Dzogchen

          These are the three books I've read about Dzogchen. Dzogchen is regarded as the highest practice in Tibetan Buddhism, which is quite odd really since it's not really Buddhist. I'd like to practise it, but it is too advanced for me. You have to try to maintain non-dualistic awareness 24/7. Overcoming dualism is, of course, the name of the game. Anyway, if you can perfect Dzogchen, when you die, your body regresses to light. What? I've read about this so often that I think|: What the hell? You turn into light beams and only leave your fingernails and hair behind. I suspect if this is possible the only person who could get near it in Europe is probably Numkhai Norbu. I hope they stick a camera on this body when he passes away.  He's nearly eighty. I'd love to meet him before he goes!!
           In "The Crystal and the Way of Light" he talks about an incident with his uncle (who achieved the |Rainbow Body) and says that by then he could keep "presence" while awake, asleep and while dreaming. This is amazing. I've started re-reading that book. It cheers me up.

           I fried my brain on Saturday night, but it seems back to normal today. Had a great meditation this morning. Anyway, the only problem is that I started smoking tobacco three weeks ago and today I have been giving it up again. I haven't been smoking since the start of March. I'm amazed at how stupid I am. I told a friend of mine I'd watch the Celtic game at half five this evening. Well,  at least |I've have an excuse for kicking the shit out of the telly when they get beaten!!

Recovery

              I'm supposed to be downloading a photie of a tree, but this camera .... dearie me!

              I had a great Saturday night and Sunday morning! But I was a bit fashed and bashed yesterday. I remember stroking someone's arm and head in the wee small hours, but this was in a room full of folk and I'm almost sure I wasn't stroking anything more interesting, so that's alright. I was only going to have two or three pints of Guinness! Helps you understand these guys who go out for a pint of milk and don't show up again for a couple of years. Oh well.

              I still feel a little bit fashed and bashed today, but this morning I did a sitting that lasted three straight hours. In the afternoon I was going to the hut, but got diverted trying to maintain "presence" while walking there. I thought this might be working so I kept walking and ended up having a lovely meditation in the Botties. That's where I took the photie of the tree I was gazing at.

               It's a lovely evening! I'm going to the hut. I'll have done at least six hours today. Hurrah!

         If at first you don't succeed ....This is the war against the machines. Why is this in italics??

          9:35 p.m
          About twenty folk were blowing bagpipes up Inverleith Park, but I decided to sit in the hut anyway. But the buggers were blowing away there till nearly nine. Challenging, so it was. But I didn't care since I got an email from my special spiritual friend, Lama Rinchen. She's going to be on the Holy Isle from the 10th and I will be able to have some face time with her soon. She's done three four year closed retreats, so she's a total treasure when it comes to the juju. Hurrah!

Bliss Blogging!

          I think I'll start blogging about the bliss again. I stopped because nobody was interested. Flatheids just don't get the bliss! But I'm interested. Something extra started happening a couple of weeks ago and it's been pronounced, despite going to Hamburg, ever since. This is some kind of further opening of channels, I assume. Anyway, bizarre that I've managed to make progress despite my bad habits!!  I'm seriously thinking of spending some time up the allotment and maybe meditating at night time there this week. Since I decided that I'm on retreat for the rest of my life, or at least for the first half of the week, everything has seemed a bit easier to do.

          Anyway, tonight I might go to a party in the City Cafe. It's the fortieth birthday of the first kid of my old friend Tony O'Boyle. How time flies! I might see Poisonous on Sunday, so from Monday till Thursday is hermit time!!

          The son in law sorted my teevee connection and I should be able to watch Champions League footie this year. He's really good at that sort of thing so thank you, Andrew!!

New Camera

           I might be able to get this camera to work now. The in-service is over!

          The View is everything in Dzochgen. You are into focusless, non-dual contemplation in Dzochgen, which is the highest practice apparently, though barely Buddhist.. Non dual means there is no longer subject and object - if you look at your hand and think you own it, you're not in non-dualism. Anyway, I'm reading a book about Dzochgen just now and it is probably one of the five most important books for me that I've ever read. This View is an aspiration. If you can keep this view in your life and in dreams and sleeping and when you die, well, that's game, set and match. No more rebirths. Hurrah!!

New Camera

         The mobile phone camera packed in. I accepted this and thought I'd just stop blogging. I really only use this blog now to store photies. So I found another camera in the flat and the son-in-law, Andrew, saw if it worked. I've tried it. This might be some photies then.

           I've re-started writing my book again after a pause caused by travelling about and all that. Worked out what I wanted to do on the Holy Isle. But this afternoon shows why I do not like the modern world. I was trying to read the stuff and a thick band appeared when I tried to do some editing. This took half an hour to remove ... well, I had eventually to start again with another copy and whatnot. I cannot word process. I just type. I cannot be bothered with this stuff. I wish I had stuck to the typewriter in many ways!!!

The Holy Isle

         I'm just back from thirteen nights on the Holy Isle. I think this is the best retreat I've ever been on. Just checking into the Holy Isle the way I usually do at the Samye Ling is probably the way to go in future. Being with someone you can have a wee chat to while on retreat is also very good. Before the end, I was able to meditate for four hours without moving or having any kind of break. Well, I did that one morning, but it wasn't any trouble really. This is what I hope to do in future. Go to my hut in the morning and come back at lunch. Winnie is up the allotment doing this right now!! She has been very good for my practice. I wouldn't have been on the Holy Isle if she hadn't suggested it. She's still got two weeks before she goes home.

The very last