Wandering Chod

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Kris
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Wandering Chod

Post by Kris »

I wanted to know more (with respect to samaya) about the external chod practice of wandering in fearful enviroments.
For instance was it a given that chodpas would travel to fear invoking enviroments?
Or was it with instructions like in the Dudjom Tersar?
The profound path of the master.
-- Virūpa, Vajra Lines
Kris
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Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:19 am

Re: Wandering Chod

Post by Kris »

Thank you. To be more specific I was interested in the practice of wandering in fear invoking environments. Is it something that Machig mentions in the source material, the bundles or appendices?
That's what I was trying to get some clarity on.
The profound path of the master.
-- Virūpa, Vajra Lines
jet.urgyen
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Re: Wandering Chod

Post by jet.urgyen »

KrisW wrote:
Thank you. To be more specific I was interested in the practice of wandering in fear invoking environments. Is it something that Machig mentions in the source material, the bundles or appendices?
That's what I was trying to get some clarity on.
i remember that yes, i have read that her advice to tibetan practitioners
was to go to their sky-burial places and such to confront dualism, their reaction to emotions
this is linked to emptyness, true emptyness not only thinking and saying
it is good to know you are interested, chöd is such a special practice

now, my teacher told that in western countries is much better to not to go to cementeries for example
western cementeries are not to be feared and also we can have problems with authorities like police etc
the same on doing chöd in our appartment, because the souds are very loud

ok, there are books about, i think they are not expensive. however sometimes is difficult to acquire dharma treasures, so we must put a bit of effort

1) Machik's Complete Explanation, Clarifying the Meaning of Chod (Expanded Edition). http://www.shambhala.com/machik-s-compl ... -2854.html . A friend with whom i practice read it and found it very usefull, so he explains details to me sometimes, so i recomend it.

2) Chod: The Sacred Teachings on Severance, Essential Teachings of the Eight Practice Lineages of Tibet, Volume 14 (The Treasury of Precious Instructions) http://www.shambhala.com/chod-the-sacre ... rance.html . This one i would like to read, so maybe i's interesting.

Best regards
true dharma is inexpressible.

The bodhisattva nourishes from bodhicitta, through whatever method the Buddha has given him. Oh joy.
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ClearblueSky
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Re: Wandering Chod

Post by ClearblueSky »

KrisW wrote: For instance was it a given that chodpas would travel to fear invoking enviroments?
Yes, in fact in the five slogans that Padampa Sangye taught to Machig Labdron:
1) Confess your hidden faults.
2) Approach what you find repulsive.
3) Help those you think you cannot help.
4) Anything you are attached to, give that.
5) Go to the places that scare you.
Kris
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Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:19 am

Re: Wandering Chod

Post by Kris »

javier.espinoza.t wrote:
KrisW wrote:
Thank you. To be more specific I was interested in the practice of wandering in fear invoking environments. Is it something that Machig mentions in the source material, the bundles or appendices?
That's what I was trying to get some clarity on.
i remember that yes, i have read that her advice to tibetan practitioners
was to go to their sky-burial places and such to confront dualism, their reaction to emotions
this is linked to emptyness, true emptyness not only thinking and saying
it is good to know you are interested, chöd is such a special practice

now, my teacher told that in western countries is much better to not to go to cementeries for example
western cementeries are not to be feared and also we can have problems with authorities like police etc
the same on doing chöd in our appartment, because the souds are very loud

ok, there are books about, i think they are not expensive. however sometimes is difficult to acquire dharma treasures, so we must put a bit of effort

1) Machik's Complete Explanation, Clarifying the Meaning of Chod (Expanded Edition). http://www.shambhala.com/machik-s-compl ... -2854.html . A friend with whom i practice read it and found it very usefull, so he explains details to me sometimes, so i recomend it.

2) Chod: The Sacred Teachings on Severance, Essential Teachings of the Eight Practice Lineages of Tibet, Volume 14 (The Treasury of Precious Instructions) http://www.shambhala.com/chod-the-sacre ... rance.html . This one i would like to read, so maybe i's interesting.

Best regards
Yes, I have both those texts and as I went through Chod: The Sacred Teachings on Severance, Essential Teachings of the Eight Practice Lineages of Tibet, Volume 14 last night I discovered several instructions on wandering in fear-invoking environments. Guess I should of just read through that first, but I wasn't sure if there were specific wandering instructions or if it was just a given that that's what chodpas do.

Ha Ha yes cemeteries may not be the way to go, just so the south where i'm at there are plenty of haunted houses and the like which may prove to be more worthwhile.

Thanks for your time.
The profound path of the master.
-- Virūpa, Vajra Lines
Kris
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Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:19 am

Re: Wandering Chod

Post by Kris »

ClearblueSky wrote:
KrisW wrote: For instance was it a given that chodpas would travel to fear invoking enviroments?
Yes, in fact in the five slogans that Padampa Sangye taught to Machig Labdron:
1) Confess your hidden faults.
2) Approach what you find repulsive.
3) Help those you think you cannot help.
4) Anything you are attached to, give that.
5) Go to the places that scare you.
That's one of the passages I came across yesterday, I just wasn't sure if there were specific instructions like the 108 charnel ground practice.
Thank you
:namaste:
The profound path of the master.
-- Virūpa, Vajra Lines
YesheDronmar
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Re: Wandering Chod

Post by YesheDronmar »

Sennin wrote: Sun May 28, 2017 11:42 pm
ClearblueSky wrote:
KrisW wrote: For instance was it a given that chodpas would travel to fear invoking enviroments?
Yes, in fact in the five slogans that Padampa Sangye taught to Machig Labdron:
1) Confess your hidden faults.
2) Approach what you find repulsive.
3) Help those you think you cannot help.
4) Anything you are attached to, give that.
5) Go to the places that scare you.
That's one of the passages I came across yesterday, I just wasn't sure if there were specific instructions like the 108 charnel ground practice.
Thank you
:namaste:
From what I understand, the wandering practices vary from lineage to lineage. Some use 108 charnel grounds, others springs. Some lineages have a 100 day retreat now instead of wandering. There is a new Chod commentary ("Dudjom Lingpa's Chod: An Ambrosia Ocean of Sublime Explanations") that includes some sections on wandering and the wandering lifestyle if that is of interest. This commentary may require transmission/permission though.
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TashiBob4671
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Re: Wandering Chod

Post by TashiBob4671 »

I know this is ages old but I feel I can speak on a couple things.

Lama Tsering Wangdu has an excellent book about his travels and encounters while wandering as well as Mingyur Rinpoche's book "For the Love of the World".

I have done a wandering retreat for a month just before the pandemic with a dharma brother of mine. He had been wandering for years before and our teacher told him to bring me along for a little while as I expressed interest.

At first, everywhere scared me. Hearing coyotes in the wilderness and the uncertainty of the cities, every opportunity became an opportunity for Chöd. And that's perfect because while we had a general "plan", expectations were always turned on their heads. So there really shouldn't be a solid goal to get to when you're wandering especially in America. Just let the path do its work and practice.

You'd be cold, wet, face illness, and deal with the strangeness of other people and the frightening quiet of being in the middle of the wilderness. I walked with my dharma brother 10 miles in the rain to get to the next town at one point. One thing that surprised me most would be the kindness of others, offering food while we practiced, offering places to stay when it got too cold.

Eventually I've found that I lost a lot of my general fear, was happy to die out there if it came to it. In the end coyote's howls at night became comforting, people I met were opportunities to express compassion, and I could sleep anywhere without issue. And this was only after a month of wandering.

Since then, I've taken my dharma tools on many different walks and shared my drum with the wilds in various new places on my own. The only thing I wish I knew before hand would be to condition at least a little bit before heading out with a heavy pack.

Those are just my two cents. Sarvas Mangalam
Dharmaswede
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Re: Wandering Chod

Post by Dharmaswede »

Sennin wrote: Sun May 28, 2017 11:42 pm That's one of the passages I came across yesterday, I just wasn't sure if there were specific instructions like the 108 charnel ground practice.
Thank you
:namaste:
Yes, there are such instructions, which are lineage specific (even though they share elements of course). These are typically not disseminated publicly.
YesheDronmar
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Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2015 5:43 am

Re: Wandering Chod

Post by YesheDronmar »

TashiBob4671 wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 3:30 am I know this is ages old but I feel I can speak on a couple things.

Lama Tsering Wangdu has an excellent book about his travels and encounters while wandering as well as Mingyur Rinpoche's book "For the Love of the World".

I have done a wandering retreat for a month just before the pandemic with a dharma brother of mine. He had been wandering for years before and our teacher told him to bring me along for a little while as I expressed interest.

At first, everywhere scared me. Hearing coyotes in the wilderness and the uncertainty of the cities, every opportunity became an opportunity for Chöd. And that's perfect because while we had a general "plan", expectations were always turned on their heads. So there really shouldn't be a solid goal to get to when you're wandering especially in America. Just let the path do its work and practice.

You'd be cold, wet, face illness, and deal with the strangeness of other people and the frightening quiet of being in the middle of the wilderness. I walked with my dharma brother 10 miles in the rain to get to the next town at one point. One thing that surprised me most would be the kindness of others, offering food while we practiced, offering places to stay when it got too cold.

Eventually I've found that I lost a lot of my general fear, was happy to die out there if it came to it. In the end coyote's howls at night became comforting, people I met were opportunities to express compassion, and I could sleep anywhere without issue. And this was only after a month of wandering.

Since then, I've taken my dharma tools on many different walks and shared my drum with the wilds in various new places on my own. The only thing I wish I knew before hand would be to condition at least a little bit before heading out with a heavy pack.

Those are just my two cents. Sarvas Mangalam
Thank you for this sharing; what a grace filled wandering!
Happy Thunderbolt
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Re: Wandering Chod

Post by Happy Thunderbolt »

I think this is worth reading.... 'The Yogins of Ladakh'. by John Crook and James Low. Chapter 15: Practising Chöd in the Cemeteries of Ladakh
YesheDronmar
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Re: Wandering Chod

Post by YesheDronmar »

Happy Thunderbolt wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 12:46 pm I think this is worth reading.... 'The Yogins of Ladakh'. by John Crook and James Low. Chapter 15: Practising Chöd in the Cemeteries of Ladakh
Agree fully. It’s quite evocative.
Kris
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Re: Wandering Chod

Post by Kris »

Thanks for the excellent responses!
Since my initial posting I've had the fortune to receive transmission of a few different chod rites and hope to one day do a short time wandering chod retreat.
The profound path of the master.
-- Virūpa, Vajra Lines
Dharmaswede
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Re: Wandering Chod

Post by Dharmaswede »

I love this set up:
https://wildernessdharmamovement.org/on ... d-retreat/

It provides an affordable stepping stone towards Wandering Chod.
YesheDronmar
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Re: Wandering Chod

Post by YesheDronmar »

Dharmaswede wrote: Fri Aug 05, 2022 5:24 pm I love this set up:
https://wildernessdharmamovement.org/on ... d-retreat/

It provides an affordable stepping stone towards Wandering Chod.
In past years, pre-pandemic, they would go into the wilderness together for several days, practicing, receiving teachings, etc.
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