RE: Powa
Hello Jogeshwar
I imagine you addressed the above post to Bodhi.
I would not call myself a Buddhist but I am interested in Buddhism and Buddhist practices. I prefer not to put a label on my 'religion' but have to say that I am very drawn to aspects of Hinduism also.
Blessings
sunanda
RE: Powa
Hello, sure I can do that
Will try and sort it a little later on today
RE: Powa
I'm curious - could anyone explain (briefly) what a powa is, please? I'm afraid don't have access to the Tibetan book of the dead to find out.
Thanks!
Memphis
RE: Powa
Hi Memphis
Actually the book I read is the Tibetan Book of Living and Dying - sorry can't remember the author and don't havethe book to hand. (This is different from The Tibetan Book of the Dead.) Anyway I hope Bodhi will come along and give a proper definition of powa but as I remember it it's a kind of meditation you do for someone who is close to death whereby you visualise their soul leaving their body and ascending to the next level in order to aid their passing. I know there's more to it than that, with visualisations, but as I said before I don't remember the details.
Tonglen is another practice whereby you visualise all the bad stuff in someone (disease, anger, jealousy etc) solidifying into a really disgusting tarry gunk which you then absorb into yourself and 'eat' - this benefits both you and them, but again I don't remember the nitty gritty stuff.
BTW Tibetan Book of Living and Dying is excellent, given that there is such fear of dying here in the west and such a taboo about speaking of it.
Love
Sunanda xxx
RE: Powa
Hi Sunanda,
Thanks so much for your reply. I realised I'd got the title of the book wrong as soon as I'd posted my message! Doh.
I really like the sound of the powa, I'm not a Buddhist, but funnily enough have actually done similar meditations myself when close ones have been getting ready to pass over. I guess it just came naturally.
I'm not sure I like the sound of the tonglen, but will have to investigate it further now, as I am certainly intrigued! I'm not sure how it would benefit me to 'eat' other people's negative 'stuff'.
I keep finding myself drawn to Buddhist books, practises etc these days. And it's getting stronger, so it's obviously something I should be paying attention to.
Thanks again,
love
Memphisx