
Posts: 144
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2015 1:03 am

Re: Alan Wallace retreat video and empowerment

Post by steve_bakr »

I would say to procede with due caution. I would not attempt Togal, for example, without one-on-one instruction. ChNN gives a lot of instruction through live webcasts.
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