Off To See The Wizard!

Well, I committed myself to this post by referring to it over on Word Wright so I guess I should finish this.

I'm going on a phowa retreat. Phowa is a ngondro practice, where one learns to "instantly eject negativity," and according to Wikipedia and The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen, to cast off the consciousness at death into a Buddha-land of one's choosing. So dare I call learning this sort of practice fun? Intense yes, it likely won't be "fun."

Apparently this is the first time in six years that Kilung Jigme Rinpoche has done this retreat. I feel rather honored actually, as people are coming from over seas to learn this practice. My "interest" as it were, is that I have in the last several years been with dying people, and I have been reading The Great Liberation Upon Hearing, commonly referred to as the Tibetan Book Of The Dead. For some reason this teaching resonates with me. And believe me, I want to be ready when death comes to me.

I have been blessed to help prepare the retreat site, since it's right here on Whidbey Island where Rinpoche now lives. I helped move the Rinpoche and his assistant into their new home, and then prepare the place for the retreat to some extent. And it starts later today! It's different than I expected. For one thing, I have to bring a tent. So "in tents" is also an appropriate description...ha ha. Anyway, there are three sessions a day, for a total of 9.5 hours. Gulp.

I'm used to my 1 hour a day practice. So I get the idea that the tent will be my temple of sorts. The Rinpoche will give us some teaching, and then we will practice it. My guess is 3 hours of teaching a day, 6.5 of practicing it. For 8 days. Wow. This will definitely alter my life, and in that perspective, will be quite exciting. Cast off negativity instantly?! Right freakin on! Transfer the consciousness?! Yeah! Help others in their most important time? You bet!

So for the next week I will be incommunicado. I'll come home every night, but the first session is at 8:30 AM and the last ends at 9:30 PM. So home by 10, into bed, up for my morning practice, and then back to the retreat. I have goosey bumps just thinking about it.