Healing with Form, Energy, and Light: The Five Elements in Tibetan Shamanism, Tantra, and Dzogchen

Some teachers are so ‘present’ in their language that their presence translates even into digital text. This is one such work, and like TWR’s other excellent works its transformative potential is significant.

"All the secrets revealed." No really, I probably would have given a valuable portion of my anatomy for a book like this in the 60's/70's. Back then all we had was Evans-Wentz "almost bootleg" translations of Six Yogas of Naropa "pith instructions" plus Chen's/Garma Chang's more reliable but almost equally obtuse instructions in  Teachings and Practice of Tibetan Tantra (Eastern Philosophy and Religion) .The problem was, Evans-Wentz wasn't an authorized instructor and Chang was also a student (albeit an actual practitioner who had apparently done some serious work).Healing with Form, Energy, and Light, on the other hand, is from a "lineage holder" who has decided to make teachings available, without restriction, in book format. Unlike translations of classic texts by practicing and non-practicing Tibetologists which come with dire warnings not to practice without empowerment, this book gives useful meditation techniques related to the Five Elements and Chakras that are very difficult to come by.A word on lineage: the two major "lineages" (big picture) for Western students are Gelugpa via HH the Dalai Lama, and Nyingma, who seem to have migrated more widely than Kagyu and Sakyapa and others to the West (although the Chogyam Trungpa and Kalyu Rinpoche made a big impact in the West). Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche is a lineage holder of Bon, more specifically "white Bon" not the Bon who opposed establishment of Shakyamuni's Turning of the Dharma when it came to Tibet. "White" Bon, or current Bon in Tibet, views itself as holding the lineage from the Buddha who preceded Shakyamuni and is generally accepted as perfectly legitimate by the better known "traditional" Buddhist lineages in Tibet.More importantly for meditation-hungry Americans, Bon is renowned for preserving the Dzog Chen teachings central to their practice, and Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche has generously given many public empowerments in both the mental and the yogic side of the practice, as well as the "pointing out" instructions themself.My own practice lineage is Nyingma, but I am grateful to have received a basic introductory empowerment (Albany, California15-20 years ago?) from Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, and happy that he is making instructions so difficult to find widely available. If you want to get started, here is the book to explore, and if you want to take it further, he is still teaching.

This is a very unusual book in that it combines ancient Bön elemental practices which (on the surface) appear to be mythological if not superstitious with extremely advanced Dzogchen spiritual practices. However, the author takes care to note the psychological interpretation of much of the ancient symbols and techniques. For instance, on page 1, he says: "As in most cultures, the Tibetan tradition uses the natural elements as fundamental metaphors to describe forces both internal and external. For example, physical properties are assigned to the elements: earth is solidity; water is cohesion; fire is temperature; air is motion; and space is the spatial dimension that accommodates the other four active elements...The metaphoric use of the elements is also common in Western languages: a person can be earthy or spacey, fluid or fiery. Anger is hot, sadness is watery. Attitudes can be airy or grounded." Furthermore, he points out (p. 6): "It's easy to lose the sense of the sacred in the modern world." Thus, (p. 92) he emphasizes "Understanding how to apply all experience to the path of meditation." He does this by including a great many exercises of very varying method (physical postures, breathing, visualization, etc.) including (p. 55) supermarket offerings, (p. 60): "Retrieving the elemental energies," (p. 92): "Holding and Releasing," and (pp. 93-109): external, internal, and secret (mental) Tsa Lung Movements to activate the chakras (demonstrated with line drawings).He includes dedicated chapters outlining the relationships between the elements & Tantra and between the elements & Dzogchen. These include a short commentary on the (p. 113-120): "The Six Lamps" text, reference to his master Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche's (p. 123): "Heart Drops of Dharmakaya" & its rushen practice, (pp. 125-6) Trekchöd & Tögal, and (p. 130) dark retreat. He describes our normal perception (p. 119): "We hear an unknown sound and ask what it is. We get an answer, and the next time the sound arises we hear it less and think it more." But, he succinctly describes the experience of Rigpa (pp. 118-9): "When we abide in Rigpa, what we experience as external is less substantial. Our identities are less substantial. Our problems are less substantial. We experience Rigpa everywhere; there is no difference between inside and outside the body. There is no difference between meditation and non-meditation...If all phenomena, including the subjective sense of self, are recognized as an empty display of space and light, one is free. Then whatever arises is simply an ornament of pure being." And, he provides an incredibly concise description of Dzogchen (pp. 125-6): "Dzogchen practice can be summed up like this: Recognize non-dual innate awareness, dissolve all identity in it, and abide without distraction."

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The writing is so lucid, so lovely and poetic yet really tangible. It just reshaped and reoriented the whole world in such simple and straightforward language. Really powerful!

The title is not a put-down of books like "Rainbow of Liberated Energy" or "The Five Wisdom Energies". They do particular justice to the subject of the five 'elements'. The point that I want to make is that I liked this one best, not just because of the friendly and precise writing style, but because this one goes to the roots of the system - the primordial basis of Tibetan metaphysics.Rinpoche, rather that relying on abstraction and theoretical discourse, covers the subject in a way that is so jam-packed with teaching I had to stop every few pages to make sure I hadn't read a hundred. For me, that is real praise, because I tend to skim for the interesting points and ignore repitition and redundancy etc. I couldn't find anything to ignore in this book.This is not a treatment of the jungwa as a topic - it is a workbook; a training manual on approaching meditation/tantra/shamanic practice from the standpoint of balancing and harmonizing the workings of the five elements in the physical body. It's a field guide to working with the Panchamahabhutas, or five great states, in a simple and practical way. I would recommend it to anyone interested in Tibetan mystical practices, Yoga, Asian spirituality, Tantra, or Alchemy - it's a good way to get started on a path that will take you where you want to go.

I cannot imagine anyone who would not receive some benefit from reading and studying this book. Everything is beautifully expressed in crystal clear words, opening up doorways to deeper understanding and richer experience of life. Even if you don't understand every subtle nuance, even if you try only a few of the practices, there is something here for everyone.

This is a beautiful book, it is there waiting for you when you are ready to truly look inside and accept that there is no such thing as an individual, we are all one.I hope that if you read this book, you are able to ' find the peace within'' it is really well written and helps you to look at life and the interconnections, or Jung's Collective Consciousness. It is all the same thing, choose your own way to take this road.

Informative and interesting but his books always are!

Beautifully written book.

Wonderful