RE: Powa
Hi Memphis
I'm not Buddhist either but am drawn to some of their teachings and practices. With regard to tonglen, if you get the book it explains really clearly how it helps you to take on someone else's dark stuff. Believe me, the way it's explained makes perfect sense. With powa I forgot to say that you visualise the soul going into the light, which as you say, is probably what most aware people would do anyway.
I have read a couple of books by Lama Surya Das who is an american Buddhist lama and I found them very easy to read and very helpful. One I remember was called 'Awakening the Buddha within' but there are several others.
Love
Sunanda xxx
RE: Powa
Its spelt Phowa.
RE: Powa
hi bodhi and sunanda,
wonder why this caught my eye... but i am glad it did, thank you.
http://www.spcare.org/practices/phowa.html
i like this explanation and guess its not dissimilar to the one you "know", sunanda. actually, its not disimilar to what i would do with reiki and did in fact do for my FIL when i heard of his death, last year and my MIL this year. i dont know if it helped them but it gave me some comfort.
but i do need to practise meditation more... its not something i find easy to do.
http://www.spcare.org/practices/tonglen.html ... just off to read about what's for lunch <g>!
as an aside, anyone remember Steely Dan singing "bodhisatva"? i wondered for a long time about that!
RE: Powa
Thanks for those links, Rosie. I had a peep but haven';t had a chance for a good read yet.
BTW - I should have mentioned bodhisattvas on your other thread about whether we take birth again after 'enlightenment'. Buddhist belief is that some great souls choose to incarnate again as boddhisattvas: beings of enormous compassion who stay on earth to help and teach and support other seekers. In other words, they turn down nirvana because of their love for their fellow beings.
Love
Sunanda xxx
RE: Powa
'The Tibetan Book of Living & Dying' is by Sogyal Rinpoche.