Dakini's Whisper Monthly Journal - December 2022 |
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Reflections of 2022 - A Year of DakiniCelebration and Gratitude |
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(Artwork by Soyolmaa Davaakhuu) |
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"Dakini is always here. It is through our practice and direct experience that we recognize, uncover, evoke, and become her.” - Khandro-la” |
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As 2022 approaches closure, my heart is filled with gratitude and appreciation for all of you who took the time to read our monthly journals and contribute precious reflections based on your direct experience. These journals represent our journey, our path, sometimes winding and rocky, but always expressing authenticity and open-heartedness. Living in the world of challenges, our monthly journals hopefully have been an oasis on which to rest and the proof that we genuinely tried our best to tread our human journey, inseparable from our spiritual journey. With that spirit, this End of Year Special Edition unfolds with volunteers' and students' reflections on the Year of Dakini, 2022! Much Love and Blessings - Khandro-la |
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“Our own direct experience is what counts!” - Khandro-la |
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Khandro-la encourages us, as soon as we get up in the morning, to recall our intention, “may I not harm today in body, speech, or mind. May I have a kind heart. May I be able to benefit others as much as I can.” During the day we practice, on and off the cushion, this bodhicitta intention and motivation. Then at the end of the day, we review how we did. In this end-of-the-year DW Journal, we are doing just that. We remember our intentions at the start of 2022; we reflect on our journey with Dakini through 2022; and, as we approach the ‘evening’ of 2022, we consider how we did. For our sangha, 2022, was unreservedly the Year of Dakini! Khandro-la often reminds us that, while Dakini is ineffable, we each can experience her in a deeply personal and intimate way. Through the blessings of our lineage and the kindness and generosity of our dear teacher, DW provided the container, the support and the “roadmap.” We invited and opened our hearts and minds to Dakini in Dakini’s Warm Breath discussion group, Subtle Body Training Dakini series, Dakini Corner Blog, New Dakini Journey, Personal Householder Retreats, taking or renewing vows, receiving Cho or Troma Nakmo Empowerment, and transmissions of Dakini practices, to name a few. And indeed, each of us had our own direct experience of Dakini. She may have been whispering softly, dancing wildly, singing hauntingly or even out of key, gently guiding, yanking the rug out from under us, holding our wounded hearts, or opening them up bigger than we could ever imagine. However she appeared, we met her there. With gratitude, in this Journal we share Dakini experiences and personal stories of DW students as we have collectively gathered them here to celebrate 2022 – The Year of Dakini! May our Dakini experiences keep waking us up to our unlimited potential for benefiting all beings. - Ellen (Yeshe Wagmo), DW Team |
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KHANDRO-LA'S CORNER Healing Power of Tonglen Practice - Guided Meditation |
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Sometimes we think that we are so small and, “I cannot do anything for the world.” But we can do a lot, especially as spiritual practitioners. Take a moment to connect to Buddha-nature – the perfection and beauty of who and what you are already – always available. That nature is compassion and emptiness. From that place, let’s do tonglen meditation. As you inhale, see if you can connect to the compassion in your heart first. Then you can start with the people around you, family members and neighbors. Inhale and take the misery, sorrow, karmic obscurations, and struggles – whatever they need to get rid of - into your being. As soon as you inhale and take the pain of others, your body becomes light. The more you take the pain, the more you become whole and brighter, like a lighthouse shining, so you want to keep taking more. Make sure you include all those beings who are in transition, who are in severe suffering, in a warzone, and hungry. Inhale, connect, “May you be free from pain and unnecessary suffering.” Then, as you exhale, send out whatever they need - relaxation, acceptance, confidence, encouragement, love, and compassion. Exhale, “May you find joy and relaxation.” As you do that, I want you to imagine the entire universe is filled with the light nectar of your love, compassion, power and the wisdom of emptiness. “May you realize ultimate reality!” I want you to notice your heart getting bigger and bigger, expanding. The universe is your heart. Slowly gather the nectar light into your body into your heart center, and allow it to rest there. May I continue to practice this way – sending love, wisdom, compassion, and emptiness - so that all beings may find freedom and wake up to every moment of life! |
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Grief Dakini (DAKINI’S CORNER BLOG POST OF THE YEAR) [Student:] I know now, if grief had a voice, she would be a Dakini. What would she say to you? [Khandro-la:] I was Five Grief Dakinis! First, I was fully Earth Grief Dakini, experiencing the earthquake, losing the stable ground of comfort and balance. I was also totally Water Grief Dakini, filling the entire universe with my teardrops and experiencing TSUNAMI waves of emotions. I was then Fire Grief Dakini with my burning longing to meet him, speak to him and touch him again. My forest fire of missing him burned everything up into ashes. I was fully Wind Grief Dakini, sweeping everything away, swirling everywhere but with no direction like a tornado or twister. Then, I was finally Space Grief Dakini, with nothing left to hang onto, as if falling into a black hole. Then I rested in deep, empty stillness like an echo in an empty cave.
Now from that Space Grief Dakini, I arise as Karma Dakini, acting spontaneously from my heart without clinging. I am now Padma Dakini with the heart fully open to all, with no separation or attachment. I become Water Dakini, flowing my life journey with complete trust wherever my river takes me. I am now Earth Dakini, embracing every and single being. Grief Dakini guided me to who I am, Five Dakinis!
Recognizing Dakini [Student:] For me, encountering Dakini is not so much a moment as it is an opening, that space of not pushing anything away, allowing that. [Khandro-la:] I hear some people say, “I don’t know about Dakinis, I have no idea.” But, we can see something in Dakinis that is part of us. That’s why we feel a connection and want to learn more about it. Can you see Dakini in the shadow, in the disowned parts of yourself? Shadow doesn’t necessarily mean “bad” things. We can explore this potentiality we have, but we need to unveil it by creating all these connections with Dakini. So when we say, “I don’t know about Dakinis,” maybe that’s really the place – the “I don’t understand” place where we can’t grasp onto anything - where we find Dakini! Wisdom Dakini [Student:] I've heard that the Dakinis are the protectors of our mind, and so when you put that within the context of the Dakini is our own mind, it's like we have the capacity to protect our own mind as well. I mean we have to do our best effort and practices, but that protection isn't something that comes from the outside, either. [Khandro-la:] The ultimate protection is perhaps the emptiness of your own mind—the realization of the emptiness of your own mind. That is the best protection. In that case, the nature of the Dakini is emptiness, bliss, clarity, luminosity, and unlimited capacities and activities. So that's the best protection, I think. Of course, for most of us, it's a process to realize that. But step by step, the best and most authentic way we come to know that is through our own direct experience. Wisdom Dakini is always pointing us to emptiness; therefore, she is a protector. |
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VOLUNTEER STUDENTS’ REFLECTIONS As we celebrate with gratitude, what was your experience as a volunteer and student of DW? How did the whispers of Dakini manifest on your human spiritual journey? |
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Reflections on the New Dakini Journey Ellen, DW Team Manager & Volunteer Coordinator INVITE Dakini who is already here. LISTEN to her soundless sound. ALLOW her ineffable presence to DISPEL the darkness that is light. FLOW with her magic dance. GATHER her energy to RETURN HOME, to this place I never left. Dakini Rain of Blessings Shona, Generously Shares Her Art and Creative Expressions With DW Dakini keeps opening the door to my heart – a rain of blessings. This past year has literally been a continuous soft and potent rain of blessings, guided by the teachings of The Ear Whispered Lineage and Khandro La’s unique flavor of guidance and example. I have bathed in the Subtle Body experiential classes, the accumulations of the 5 Dakini Practice and been showered in numerous other offerings, empowerments and transmissions gifted by Khandro-La. The more I immerse myself the more I feel the pull of this lineage and the Dakini opening my heart to compassion and awareness. Mostly, at the moment, I love to be in the presence of the Sangha and Khando-la. Every opportunity I can get to physically connect (albeit online) I go for. The more I listen for the Dakini the more ‘she’ calls and appears, swelling this river and pulling me towards more practice, bodhicitta and awareness, growing stronger and deeper. I feel absolutely blessed to have found this Dakinis Whisper community. The constancy, encouragement and non-judgement of Khandro-La's teaching and presence filters through the Sangha, offering such a safe haven. I find myself at the end of 2022 in a very different mindset and in a more light-hearted enjoyment of the world compared with a year ago and my entire life! I feel more hopeful, excited and grounded, understanding the expressions of the 5 Dakinis at play in the world as ultimately pure awareness. Everything connected. I am happy to play in the rain. (Artwork below by Shona W.) |
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Standing on the Foundations, Let the Dakinis Come! Peter, Volunteer, Sangha Support Team Coordinator, DW Core Team, Co-Host of Offerings When I joined Dakini’s Whisper, I was hoping to find a deeper dive into Dharma, and Choying Khandro and the Sangha have most generously provided that opportunity. Looking back on 2022, I began the year empowered by Khandro-la and the Lineage to practice Vajrayogini. As Khandro-la continued to teach this practice, along with so many other offerings, she then introduced us to the profound practice of Troma Nakmo, a rare and wonderful opportunity. At times, though, I find myself wandering on and off the path—a bit lost in the midst of these Dakinis! Last Sunday, on Lama Tsongkhapa Day, Khandro-la led us in the Preliminary Practices of Ganden Chö, including the Ganden Lha Gyema. Although this is a commitment, I had forgotten that, and it has been what I was missing. These prayers and pronouncements perfectly lay out the devotion, the path, and the Bodhicitta motivations, which I believe we all need, or certainly, I do. With my feet back on the foundations, let the Dakinis come! Thank you for reminding me.
Bringing My Life To the Dharma Louise, Volunteer - Transcriptions, Spreadsheets, Co-Host of Offerings “You can't just slam Dharma onto your life, you have to bring your life into the Dharma", Khandro-la has said that on many occasions. And I think to myself, if I could hold up to only this one thing, my life would be worth living! I am so very grateful to have met Dakini's Whisper, a sanctuary where the Buddha's core teachings are no longer just a display on the bookshelf, but rather all that transpired in all beings. In 2022, my journey has been enriched by many events that Dakini's Whisper has offered, including retreats, empowerments, oral transmissions, subtle body training, group practices and more. Among all the activities, the highlight to me is the volunteer work in transcribing Khandro-la's teachings. I feel like I am receiving help rather than giving help. I gained more than I gave. Although life is always busy, time is not owned by me, I only borrow it. And wisdom is not learned, it's earned - through the ripening of positive potential. I listen to Khandro-la's teachings again and again, and maybe by the fourth time, I hear the deep and profound meaning. May the blessings continue, and I look forward to bringing my daily life into the Dharma through practicing 5-Dakinis and Chö. The Year 2023 will be exciting! |
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Dakini Teaches Through Experience Elizabeth, Volunteer - Book Discussion Group Lead Throughout the years I have studied Buddhism the Dakini has called to me in all of her forms. In 2022 I have deepened and sustained my relationship with the Dakini through Khandro-la’s teachings in the Kechara journey, the Black Troma empowerment, the new Dakini Journey and through my participation in the book group, where we are reading The Dakini’s Warm Breath. The old adage, “the more you know, the more you realize how much you don’t know” has been my experience this year. Even though, the structure of the texts and the information I am learning provide a powerful foundation, Dakini teaches through experience. This year I have felt her powerful presence which at times brought me to my knees burning with pain or shame and at others helped me experience my true nature in every cell of my being. I have tasted the potential of living in the equanimity of both extremes and everything in between. As I approach the end of 2022 I feel deep gratitude to all wisdom beings, our teacher Khandro-la; all forms of the Dakini. Although I have taken tiny steps towards her, she keeps leaping towards me as my desire to awaken for the benefit of all beings is intensified. I experience open awareness more easily and can feel some of the nuances of renunciation, bodhicitta and emptiness. And I know the inner, outer and secret Dakini as an ally on this path. Gratitude for the Year Heidi, DW Support Team Volunteer I am very grateful for the difficult year 2022 – the rare and precious teachings from an unbroken lineage so generously shared with us by Khandro-La, the connections within the DW community, and the blessed opportunity to practice – even if very imperfect indeed on my part. I am grateful for the dakinis who have transformed my work with my psychotherapy clients. Today, I show up as a bolder and more compassionate therapist. When feeling the wisdom of the dakinis, I can hold the space for my clients, and we connect with the charnel grounds: I now know that together with the invisible but energetically present dakinis we can go to places that previously were too frightening, and I know that we can state some of the earlier unbearable truths of past traumas. I am now transforming into the fearless healer who trusts that my main task is to be a conduit and stay open to the subtle wisdom offered by the dakinis. More frequently, I can sense the dakinis’ compassion for the world, and I keep reminding my-self that staying open to receive their guidance is by itself transformative. I am grateful for this ongoing mysterious collaboration with the dakinis that allows both my client and me paradoxically to be vulnerable, fearless, and transformed all at the same time. This is very subtle, but it has the power of changing all that matters for a therapist. Dakini Energies Moving and Opening Heart and Mind Dorothy, Volunteer - Video Editing, Co-Host and Special Projects A Year of Dakini, indeed! In my personal family and in my sangha family, life reflects Dakini energies at work. I have come face to face with my pre-existing ego limitations of habitual patterns to tell myself both ‘I cannot’ and ‘I can’. Habitually, I have thought ‘I cannot learn that’ when facing the unfamiliar, but Dakini’s Whisper has given me opportunities to see Dakini energies change that attitude into one of willingness, and lessening self-judgment. In my volunteer role, I have expanded from editing videos to hosting sessions and even leading practice. This year, this 73-year-old who has always been embarrassed of a southern accent and inability to carry a tune, opened our lineage holders’ gifts of these prayers, poetry and melodies instead of saying ‘I can’t do that.’ The Dakinis are transforming my old patterns of fear and self-degradation into gratitude and honor for these gifts. And as a mother of two twenty-somethings, and as a daughter of an elderly parent with dementia, I’ve had an attitude that ‘I can fix that’, in both roles. It, too, has changed. Tough love, which is not so comfortable for me, (or probably anyone else), revealed itself in me for one of my children. It took Dakini-ferocity. And acceptance that I cannot fix it all for my family has released my focus from fear and self-judgment. That same Dakini-fierceness transforming ‘can’t’ is transforming compassion for my family from an ego-based ‘I-can-do-it.’ In deep gratitude to Khandro-la and Dakinis Whisper, I am aware that Dakini energies are moving, and opening my heart and mind. |
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Dakinis’ Playful Presence Betty, Student Volunteer Dakinis have been supporting me all during this year as I deepened my understanding through the Vajrayogini sadhana and her wrathful sadhana of Tröma Nakmo. Falling deep within beyond concepts, emotions, and body sensations, I find the truest essence that connects to all life. The Dakinis prod, cajole and throw me further within this beautiful timeless awareness of emptiness. My heart opens wider each time I go beyond limitations. I feel the presence of bodhicitta expanding beyond conceptual limits. All I truly want is this “non-identity” to see all as self and wish all beings to feel this richness in their lives. Tröma Nakmo keeps me on task, while other Dakinis show how to dance and sing with joy in this wonderland within the essence. The further I identify within, the more I can follow the Dakinis’ playful presence in living a life of true service. I bow in reverence to all the awakened beings and lineages that have shown the way home. (Artwork below by Soyolmaa Davaakhuu)) |
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ON EMPOWERMENT Troma Nakmo Empowerment and Practice John, Student Coming to the end of 2022, I feel like I’m in a similar place to where I was last year at this time. Back then I was working my way through the mantra accumulations for the 5 Dakinis retreat practice. This year, I’m doing the same with the Troma Nakmo 3-month householder’s retreat. So far I’ve had a chance to get familiar with doing this practice on a daily basis, and I’m excited to see how it continues to develop after the busyness of the holiday season gives way to the stillness of winter. As my first full year as a DW community member, 2022 felt like a year of getting my feet wet, developing some basic skills in playing the damaru, gradually learning the melodies of the Ganden Cho practice, and trying my best to sing and play the drum at the same time. I’m looking forward to building on this foundation in 2023 because I feel like I have barely scratched the surface of what is possible with these incredible lineage practices. I also had a chance to get more acquainted with the DW community and participate in so many meaningful dharma activities. It means a lot to have that connection with like-minded people, and I always gain a new perspective from hearing people share their experiences. I’m looking forward to receiving teachings and practicing together a lot more in the coming year. |
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ON ELEARNING Dakini Teachings in Modern Times Amanda, Student Volunteer - Transcriptions How to summarize a year in just a few paragraphs? Perhaps it's best to keep it simple, with deep bows to my teacher, Khandro-la. She might say there is no Dakini's Whisper without students, but as a student, where would I be without her? How fortunate I am to have met this living Dakini, and how grateful I am for the abundance of resources and ease of access offered. The eLearning platform provided ongoing access to the teachings during a year when illness, work responsibilities, and other tumult worked against stability and predictability. I was able to study in my own time when attending live Zoom classes was not practical. Equally important, this ongoing virtual access provided a reliable home base, and time spent with Khandro-la and the sangha that contributed no small amount to keep me afloat on the trackless ocean of upheaval. Khandro-la embodies and lives the Tantric bodhisattva way, dancing down the path ahead, guiding me with humor and patience. Any understanding I have, as I do my best to follow, is due to her. May my bodhisattva resolve firmly root and grow to match that of Khandro-la, for the benefit of all. ON DAKINI'S CORDNER BLOG Dakini In Our Life TK, Student Volunteer - Transcriptions There is never a moment in our daily life when we are separated from Dakini, and our experience with those sacred energies is deeply personal and intimate. This is the roadmap Khandro-la has revealed to us throughout 2022, especially when she patiently and enthusiastically answered our questions along the way. We see our Dakini emerge from those experiences and sometimes She is not exactly what we would have expected. Our sangha has shared losses and gains together in this last year as well and what has connected us through those experiences are the Dakinis in all Their forms. What an awesome experience we are a continuous part of when we blend our practice alongside others with a teacher like Khandro-la too! Through listening for Dakini and finding the Dakini in our life, we can see the equanimity that flows freely alongside our compassion for others through our own pain and heartbreak. In this selected 2022 Post of the Year, I encourage you to read the comments and find the flavor of each Dakini within the practitioner as they share their experience. Khandro-la truly gave us a space to be safe and free within Dakini's Corner Blog so that someday, we too can sit shoulder-to-shoulder beside the great Masters of old. |
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Discover the depth of Dakini Wisdom that often is hidden in the human psyche and beyond but can manifest as Dakini Animal Embodiment - Dakinis with animal faces, riding on animals, or accompanied by animals. Each week, we will delve into a particular Magic Wheel of Dakini associated with a specific animal while resting in the essence of Dakini, an ineffable expanse of totality. We will explore how each animal expresses the specific energy of Dakini and how we find that within the wilderness of our inner landscape. We, then, will unveil that awakened energy to express it in our lives. Whether you are just embarking on the path of Buddhist Tantric practice and yoga, or have been studying and teaching for years, we invite you to join us for this unique and potent exploration of Dakinis. Check our website here for more information and to register at least 24 hours prior to the class. |
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Dakini’s Whisper Prayer Om Ah Hum Nurtured by the direct transmission of the Ninth Khalkha Jetsun Dampa, Jampel Namdrol Chokyi Gyeltsen, Holder of the precious Dakini’s Whisper Oral Tradition, Your enlightened vajra mind, embodiment of the Dakini, Manifests in the form of the guru informed by the lineage masters until the end of time. Peerless guide, Choying Khandro, may your life be long! May your benevolent activities, Dakini’s Whisper, Flourish to dispel the sufferings of the world! - Written by Elizabeth E to commemorate Khandro-la’s birthday in 2022 |
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