Por Felix Maocho 27/11/09

Conseguir que los hijos sean bilingües es una preocupación para todos los padres de hoy, una forma de conseguirlo es mediante la inmersión lingüística durante la infancia, de forma que los niños aprendan el inglés mientras juegan. En Madrid quien viva cerca del Metro de las Musas, tiene una buena solución pues ahí tiene su base de operaciones l Shambala Children Zone , una organización que hará que tus hijos se diviertan y jueguen mientras se les enseñan ingles.

Tanto si vives cerca del  metro de las Musas,  como en otro lado de Madrid, puedes llevar a tus hijos a actividades como clases extraescolares dadas en su propio colegio y sobre todo te puede ser útil llevarlos a los campamentos sabatinos realizados en Madrid y Colmenar Viejo, pues de esta forma aparte que tus hijos aprendan inglés, tu conseguirás una cuantas horas libres, para hacer todas aquellas cosas que son imprescindibles en las que qué hacer con los niños es un problema, desde ir a la peluquería, a hacer gestiones compra y ¿por qué no?, para poder tomarte un pequeño relajo con tu pareja, para un simple paseo por el parque, o una cerveza con los amigos, pues esta última actividad se contrata cada sábado independientemente.  

También pueden ser de interés los campamentos de verano en inglés que organiza Shambal en el mes de Julio. Información detallada de estas actividades la encontrarán a continuación.

Desde el 2006, dos jóvenes profesoras de inglés, Inma y Ana, trabajan en proyectos educativos de enseñanza de inglés basado en la inmersión lingüística durante el desarrollo de actividades y talleres que divierten a los niños. Ellas saben que las situaciones reales son las mejores maestras para el aprendizaje de  idioma, por ello, se efectúan actividades que combinan el juego y  la creatividad con una inmersión lingüística,  pues saben que  un ambiente distendido y relajado consigue mayor eficacia en el aprendizaje del inglés.

 En que consiste su método

Los niños aprenden y se desarrollan por si solos a través de su juego, así aprenden desde andar a su lenguaje materno. Hablar es imitar; para hablar nuestra lengua no estudiamos la gramática, el vocabulario ni la pronunciación, lo que hacemos es usar las mismas palabras y expresiones que la gente que nos rodea. Se aprovecha esa facilidad natural, para introducir en ese juego el inglés, que les permite desarrollar su personalidad  a la vez que aprenden una segunda lengua.

Por tanto la meta es conseguir que imiten a personas que lo hablan correctamente de modo que lo aprendan de forma natural. Los niños escuchan y leen inglés y aprenden palabras y estructuras gramaticales que les valen para comunicarse y expresar sus pensamientos.

Claro está que para que el niño colabore voluntariamente el juego a de ser de su agrado, cada niño es una persona con derecho a ser respetado. Es importante que los niños sientan que tienen un espacio en el que se sientan libres físicamente y personalmente. Deben tener derecho a elegir a que juega y a seguir su propio ritmo y manera.  El entorno debe ser estimulante, y le debe dar oportunidades de desafío y crecimiento de su seguridad y autoestima. Los niños deben sentirse como individuos diferentes, que son respetados por los adultos que les rodean.

En este ambiente no caben prejuicios, La discriminación sexual o el racismo, o la postergación de las personas discapacitadas, no tienen lugar en un ambiente que busca potenciar el desarrollo y crecimiento de todos a través del juego. Los educadores promueven la igualdad de oportunidades para todos y buscan crear prácticas antidiscriminatorias y actitudes positivas hacia aquellos que están en desventaja.

El junto de actividades que se les ofrece, Arts & Crafts, Dressing up, Outdoor sports, Mutimedia, Cooking, Games, Yoga and meditation, Music & dance, Drama games and creating plays, Reading and story-telling etc., van acompañados de una merienda en la que continúa inmersión lingüística entre Snacks y lunchs.

Quienes son las educadoras

Ana es licenciada en Derecho y durante los 6 años que vivió en Inglaterra donde encontró su  vocación por la  enseñanza. Allí estudió Métodos Educativos a través del Juego, Playworking y Playleading y ha  trabajado en diferentes centros como educadora y coordinadora de numerosos proyectos educativos tales como The Play Bus, The Children´s Society, St Werburghs City Farm, St Johns Infants School, etc.

De vuelta a España inició su trayectoria de profesora de inglés en English Schools y cursos de verano en el extranjero mientras hizo un postgraduado en Pedagogía además del Proficiency Certificate in English por la Universidad de Cambridge.

Inma se licenció en Pedagogía por la UCM (Madrid) y en Psicología Educativa por la UWE (Bristol, UK). Vivió 5 años en Inglaterra trabajando como Classroom Assistant en colegios públicos. También estudió Playworking y trabajo 3 años como monitora del  proyectos Humdard Learning Zone, para la inserción social de niños inmigrantes a través del juego y las artes.  También trabajó en Portugal como profesora de español e inglés dentro del proyecto europeo Sócrates-Comenius.

De vuelta a España en el 2005, se inició como profesora de inglés en English Schools, Summer Schools  a parte que es profesora de teatro en inglés, obtuvo el Proficiency Certificate in English por la Universidad de Cambridge.

Shambala Children Zone es un proyecto nacido como resultado de la vocación y bagaje personal y profesional de ambas educadoras. 

Actividades educativas

ENGLISH FOR LITTLE PEOPLE

Para niños comprendidos entre los  3 y 5 años (todos los lunes lectivos). 
Familiarizar tempranamente a los niños con una segunda lengua favorece su desarrollo intelectual, memoria y concentración, potenciando así el aprendizaje en general. El método de enseñanza está basado en un enfoque comunicativo, interactivo y dinámico poniendo especial énfasis en los aspectos oral y auditivo (speaking and listening) como base principal del aprendizaje de una segunda lengua.

Lunes de 17:00 a 17:45h: 38 euros mensuales
Se forman grupos reducidos con dos profesoras. Incluye material escolar y merienda.

Dirección
Centro de Ocio Papageno 
C/ María Sevilla Diago, 19 (junto al metro LAS MUSAS)
Tlfs: 91 313 53 37 / 629 55 24 35

CLUB ENGLISH IN ACTION

Para niños de 6 años en adelante, (todos los lunes lectivos)
Se organizan propuestas basadas en el juego, la creatividad y la imaginación donde los niños son los protagonistas explorando y descubriendo las posibilidades que ofrece el aprendizaje del inglés a través del teatro, las manualidades, los juegos interactivos, el trabajo en equipo, la música, la lectura y la escritura, etc.

Hay una serie de propuestas de actividad programadas diferentes para cada sesión tomando como pretexto la fecha en que se celebre la reunión de Shambala, Navidades, Otoño, etc. 

Lunes de 17:40 a 19:10h: 60 euros bimensuales(todos los lunes lectivos)
Se forman grupos reducidos con dos profesoras. Incluye material escolar y merienda

Dirección
Centro de Ocio Papageno
C/ María Sevilla Diago, 19 (junto al metro LAS MUSAS)
Tlfs: 91 313 53 37 / 629 55 24 35

CLASES EXTRA ESCOLARES

Dirigido a niños de 3 a 12 años y en grupos reducidos, también ofrece clases extraescolares en colegios para aprender inglés dentro de un contexto lúdico-educativo.
Usted puede solicitar a la asociación de Padres de su Centro el que se estudie la implantación de estas calases en el propio centro de enseñanza de sus hijos fuera del horario académico. Bien el horario de comedor o al final de las clases
El método de enseñanza se basa en un enfoque comunicativo, interactivo y dinámico poniendo especial énfasis en los aspectos oral y auditivo (speaking and listening) como base principal del aprendizaje de una segunda lengua.
Pese a no tratar el idioma como una asignatura, sí es complementario con el inglés académico pues refuerza lo aprendido y estimula al alumno a seguir aprendiendo.. .
Shambala diseñara su programación teniendo en cuenta el nivel de los alumnos y las necesidades del grupo, siempre dando prioridad al factor comunicativo y lúdico. Trimestralmente se evaluará al alumno para informar a los padres de la evolución del mismo.

Para estudiar la forma de hacerlo y más información
Shambala Children Zone
Tel. 652 30 88 93   625 27 94 45 
Correo Electrónico: shambalachildren@gmail.com 

CAMPAMENTOS DE LOS SÄBADOS

En Madrid
Para niños de 3 a 9 años  36€/niño por cada taller. Materiales y el snack de media mañana incluidos.
En la mañana del Sábado se organizan talleres temáticos en los que se unen el inglés, la imaginación y la diversión.

Dirección
Ludoteca y Centro de Ocio Infantil La Tallerteca
C/ Hierro, 4 A (Metro Legazpi y Arganzuela – Planetario)
Tel: 91 506 37 89

En Colmenar Viejo
Dirigido a niños de 4 a 10 años 36€/niño por cada taller  descuentos por bonos de varios talleres
Shambala decora y acondiciona el lugar para que sea un espacio propio y acogedor.
Hay que llevar ropa cómoda, algo de comer y beber para la comida. Muchas ganas de  pasárselo bien y hacer amigos
Plazas limitadas

Sábados de 13:00 a 17:00h. Horario continuado
En la Escuela Infantil La Cigüeña.
Avda. de la Estación 11-13.
Colmenar Viejo, Madrid

OUTLINGS
Organización de salidas esporádicas para visitas culturales o lúdicas. 36 €/niño  más el coste de entrada a museos, teatro, etc
Las salidas se realizarán en fin de semana con una ratio de 8 niños por profesor y nos moveremos en transporte público.
Una nueva actividad son las salidas culturales y lúdicas en Madrid para enseñar inglés a los niños de una forma innovadora y hasta ahora desconocida en España. El objetivo de éstas salidas es promover el interés de los niños a través de eventos especiales: visitas a museos, teatros, parques y zonas emblemáticas de Madrid, etc., todo ello ligado al aprendizaje y la práctica del inglés.
Dichas salidas culturales y lúdicas son la manera más natural de aprender una segunda lengua dado el alto impacto visual y vivencial que tienen sobre los niños. Se practicar a el inglés desde que se sale hasta el regreso.

Los grupos saldrán desde Colmenar Viejo y desde Madrid.

Próxima salida programada
Domingo 13 de diciembre a las 12:30 En el teatro Alcázar de Madrid
Precio total del outing: 46€  (36€ +10€/niño Precio de entrada al teatro)
Fecha límite de inscripción: Jueves 3 de diciembre 2009.

A Christmas Carol. Teatro en Inglés. Adaptación de “Un cuento de Navidad” de Charles Dickens Interpretado por la compañía de teatro en inglés Face 2 Face cuyos elenco de actores es todo de origen angloparlante.
Llevar un bocadillo y un zumo o agua para comer todos juntos después del teatro.

Desde Colmenar Viejo
Salida a las 10:15 en la estación de tren Cercanías Renfe para subir en el tren de las 10:30 de la mañana.
Iremos en tren hasta Sol y desde allí caminaremos hasta el teatro Alcázar. El horario de llegada a Colmenar Viejo está aún por determinar.

Desde Madrid
El horario y lugar de salida desde Madrid está aún por determinar

Para más información y reservas
Shambala Children Zone
Tel. 652 30 88 93   625 27 94 45 
Correo Electrónico: shambalachildren@gmail.com 

Para reservas en Colmenar Viejo
C/, Narros del Castillo, 57 – 2ºB
Colmenar Viejo – 28770 Madrid
Telef: 91 845 70 71

CAMPAMENTOS DE VA ERANO

 En Julio Shambala organiza escuelas de verano en inglés (SUMMER SCHOOLS) en colegios con una programación muy dinámica, creativa y divertida para que los niños disfruten de sus días de vacaciones mientras aprenden inglés.

Se pretende conseguir  campamentos que abarquen todos los aspectos del desarrollo de los alumnos (físico, intelectual, creativo, social, personal, etc.)

Las actividades de la escuela de verano se desarrollan en base a un programa que se facilita a los padres antes de formalizar su estancia en la escuela; este programa se divide en semanas y cada una está dedicada a un tema. Trabajamos varias tipologías de actividades tales como música, teatro, manualidades, deporte, yoga, danza, cuenta-cuentos, rituales, cocina, técnicas de ralajación,etc.

Para más información y reservas
Shambala Children Zone
Tel. 652 30 88 93   625 27 94 45 
Correo Electrónico: shambalachildren@gmail.com

Actividad del último campamento Summer School 09 en C.E.I.P Ángel León

La Escuela de Verano funcionó en horario de 10 a 14h con servicio de guardería de 8 a 10 de la mañana y un servicio de comedor de 14 a 15:30h. y estuvo dirigido a niños de 3 a 12 años divididos en grupos según edades. El equipo docente estuvo formado por 9 profesores de inglés, un profesor de deportes y dos monitores de apoyo con una ratio de 15 niños por aula y profesor

El tema elegido fue “A MULTICULTURAL JOURNEY” fue la temática elegida y durante cuatro semanas recorrimos diferentes continentes a través de su música, su arte, danzas, cultura, libros, juegos e historias que nos transportaron a lugares como la India, Egipto, Sudamérica o los países del Este de Europa entre otros. Una gran aventura en la que descubrieron la riqueza de la diversidad y aprendieron muchas cosas de otras culturas.

Para ver algunos comentarios sobre la Escuela de Verano puedes ir a este blog

Have come across the idea in several works of fiction recently of rchetypal city whose shadowed reflections are known to us as every city everywhere. I bring this up because one aspect of fiction that I have enjoyed over the years is how meaningful concepts embedded in our collective consciousness express themselves as art sometimes without the author or artist realizing their origin..

It gets passed off as “There is nothing new under the sun. Just new ways to present it, but certain stories which ring true will always find new expression as belief and knowledge in them has given them an existence beyond memory, an existence which one could say, they fight to keep.

These living archetypes have left their mark on us. Each new self-help book or concept that involves classifying people into different types is an echo of similar methods of classification practiced by older cultures People according to their natures as revealed by oracle become devotees (either priests or priestesses or perhaps wards) of different god forces. In a very real sense, they embody that archetype not to the exclusion of others, we each contain the universe

Archetypal forces express themselves in our culture in various ways. In how we view the heavens, In how we name our days and months. Even in how we classify things such as diseases, foods and plants. Each generation of children are brought up with stories of young heroes who go on quests aided by wise men and fools, encountering strange beings along the way only to find themselves reaching adulthood and vanquishing the foes of their youth. The Story as I’ve said before endures.

¿Existen los reinos subterráneos?, es decir, intraterrestres. Según la tradición budista, Agartha es uno de ellos, cuya capital principal sería Shambala, ubicada en el Desierto de Gobi. Para Helena Blavastky, estaría situada sobre el Mar de Gobi, donde tiempo atrás llegaron los Señores de la Llama (semi-dioses). Según la teoría de Chaney hace muchas Eras, almas avanzadas llegaron a la Tierra desde otros planetas, fueron los Anunaki, cuyos descendientes, los Annus, serían los que “ayudaron” a construir las grandes civilizaciones. Ayudaron a construir las Pirámides de Egipto y construyeron además ciudades subterráneas a las que se accedía a través de la Gran Pirámide donde se refugiaron del Diluvio. Los Annus sellaron la entrada para evitar que se les descubriera. Las ciudades y galerías subterráneas estarían por todo el mundo. Sus habitantes serían muy longevos, científicamente muy avanzados y de gran estatura. En ocasiones saldrían a la superficie para ayudar a los humanos. Habría una colonia en la selva del río Amazonas en Brasil y, de hecho, allá por los años sesenta y tantos, cuando yo aún vivía en Brasil fue avistada en el Amazonas una niña de unos doce años de aproximadamente unos tres metros de altura. Cuando leí la noticia en el periódico, en aquella época yo era pequeña y nada sabía de todo esto,  no sabía nada de la posibilidad de que existieran civilizaciones bajo tierra, así que vuelvo a repetir la frase de Sócrates: Sólo sé que no sé nada. Adolf Hitler estaba más enterado que yo, ya que él si creía en los mundos intraterrestres y los buscaba afanosamente. A propósito de Adolf Hitler, de todos es sabido su afán por demostrar que la raza aria procedía de un continente perdido, y así pasó a formar parte de la Sociedad Thule, un grupo de estudio ocultista creado en 1918 por Rupdolf von Seborttendorff que creían en la teoría intraterrestre; siendo uno de sus deseos demostrar que la raza aria procedía de un continente perdido, a lo que contribuyó María Orsic, psíquica que consiguió convencer al grupo que el origen de la raza aria provenía de la estrella Aldebarán y no de la Tierra. Adoptaron el nombre de Thule en honor a la Ultima Thule, Tulé  o Tile, nombre utilizado para designar un lugar lejano en el norte o cualquier lugar situado más allá del mundo conocido, considerando a Thule la capital de la Hiperbórea. En la mitología griega, Hiperbórea era una región ubicada en las tierras septentrionales aún desconocidas, al norte de Tracia, siendo sus habitantes gigantes inmortales. Su nombre en latín, Hyper Bóreas, (más allá de Bóreas) viene de la creencia que el dios del viento del norte, Bóreas vivía en Tracia, siendo también la residencia invernal del dios Apolo. En la antigüedad era el nombre dado a la parte más al norte de Europa, donde supuestamente el navegante griego Piteas de Massalia la descubrió en el siglo IV a. C., cuenta este navegante que llegó a Thule tras seis días de navegación desde Britania y que el sol de verano nunca se ponía. Los antiguos la situaron en el extremo norte cerca de Groenlandia o Islandia. Los romanos utilizaron la expresión Ultima Thule al referirse a la tierra desconocida más lejana y que se ha convertido en mito relacionándola con la Atlántida.

Richard E. Byrd, contralmirante de la marina de los Estados Unidos, relata que en 1947, voló al Polo Norte, pero al parecer, realmente entró en el interior hueco de la Tierra donde fue saludado por objetos voladores nunca antes vistos por él. Recibieron indicaciones de cómo aterrizar  y fueron entonces amistosamente saludados por emisarios de Agharta. Nos cuenta que encontró una próspera civilización y que vio animales parecidos a los mamuts de un inmenso tamaño. En su libro La Tierra Hueca, el Doctor Raymund Bernard, nos confirma la historia de Byrd a través del Dr. Cotton, el cual le relata como uno de sus pacientes que viviía en Noruega, le había contado que hizo una excursión junto a un amigo de aproximadamente un mes de duración y que al finalizar el mes habían viajado hacia el norte donde se encontraron navegando hacia un cañón que les llevaba al interior de la Tierra. Allí vieron un sol dentro de la Tierra, abundante vida animal y vegetal de enorme tamaño y que navegando más hacia dentro encontraron personas de tamaño gigante muy amistosas con las que convivieron durante un año.

Shambala este un tinut misterios in care se spune ca se afla pastrate toate secretele (o imensa lada de zestre). Multe se gasesc pe Net despre subiect. Unul dintre site-urile pe care am gasit referiri la Shambala este Yoga Ezoteric al grupului de yoga MISA. In el se face referire chiar la porti aflate pe teritoriul tarii care fac legatura cu acest taram. Aceste articole se pot gasi la: http://www.yogaesoteric.net/content.aspx?lang=RO&item=1630

Ceea ce atrage atentia este simbolul (yantra) folosita pentru intrarea in legatura cu acest taram magic. Aceasta yantra este compusa dintr-un cerc exterior care reprezinta Putere Radianta, o reprezentare cruciforma, patrat (simbol al elementului pamant si reprezentare a Muladhara Chakra) si un disc interior pe care se afla 7 puncte albe. Aceasta yantra nu este altceva decat o reprezentare energetica a grupului Pleiade din constelatia Taurul.

Sham-ba-la. Sham este o mantra a fortei (energiei) aferente zilei de sambata. Ba+la inseamna forta, putere. Banuiesc ca din cunostintele ancestrale ale poporului roman sham a ramas ca si sam iar bala ca si bata. Cu ajutorul mantrei SHAM in practicile hinduse se diminueaza efectele negative ale unei anumite energii in viata personala.

Numele Decebal (dece-bal) ar putea sa semnifice cel care stapaneste zece puteri. Decebal ar putea sa nu fie numele unui rege dac ci un titlu sau un rang al unei caste de preoti, intelepti, invatatori.

Imbala (ambala) este o forma veche a cuvantului imbarbata si care inseamna a ridica nivelul de energie (ambala). nu inseamna chiar deloc a porcaii pe cineva, a face cu ou si otet asa cum de obicei se traduce. Chiar si cuvantul Injura nu are acelasi inteles ca si in trecut. El insemna legamant, juramant, promisiune. A injura- a promite.

Pe site-ul MISA se fac referiri la aceste zone care faciliteaza intrarea in legatura cu aceste energii ale pleiadelor. Aceste zone sunt mult mai multe decat apar pe site si este asa pentru ca stramosii nostri (si nu numai) au vazut in Pleiade tot ce este legat de viata, munca, sanatate, creatie, ajutor dupa moarte.

Yantra Shambalei se poate gasi la: http://sivasakti.com/yantras/shambala.jpg

With all the  publicity surrounding Michael Jackson’s death little has been heard about the whereabouts of Thriller and Sabu.  The tigers were 14 weeks old when they joined him at his Netherland Ranch in California .

Where are they now?

The two tigers are living the high-life at Shambala Preserve, owned by Tippi Hedren who visited Netherland before the tigers took residence there and said of the animals she saw there “… all of the animals were beautifully cared for”.  The tigers now share the preserve with around 70 big cats, including other tigers, lions, cougars, leopards and bobcats.

For more information or to make a donation visit www.shambala.org

If you are looking for a new feline addition to your family spare a thought for all of those cats looking for new homes.

from Shambala Music Festival in Canada this year. Recorded live with Ableton and Akai APC 40.

Dub Gabriel / Destroy all Concepts

<span><a href=”http://soundcloud.com/destroy-all-concepts/dub-gabriel-live-at-shambhala-2009-full-set”>Dub Gabriel-Live at Shambhala Music Festival 2009-Canada (Full Set & FREE DOWNLOAD!)</a>  by  <a href=”http://soundcloud.com/destroy-all-concepts”>DESTROY ALL CONCEPTS</a></span>

Let me start by saying that not alot of dubstep really grabs me, it really has to be a solid production and technically interesting for me to really get into it… This mix here, is all that and more… I’ll just let the mix speak for itself. This is the most interesting dubstep-based mixtape I’ve ever heard… Just when you think it couldn’t get any cooler, Excision just says, “Oh yeah, MF!… Watch This!!!!” LOL!  In a nutshell, this is a must hear! Biggups to Mr. Excision.

Tracklist and link after the jump

Tracklist:
1. Excision – Subsonic*
2. Excision & Subvert- Darkness*
3. Rebel Sonix – Ankle Grinder
4. Datsik – Retreat (Excision Remix)*
5. Bassnectar – Ready 2 Rage
6. Excision & Datsik – Swagga*
7. Dz – Dubstep in Disguise*
8. Prodigy – Voodoo People (Riskotheque remix)
9. Riskotheque – Heaven and Hell
10.Downlink – Station Six*
11.Excision & Datsik – Calypso*
12.Datsik – Mechano*
13.Stereotype – Shock (Nero Remix)
14.Excision & Liquid Stranger – Get to the Point*
15.Vaski – World on Fire*
16.Stickybuds – Whalestep (acapella)
17.Excision – Dirty Shoulder*
18.Reso – Beasts in the Bassment VIP
19.Proxy – Dance Dark (Ollie & Bare Noize Remix)
20.Bassnectar – Cozza Frenzy VIP
21.Chase & Status – Mad House
22.Defstar – Get Down
23.Excision & Datsik – Sin Side*
24.Excision & Datsik – Boom*
25.Spl & Triage – Bushido
26.Excision – The Village*
27.Current Value & Dean Rodell – User Error
28.Mark Instinct – Destroyed*
29.Pendulum – Ransom
30.Excision & Bassnectar- Nation
31.Dimentia & Triage – Payback
32.Audio – Pandorum
33.Aeph & Maztek – Changes
34.Triage – Crimson Glare
35.Arsenic – Decapitator (Audio Remix)
36.Tech Itch – Ruckus (Excision Remix)
37.Excision – Slayed*
38.Jakes – Rock The Bells VIP
39.The Widdler – Harrington 1200
40.The Widdler – Prehistoric World
41.Datsik – Gizmo
42.Downlink – Gamma Ray*
43.Excision & DZ – Round 2*
44.Excision & Datsik – Invaders*
45.Datsik – Galvanize
46.Excision & DZ – Yin Yang*
47.Excision & Liquid Stranger – One*
48.Excision – No Escape (Datsik Remix)*
49.Excision & Noiz – Force (Bassnectar & Excision VIP)*

Click Link Below to Download VIA MediaFire:
Excision – Shambala 2009 Mix

Thriller y Sabu

Nacieron el 20 de noviembre 1998 y llegaron a Shambala el 4 de mayo 1996.

Shambala se situa cerca de la ciudad rural de Acton, California y en estos momentos el valle se encuentra rodeado de fuego por un incendio. Se estan planteando evacuar los 64 animales que estan en el Shambala Preserve, sanctuario de felinos.

Fullmetal Alchemist

Hayranları tarafından FMA veya Hagaren şeklinde kısaltılan ve Hiromu Arakawa tarafından yaratılan “Fullmetal Achemist” (鋼の錬金術師,  Hagane no Renkinjutsuşi, Metal Simyacı) animesi, aylık Shonen Gangan dergisinde manga (japon çizgi romanı) olarak yayımlanıyorken, 2003 yılında anime (japon animasyonu, çizgi film) olarak televizyonlarda gösterilmeye başlandı. Yaklaşık 1 yıl boyunca yayımlanan animenin dünya çapında bir hayran kitlesi oluştu. Eylül 2005 ve 2006 yılında TV Asaşi’nin internet sitesinde yayımlanan bir yarışma ile gelmiş geçmiş en iyi anime seçilmiş ve 2005 yılında Anime Insider tarafından “yılın animesi” seçilmiştir. 2005 yılında Fullmetal Alchemist Conqueror of Shamballa (Şambala Fatihi) adıyla anime filmi de çekilmiştir. Film dizi bittikten sonra devamı niteliğinde, 1927 yılı Almanyası ile alternatif veya paralel dünya Amestris (Shambala) arasında birbirlerini yitiren kardeşlerinin hikayesini anlatmaktadır.

Karakterlere ve kısa tanıtımına gelince ; Edward Elric ile kardeşi Alphonso Elric nerede varolduğunu bilmediğimiz -ancak Conqueror of Shamballa filminde bazı ipuçları olan- alternatif bir dünyada Amestris adlı ülkede Resembool köyünde yaşamaktadırlar. Bu alternatif dünyada simya bilimi temel bilimlerden sayılmakta ve yetenekli simyacılar devlet tarafından alınıp ayrıcalıklı bir hayat karşılığında State Alchemist (Devlet Simyacısı) olarak çalışabilmektedirler. Yakın geçmişte Amestris Ishibal ile bir iç savaşa girişmiş ve devlet simyacıları bir nevi “insan-silah” olarak Ishibal halkının büyük bir kısmını yoketmiştir. Bu iç savaş neticesinde devlet simyacılarına halk arasında korku ve nefretle karşık bir saygı duyulmaktadır. Alphonso ve Edward kardeşler, küçük yaşta babaları tarafından terkedilmiş ve anneleri de bir salgın hastalıktan dolayı ölmüştür. Kardeşlerin simya (alchemy) olan ilgisi ve yetenekleri ve elbette çaresizlik sebebiyle Simya dünyasında bir tabu sayılan “insan dönüştürme – ölüyü canlandırma” dönüşüm çemberini kullanarak annelerini geri getirmek isterler. Ancak Simya dünyasında “eşit takas” denilen bir kural mevcuttur ki bur kurala göre dönüştürmek istediğin şeyin karşılığında ona eş bir şey daha vermen gerekmektedir. Annelerini geri getiremedikleri gibi Alphonso bütün bedenini abisi Edward’da sol bacağını kaybeder, iyice umutsuz duruma düşen Edward kardeşinin ruhunu sağ kolu pahasına geri getirir ve bir zırha bağlar, Edward’ında sol bacağı ile sağ kolu yeline automail denilen robot kol ve bacak takılır. Zaten “Fullmetal” ismini de bu sebeple alacaklardır. Böylece sezon boyunca devam edecek olan bedenlerine yeniden kavuşma amaçlı yolculuk başlamış olur…

2009 yılında ilk anime 20 bölümlük manga aslında sadık bir yeniden çevrimle piyasaya sürülür. (Fullmetal Alchemist – Brotherhood) Çizgi dizinin henüz bitmediği, cevaplanmamış bir çok soru ve son bölümdeki süpriz şüphe ile anlaşılmaktadır, merakla devamının çekilip çekilmeyeceği beliyoruz.

FMA ile ilgili diğer kaynaklar ;
* Fullmetal Alchemist Wikipedia TR
* Fullmetal Alchemist Wikipedia EN
* FMA Bölüm Listesi (Anime)
* FMA Bölüm Listesi (Manga)
* FMA Fan Sayfası EN
* Anime.Gen.TR FMA Sayfası
* Ekşi Sözlük FMA

Did a little more writing today. Wrote notes for three more poems. Basically
I had a creative day and I loved it.
The songs:

“Shambala” by Three Dog Night. : this poem turned cathardic somehow. washing away the
old and welcoming the new.

“Keep Yourself Warm” by Frightened Rabbit. : I can’t remember where I first heard this
song. It was on TV if I remember correctly. But when I heard it I knew that I needed
to write a poem to it. The poem itself was nice to write. Kind of dark for sure.

“You Found Me” by The Fray. : Another song I heard on television. It struck me when I
heard it so I added it to the list. The poem ended quickly. It feels like an old
break-up poem for an ex.

Here’s more of my photography. I hope you enjoy them and please let me know what you think!
If you like any of them and you want to see more go to my DeviantArt page the link is located under ‘Where
I am’ to your right. I don’t have an official photo webpage yet, but when I do I’ll let you know!
If there is an image that you would like to buy please email me at ernst.wonch@gmail.com.

parking.

spokes

Being afraid of death is natural, normal, healthy–even for those who witness it every day. Comments on yesterday’s post agree that it’s a mystery we all share in some way or another. Judith Lief, a teacher in the Shambhala tradition and presenter to hospice workers, care givers, and medical personnel, writes:

The contemplation of death is a traditional practice in which we look deeply and systematically into the nature of death at many levels and into our personal relationship with it. Whether we encounter death over and over in our life or whether we have the good fortune to run into it more rarely, we still need to connect to the reality of death on an intimate, personal level. …

Yes, that’s where I’m going, towards such a personal relationship. When I sit vigil with the body of someone who’s just died, when I bow and quietly chant words of thanks and encouragement for the ’soul’ leaving the body and the room, I’m expressing a belief that ’something’ carries on after death. What that is, I cannot say. As to Lief’s comment about “good fortune,” I consider myself fortunate because I run into death so frequently.

The ongoing contemplation of death, so that it is never out of our awareness (Lief continues), is a powerful form of spiritual training. For that reason, many different religious traditions have practices for contemplating death. The goal of such practices is not to encourage morbid fascination with death … but to stir [us] from complacency and reawaken [our] reverence for life. Death is a great teacher and we have much to learn, but first, we must overcome our fears and make a relationship with it.

source: Lief, J.L. (2001). Making friends with death: a Buddhist guide to encountering mortality. Boston: Shambala Publications, pp.66-67.

Como ya os conté en ( un poco de mi ) el anime es uno de mis pasatiempos favoritos, aunque aun no os haya hablado mucho de el en el blog. De echo, solo lo he hecho en un par de ocasiones, en concreto de , Ponyo en el acantilado y Paprika, dos diferentes, pero excelentes películas.

Hoy os hablare de Full metal alchemist.

La base o trama principal del anime gira en torno a la Alquimia, vemos como el autor esta bien referenciado, y se nota, por supuesto, que ha leído algunos libros sobre esta tematica, la cual luego ha sabido mezclar muy satisfactoriamente con el argumento de la serie.

Hablando sobre este tema en particular, según Simon H, de la piedra filosofal, pueden derivar-se varios tipos de medicinas correspondientes a los distintos regímenes que se presentan en la evolución de la Piedra y con la cual podría tratarse toda clase de dolencias y enfermedades que azotan a los humanos en la actualidad. Esta medicina seria llamada medicina universal o medicina de las estrellas, tal y como cuenta en su libro de ficción, ( el oro de Salomón y viaje al futuro ), donde relata que después de conseguir la piedra y mediante varias experiencias, pudo hacer tanto un viaje al pasado, donde conoce a Salomón antes de su declive, y un par de ellos al futuro, donde conocerá a uno de sus discípulos, el cual le cuenta, digamos, que otros seres le contaron que esta era la medicina que se utiliza en todo el universo y que su antigüedad y procedencia se pierde en el tiempo.

De hecho en ese futuro ( supuestamente 2030 para adelante ) al que el viaja, existen escuelas dedicadas exclusivamente a la alquimia, también decir que antes de este futuro el viaja digamos a nuestros tiempos en el que todo tipo de sucesos ocurren y azotan el planeta, pero como le dice su maestro reencarnado en el libro, desde el 2006 -2010 para adelante, (año al que viaja), todo esta confuso y nada esta claro.

Volviendo al asunto….

El anime va sobre dos hermanos con un fuerte vinculo, llamados Edward y Alphonse, es importante remarcar esto, como en la mayoría de animes, los niños son los protagonistas, los cuales, en un momento dado parecen cometer los mismos errores que los adultos, pero su forma de enfrentarse a ellos es totalmente la opuesta a los adultos. Consideran que cualquier error puede ser arreglado, no se rinden, y buscan la verdad. Si tuvieramos que remarcar un momento interesante sobre lo que trato de deciros en el anime, remarcaria el momento en el que al teniente le preguntan:

¿por que ellos si solo son unos niños ?

Y el teniente le responde:

Porque son los únicos que pueden lograrlo y el deber de una adulto es de velar por su seguridad.

Muy interesante ¿ verdad ?

Continuamente vemos como la palabra del niño es vetada por los mismo adultos, acreedores del saber universal, ( bueno eso es lo que ellos creen ) ellos consideran que la palabra del niño no es valida en la casa de los adultos. Ha esto se refirió Wilhelm Reich, cuando dijo:

Tenemos que aprender de ellos, en vez de imponerles nuestras propias ideas retorcidas y prácticas maliciosas, que ya, con cada nueva generación, han demostrado ser tanto dañinas como ridículas.

A si que, creo, que la serie tambien contempla o enseña esta posibilidad, algo que me gusto mucho.

Volviendo otro vez al asunto…

En la serie también veremos lo que comúnmente es conocido, como falsas banderas, veremos como los homunculus son utilizados por una deidad superior, para que se infiltren y creen guerras desde principio de los tiempos, guerras manipuladas desde terror y la manipulación humana, con una premisa totalmente falsa, guerras simplemente sacadas de la chistera.

Creo que un claro ejemplo de falsa bandera seria el 11S, del cual aprovechando el momento y si llegaste por casualidad esperando encontrar otra cosa, os recomendaría visionar el siguiente documental y el posterior y genial articulo de heliotropodeluz:

http://video.google.es/videoplay?docid=8045542387672451515&hl=es

http://heliotropodeluz.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/el-11s-y-burros-volando/

Volviendo reiteradamente al asunto….

El Alquimista de acero consta de 51 episodios mas una película ( creo que ahora están haciendo una revisión ), titulada el Conquistador de Shambala, la película continua la premisa del final de la serie donde uno de los hermanos es transportado al otro lado de la puerta, donde existe un mundo paralelo en el que en vez de regirse por la alquimia, se rigen por la ciencia y la tecnología, vamos como el nuestro.

En el se cuenta como los Nazis desean llegar al poder junto Hitler y que para ello necesitan cruzar la puerta, (para conseguir poderosas armas ) a lo que ellos llaman Shambala, que es el mundo donde se rigen por la Alquimia.

En fin, ¿ quien sabe ?, igual los Nazis no sacaron su tecnología de los extraterrestres y simplemente cruzaron una puerta a otro mundo, o también puede ser que esto solo sea un anime muy entretenido, del que, estaréis contentos, no os he contado casi nada.

Disfruten tanto como lo hice yo, y no se crean nada de lo que han leído, es todo absolutamente ficción, y que coño, eso me encanta.

himvani.com

Namu Amida Butsu
Xing Ping

Mesajul esenţial al Shambalei este acela că realizarea spirituală supremă, eliberarea spirituală ultimă, nu este un scop abstract, de neatins, ci poate fi obţinut prin aspiraţie sinceră şi efort spiritual susţinut chiar aici şi acum. Aceasta este învăţătura Shambalei.

Shambala este precum un Soare spiritual în jurul căruia gravitează întreaga înţelepciune planetară: toate marile religii, toate marile tradiţii iniţiatice, curentele esoterice divin inspirate, toate şcolile şi căile spirituale autentice sunt inspirate de Shambala. De aceea, Shambala este supranumită Centrul Spiritual al planetei noastre. Acest centru spiritual nu este totuşi localizat în planul fizic, deci propriu-zis pe Pământ, ci într-o dimensiune subtilă paralelă, mai precis în planul eteric, care coexistă în simultaneitate cu universul fizic. Acest aşa-numit plan eteric este dimensiunea subtilă cea mai apropiată, ca frecvenţă de vibraţie, de planul fizic, şi astfel se explică faptul că fiinţele din Shambala pot acţiona instantaneu, cu o mare putere şi un foarte mare impact, în planul fizic. Planul eteric poate fi considerat ca aflându-se la limita inferioară (ca frecvenţă de vibraţie) a universului astral, şi este acea dimensiune intermediară care face legătura dintre planul fizic şi universul astral. Comunicarea dintre lumea Shambalei şi lumea fizică a planetei noastre este permanentă şi vie, chiar dacă foarte puţini dintre locuitorii planetei noastre sunt conştienţi de aceasta.

Există, desigur, şi perioade mai „întunecate” ale istoriei, şi atunci lumea Shambalei este ocultată, ascunsă, prea puţin cunoscută de oameni. Tradiţional însă se afirmă că, în perioadele de înflorire spirituală a umanităţii, existenţa Shambalei este deplin revelată oamenilor. Aşa va fi în viitorul apropiat. Ce înseamnă „comunicarea cu lumea Shambalei”? Ea este o comunicare în primul rând subtilă, paranormală, empatică şi telepatică. Se manifestă deseori prin inspiraţie, protecţie paranormală, fenomene de sincronicitate şi, de ce nu, prin fenomene miraculoase. Deci această comunicare este preponderent energetică, nu este neapărat o comunicare de natură fizică. Un aspect cu mult mai misterios este legat de călătoriile în Shambala pe care tradiţia planetară le relatează de multe ori cu discreţie, dar cu amprenta indubitabilă a certitudinii şi autenticităţii. Sunt cunoscute multe cazuri de mari înţelepţi care au călătorit în Shambala.

Dintre occidentali, Apollonius din Tyana, Paracelsus, Nicholas Roerich, sunt doar câteva nume celebre. Este oare acest lucru posibil? Cunoaştem, unii dintre noi, faptul că omul este înzestrat, pe lângă corpul fizic, cu alte structuri sau corpuri de natură subtilă, adică neaparţinând lumii fizice, ci unor niveluri superioare ca frecvenţă de vibraţie lumii fizice. Cu ajutorul acestor structuri, corpuri, vehicule de natură subtilă (adică de o natură mai rafinată decât nivelul fizic grosier), orice fiinţă umană poate „călători” în orice dimensiune subtilă a manifestării macrocosmice. Astfel, prin punerea în aplicare cu perseverenţă a unor metode yoghine specifice, orice fiinţă umană se poate antrena în acest sens şi poate învăţa să se deplaseze, la voinţă, călătorind în „vehiculele” sale subtile, către alte tărâmuri tainice, mirifice, paradisiace. Dar în ceea ce priveşte călătoriile în Shambala există relatări ale unor fiinţe care au translatat cu totul, adică, inclusiv cu corpul fizic, în acestă lume subtilă care există în planul eteric. Altfel spus, ele au pornit la drum din planul fizic şi au ajuns la destinaţia călătoriei lor în planul eteric, cu totul, printr-un misterios fenomen de translaţie.

Acest gen de călătorii extraordinare, şi incapacitatea oamenilor de a înţelege anumite fenomene fireşti într-un univers multidimensional au dus la ideea că Shambala de fapt se află undeva în lumea fizică, ascunsă fie în munţii Himalaya, fie în ţinuturile deşertice din Asia Centrală, fie în vreo insulă îndepăratată din Nord. Dar Shambala se află în planul eteric. În plan fizic există doar zone privilegiate, având o anumită încărcătură energetică cu totul specială, care sunt veritabile „trambuline”, tuneluri, ferestre… „porţi” către lumea Shambalei. Unde se află „porţile” despre care vorbim? Şi ce sunt ele, căci ele nu sunt porţi fizice? Ele sunt mai degrabă anumite structuri energetice care se află în plan subtil în anumite locuri speciale care au o încărcătură energetică puternică specifică rezonanţei cu Shambala. Aceste structuri energetice se constituie în veritabile „tuneluri” subtile care ne leagă direct cu Shambala, analogic „găurilor de vierme” din fizica modernă. Locurile care au încărcătură energetică specifică rezonanţei cu Centrul spiritual planetar sunt toate acele locuri de pe Pământ unde există sau unde a existat în trecutul oricât de îndepăratat un centru iniţiatic puternic.

Pentru că toate şcolile spirituale autentice, toate focarele de spiritualitate sunt permanent susţinute şi inspirate de Shambala. Astfel, toate locurile sacre ale planetei noastre se încadrează în această definiţie, fie că este vorba de muntele Kailasa din Tibet, de templul lui Apollo din Delfi, de piramidele din Egipt sau de piramidele de la Teotihuacan, din Mexic. Există nu una, ci multe „porţi” tainice către lumea Shambalei chiar pe teritoriul ţării noastre, pentru că şi aici au existat în diferite perioade din trecut comunităţi şi focare spirituale. Şi ţara noastră are propriul ei tezaur de locuri sacre. Oricât de departe pe firul timpului ar fi existat aici acea magnifică tradiţie spirituală dacică care ne înfierbântă multora dintre noi imaginaţia, forţa ei mai răzbate şi acum în locuri sacre precum Sarmisegetuza, Sfinxul din Bucegi, Vârful Omu… şi de aceea putem spune fără nici cea mai mică umbră de îndoială că în toate aceste locuri, şi nu numai, există „porţi” tainice către Shambala.

mixed media from tibetian artist gonkar gyatso:

'the shambala in modern times'

detail

detail 2

from design boom. more of gonkar gyatso’s work here

Aquaria é uma banda de symphonic power metal originária do Rio de Janeiro, no Brasil. A banda foi criada em 1999 sob o nome Uirapuru. Com este nome lançou duas demos: Here Comes The Life e Flames Of Trinity. Em 2005 é apresentado o primeiro álbum da banda, intitulado Luxaeterna. Dois anos depois é a vez de Shambala, álbum conceitual que retrata a invasão portuguesa ao Brasil e da paixão de um navegante português pela personagem Iara, representada na capa do CD por uma ilustração feita pelo designer brasileiro Antonio Cesar.

.Faixas.

01. Hope
02. Heart Of The Gods
03. Expedition
04. Into The Forest
05. Lost
06. Iara
07. Shambala
08. Child Of The Universe
09. Firewings
10. Skies Of Amazonia
11. Liberty

Esta semana han emitido el primer capítulo de FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Antes de ver el capítulo no tenía ni idea de cual sería el argumento de esta nueva entrega de FMA y debo decir que tenía esperanzas de que fuera una serie de una calidad parecida a FMA. No obstante, he tenido una profunda decepción.

Puesto que en FullMetal Alchemist: Conqueror of Shambala quedaba ya el final más o menos cerrado, pensaba que iba a aparecer el hijo de Ed o algo parecido y la trama iría en esta línea. No obstante, la historia es sencillamente independiente o paralela a FMA. Los personajes son los mismos, con el mismo pasado y los mismos objetivos, pero la historia es diferente, simplemente eso.

Me recuerda un poco a lo que pasó con Mahou Sense Negima y Negima!?…francamente, no creo que estemos ante un éxito del 2009 ni mucho menos. Veré unos cuantos episodios más y después decidiré si sigo haciéndolo o no.

“If you believe there is a thing called mind, it is just a thought. If you believe there is no thing called mind, it’s just another thought. Your natural state, free of any kind of thought about it—that is buddhanature. Mind is similar to space, in that it is insubstantial, not material. Isn’t it quite amazing that something that is insubstantial is also able to experience?”

Whatever practice you do, please do so while embracing it with the Three Excellences.

The first is the excellent preparation of bodhichitta [Skt., lit. “awakened heart”]. The bodhisattva resolve is to form the thought, “I will attain complete enlightenment for the sake of all beings.” Engendering that motivation is a superb way to begin one’s practice.
This excellent preparation is indispensable for all Buddhist practitioners, because we all have had many lifetimes other than this one. The pure vision of the fully enlightened ones sees that we have been through countless lifetimes. In every one of these, we had a father and a mother. We have had so many lifetimes that every sentient being, without a single exception, has been our own father and mother. Thus we are connected to all other beings, and to merely wish enlightenment and liberation for ourselves is far too limited. To achieve enlightenment in this way would mean abandoning all our parents.

Please understand that all sentient beings, all our parents, want nothing but happiness. Unfortunately, through their negative actions they only create the causes for further pain and suffering. Take this to heart and consider all our parents, wandering blindly and endlessly through painful samsaric states. When we truly take this to heart, out of compassion we feel motivated to achieve enlightenment to truly help all of them. This compassionate attitude is indispensable as a preparation for practice.

The excellent preparation also includes the taking of refuge. Do we actually have the ability to genuinely help other beings? Do we have the power, the wisdom, the boundless compassion to do so? At present we don’t. Who does? Only the fully awakened Buddha actually possesses the power to protect others, as well as the pure teachings on how to attain enlightenment. In addition to these two, there are those beings who uphold these teachings in an unbroken lineage. These three, the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, are the only true protection and rescue for unenlightened beings.

We should regard these Three Precious Ones as our shelter, our refuge and our escort, from now on until complete enlightenment. They embody a reliable and authentic source of protection. To entrust ourselves and place our confidence in the Three Jewels from this point until we ourselves become truly able to benefit others is called “taking refuge.” Together with bodhichitta, taking refuge is the excellent preparation. Taking refuge essentially embodies all hinayana teachings, while all the mahayana teachings are contained within forming the bodhisattva resolve.

The second of the three excellences is called the “excellent main part beyond concepts.” This has two aspects, development stage and completion stage. This excellent main part beyond conceptual focus is a synonym for vajrayana, the vajra vehicle of Secret Mantra.
Development stage is usually understood as visualizing the support, which is the buddha field and the celestial palace, and what is supported therein—the form of the deity. The palace and deity are considered to be the pure world and pure being. We may think that this is a product of our imagination, but in fact it is an exact replica of the original state of all things. It is how things already are in actuality—also called the great mandala of the manifest ground.

Thus, visualization is ultimately not a matter of imagining something to be what it isn’t, but rather, of seeing it as it actually is. It is acknowledging things as they already are. This is the essential principle of vajrayana. Within this principle is contained both development stage and completion stage.

Development stage is not like imagining a piece of wood to be gold. No matter how long you imagine that wood is gold, it never truly becomes gold. Rather, it’s like regarding gold as gold: acknowledging or seeing things as they actually are. That is what is meant by training in deity, mantra and samadhi. The body, speech and mind of the deity is contained within the three aspects of vajrayana practice called development, recitation and completion.

All appearances are the mandala of the deities, all sounds are the mandala of mantra, and all thoughts are the mandala of enlightened mind. The nature of all apparent and existing things—of this entire world and all its beings—is the great mandala of the manifest ground, our basic state. These three mandalas are present as our ground. The practice of a sadhana is based on manifesting from this ground. Sadhana practice is also based on some very essential principles: that the tantras are contained within the statements, the statements within the oral instructions, and the oral instructions within the application of the sadhana itself.

Let me rephrase this vital point. In vajrayana, a sadhana is the act of manifesting what is originally present in the form of the threefold mandalas of deity, mantra and samadhi. When practicing a sadhana, we are not superimposing something artificial atop the natural state of things. Rather, it is a way of acknowledging our original state, in which the nature of all forms is deity, the nature of all sounds is mantra, and the nature of mind is samadhi. This is the basic principle of development stage. And the differences in profundity between the teachings of sutra and tantra lie in how close the teachings are to the original nature. The closest, the most direct, are the Vajrayana teachings.

What are the reasons for the development and completion stages? The profound development stage enables us to attain enlightenment in one lifetime and in one body through deity, mantra and samadhi. And completion stage means that the deity is none other than our originally enlightened buddhanature. Its essence is present as Body, its nature radiates as Speech, and its capacity is pervasive as Mind.

Our originally enlightened essence contains within itself the awakened state of all buddhas as the three aspects of vajra body, vajra speech and vajra mind. Training in these three vajras is intrinsically contained within the profound state of samadhi, which is none other than one’s own nature. That is the starting point or source of the excellent main part beyond concepts.

Deity, mantra and samadhi are the enlightened body, speech and mind. Vajra body means the unchanging quality which is the identity of the deity. The unceasing quality is the identity of the mantra, while the unmistaken or undeluded quality is the identity of the deity’s mind. These three vajras are complete in our buddha nature. They are also called dharmakaya, sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya [Skt.: the three bodies, or kayas, of the Buddha; respectively, the dharmakaya level of absolute, primordial mind; the sambhogakaya level of energy, emotions and symbols, and the nirmanakaya level of manifested form].

These profound methods of Vajrayana—practicing a sadhana, meditating on the deity, reciting its mantra, and training in samadhi—are called a quick path. The essence of this is the nature of mind. This is the unfailing, unmistaken vajra speech of the perfectly enlightened Buddha, which can enable us to attain complete enlightenment in one lifetime. This teaching has been passed through an unbroken lineage of great masters all the way down to my own root guru. While my ears have been very fortunate to receive this teaching, I myself am nothing special. Although I may take great words in my mouth, please understand that I am merely repeating what I have been fortunate enough to receive.

It is very difficult to really learn something or to be educated in it without a teacher. You probably all know this very well, having gone to school so many years. The education we have received is something that we can make use of our entire lives. Even so, our education has not brought us even one inch closer to the state of perfect enlightenment. Our years of effort in school are ultimately of no real benefit.

Because you are all intelligent, I think you can understand why I am saying this. No matter what we do in this life, all the information we gather and all the knowledge we accumulate and all the effort we make to amass wealth through work and business—when the time comes for us to leave this life, all of it is futile and in vain. It will not help us in any way whatsoever. I can easily say this since I am not educated at all! So I can smile and act big about this. Don’t be angry, please.

What I’m trying to say is that we may well succeed in becoming extremely rich and gain great material profit. We can buy the most expensive clothes or manage to be famous in this world so that everyone knows our name. That is quite possible. We can pursue these worldly attainments very enthusiastically and think that there is plenty of time to enjoy them while we are in the first half of our lives.

However, in the second half of our lives, as we age and become elderly, life starts being less fun. I speak from experience here. It begins to be difficult to stand up and to move around. You get sick more often and you start to ail in different ways. What lies ahead of you is only further sickness and finally death.

All these disasters are lined up in front of us, and we will meet them one after the other. What comes after death is not clear to us right now, because we cannot see our next rebirth. We cannot even see if there is anything after this life. When we look down at the ground we don’t see any lower realms; when we look up in the sky we don’t see any heavens or buddhafields. With these eyes we have now, we don’t see that much.

Please consider this: right now, you have a body, a voice and a mind, don’t you? Of these, mind is the most important. Isn’t it true that your body and voice are the servants of mind? Mind is the boss, and here comes more about mind. The five physical elements of earth, fire, water, wind and space do not perceive. Mind, in contrast, means that which can experience; that which perceives. The five sense organs of eyes, ears, tongue, nose and body do not perceive and experience. A corpse possesses the five sense organs, yet a corpse does not perceive, because it doesn’t have a mind.

The term corpse means that the mind has departed. We say that the eyes see, that the ears hear, that the tongue tastes, the nose smells and so forth—but it is only possible for this to happen when there is a mind to experience through the senses. The moment what we call consciousness, mind or spirit leaves the body, the five sense organs are still there; but there is no experience taking place through them.

Mind means that which knows pleasure and pain. Of all the different things in this world, only mind experiences and perceives; nothing else. Therefore, mind is the root of all states—all samsaric as well as all nirvanic states. Without mind there would be nothing to feel or perceive in this world. If there were nothing that feels or perceives in this world, the world would be utterly empty, wouldn’t it? Mind is completely empty, but it is at the same time able to perceive, to know.

The three lower realms are arrayed according to the degree of pain experienced in each, just as the three higher realms are arrayed according to degrees of pleasure. Everything is based on that which feels pleasure and pain, which is mind. In other words, mind is the basis or root of everything.

Mind is empty, and while being empty, it still knows or experiences. Space is empty and does not know anything. That is the difference between space and mind. Mind is similar to space, in that it is insubstantial, not material. Isn’t it quite amazing that something that is insubstantial is also able to experience?

There is mind, but it is not tangible or substantial. You cannot say that there is no mind because it is the basis of everything; it is that which experiences every possible thing. You cannot say really that there is a thing called mind, and yet at the same time you cannot say that there is no mind. It lies beyond both extremes of being and not being. That is why it is said, “Not existent, since even a buddha does not see it; not nonexistent, since it is the basis of both samsara and nirvana.”

If we were without a mind, we would be corpses. You are not corpses, are you? But can you say that there is a mind that you can see, hear, smell, taste or take hold of? Honestly, you can continue to search for it exactly like this, scrutinizing for a billion years, and you will never be able to find mind as something that either exists or doesn’t. It is truly beyond both extremes of existence and nonexistence.

The absence of contradiction between these two is the principle of the Middle Way—that mind is beyond conflict between existence and nonexistence. We do not have to hold the idea that there is a concrete mind or that there isn’t. Mind in itself is natural “thatness,” meaning that it is an unformed unity of being empty and cognizant. The Buddha called this unformed unity shunyata, emptiness. Shunye means empty, while the -ta in shunyata, the ‘-ness’ in emptiness, should be understood as meaning “able to cognize.” In this way, mind is empty cognizance. Natural thatness means simply what is by itself. Our nature is just like that. Just recognize that fact, without coloring it with any kind of idea about it.

If you believe there is a thing called mind, it is just a thought. If you believe there is no thing called mind, it’s just another thought. Your natural state, free of any kind of thought about it—that is buddha nature. In ordinary sentient beings, this natural state is carried away by thinking, caught up in thought. Involvement in thinking is like a heavy chain that weighs you down. Now it is time to be free from that chain. The moment you shatter the chain of thinking, you are free from the three realms of samsara.

In this entire world, there is nothing superior to or more precious than knowing how to break this chain. Even if you were to scan the entire world, or piece by piece put it through a sieve in an attempt to find something more precious, you’d come up with nothing. None of the buddhas of the past, present and future have discovered an instruction that is more profound or more direct in attaining enlightenment. To ask for teachings on the nature of mind means to understand how to recognize mind nature.

The traditional way of receiving the instruction on how to realize the nature of mind involves first going through the training of the preliminary practices of the “four times hundred thousand.” After that, you would carry out the yidam [Tib.: deity] practice, staying in retreat and completing the set number of recitations.

Finally, after all this, this teaching would be given. But nowadays we live in different times. People are so busy that they have no time to actually sit down and go through all this training. My root guru told me once that different times were coming. He said, “If you happen to be in front of people who ask about and want to hear about the nature of mind, explain it to them. If they have the karmic readiness, they will understand, and if they do understand, they are benefited. To benefit beings is the purpose of the Buddha’s teachings. It’s all right.”

When I was young, I often tried to do that. It’s like someone pointing out the sunrise. Often people look towards the west and see that the sunlight has hit the mountain top; that’s how they know the sun has risen. But actually what they have to do is turn around and see the sun rising in the east. When someone tells them to do so, they turn around and say, “Well, yeah, the sun is actually rising in the east!” That is how I have been teaching, and that is how I will continue to teach now.

So: you have heard that our mind is actually empty, meaning it is not a concrete thing, and that at the same time it is able to perceive, to understand, to experience. When you hear this and think about this, can you trust it? Is it clear? Can you decide on this point?
Our mind is empty, and yet it does think. That it is empty means there is no concrete substance with any definable attributes. And yet, mind does think. Isn’t it true that we are always thinking about the past, present or future? And aren’t we so busy thinking that we have one thought after the other, day and night, incessantly?

This is not something that has suddenly happened. It has been going on for a long time, through countless past lives in samsara. We have been spinning around involved in one thought after another in different realms in samsara. That is the essence of samsaric existence. And if we carry on in the same way, we will be busy thinking one thought after the other until the very end of this life.

It doesn’t stop there. Of course there is no body in the bardo [Tib.: the intermediate state between death and rebirth], but mind continues churning out one thought after the other due to habit. After a new rebirth, regardless of whether it’s in the lower realms or the higher realms or the deepest hell, everything is simply one thought after the other. Yet all the time, the very nature of all this thinking is buddha nature—the enlightened essence.

Let me give you an example for the relationship between thinking and the nature of mind. The nature of mind is like the sun in the sky, while thinking is like the sun’s reflection in water. Without water, it’s difficult for the sun to reflect, isn’t it? Water here is the analogy for all perceived objects, for anything held in mind. If you drained the water from a pond, where does the reflection go? Does it run out with the water? Does it stay suspended in mid-air?

Holding subject and object, perceiver and perceived in mind, is symbolized by the reflection of the sun in the pond. Without the sun in the sky, would there be any light in this world? No, of course not. And yet, one single sun is able to illuminate the entire world. This single sun is like the nature of mind, in that it functions or operates in many different ways: it has great warmth and brilliance, and through its heat it sets wind in motion. In comparison to this, the reflection of the sun is nothing. Is the reflection of the sun able to illuminate the entire world? Can it even illuminate a single pond?

Our enlightened essence, the buddhanature, is like the sun itself, present as our very nature. Its reflection can be compared to our thoughts—all our plans, our memories, our attachment, our anger, our closed-mindedness, and so on. One thought arises after the other, one movement of mind occurs after the other, just like one reflection after another appears. If you control this one sun in the sky, don’t you automatically control all its reflections in various ponds of water in the whole world? Why pay attention to all the different reflections? Instead of circling endlessly in samsara, recognize the one sun. If you recognize the nature of your mind, the buddhanature, that is sufficient.

Understand the difference between buddhanature and its expression, which is thoughts. Thoughts appear in many types. There is attachment, anger and stupidity; there are the fifty-one mental events, the eighty innate thought states, the eighty-four thousand disturbing emotions.

No matter how many different types of content the mind can manifest as, they are all simply expressions of the nature of mind. The eighty-four thousand different types of disturbing emotions are like eighty-four thousand different reflections of the sun in different ponds of water. If you take the sun and put it in your pocket, you automatically control all eighty-four thousand reflections. Similarly, the very moment that you recognize your natural state, the buddha mind, your enlightened essence—in that same moment, all eighty-four thousand types of disturbing emotions are simultaneously vanquished.

All the different thoughts we can have are either of the past, present or future, so they can be called past thought, present thought, or future thought. The Tibetan word for thought is namtok. Nam means the perceived forms of the five senses and the mental objects. Tokpa means the concept formed about what is perceived. Sentient beings are constantly busy producing namick, making one idea after the other about what is experienced. This thinking of your own mind’s thoughts is exactly what hinders and obstructs liberation and enlightenment.

If we try to stop thinking it only gets worse. You cannot shake off or throw away the thinking. Can you throw away your shadow? Can you somehow cut the flow of thought created by your own mind, maybe by detonating a nuclear bomb? Will this stop the mind from thinking? It will kill you, sure, but your thoughts will continue in the bardo and into the next life. Is there anything else in this world that can stop the mind from thinking?

To stop thinking, you need to recognize your essence. It’s like seeing the sun in the sky just once—forever after, you know what the sun looks like. If you chase one reflection of the sun after the other, you’ll never be able to see all possible reflections. There is no end to that. The sun in the sky is the real sun, and without it, there would be no reflections. Its reflection in the water is only an imitation.

In the same way, all thoughts are only expressions or displays of your essence; they are not your essence itself. Without being free of thought, without the thinking having dissolved, vanished, disappeared, there is no way to be liberated or enlightened. There is a saying: “Use the thought as its own antidote.” In the same way, the reflection of all suns comes from the original, real sun. If you recognize the real sun in the sky, there is no need to chase around after all its reflections in this world in order to see the sun.

The most important thing is your empty, cognizant mind. Its natural emptiness is dharmakaya, also called empty essence. Your natural ability to know and to perceive is cognizant nature, sambhogakaya. This being empty and being cognizant are an original unity. The famous statement “unity of empty cognizance suffused with awareness” refers to your own nature, the essence of your mind.

After having been pointed out your nature and recognizing your essence, you see that there is no “thing” to see. As I have repeatedly said, “Not seeing a thing is the supreme sight.” We need to see that. It is seen the moment you look, and in the moment of seeing it is free, liberated.

This seeing may last no longer than a few seconds, perhaps no longer than three snaps of your fingers. After that brief period of time, we either get carried away by the thought of something, or we become forgetful. This happens to all ordinary sentient beings. From beginningless lifetimes until now, we have been continuously carried away by forgetfulness and by thinking.

The moment you recognize, it is already seen. There is nothing extra remaining that you missed. This is not like space looking at itself, because space does not see anything. When your mind, which is cognizant, recognizes itself, you immediately see that there is no “thing” to see. It is already seen in the same moment. At that very moment there is no thought, because the present thought has naturally vanished.

The moment of recognizing mind nature is called ordinary mind, whether you talk about Mahamudra, Dzogchen or the Great Middle Way. When recognizing, don’t do anything to it; don’t try to correct or improve it; don’t alter it by accepting one thing and rejecting another, motivated by hope or fear—don’t do anything to it. An ordinary person is involved in conceptualizing with the present thought. Don’t conceptualize with a present thought. Present thought means wanting or not wanting, with hope or fear. Just disconnect from the present thought; don’t follow it up. The moment you are free from thoughts of the three times, that is the buddha mind.

You don’t have to try not to think the present thought. We need to train in just letting go of what is thought of; that is the practice. In this letting go there is not even a dust mote to imagine, so it is not an act of meditating. At the same time, do not be distracted from this for even one second. It’s like trying to imagine space, because there’s nothing that needs to be imagined or meditated upon. Do you need to imagine anything to imagine space?

When we hear “Don’t be distracted,” we may think that we have to do something in order to be undistracted. People usually think that trying to remain undistracted is some kind of deliberate act. This would in fact be so, if the aim was to maintain a particular state of concentration for a long time. Deliberate action would be necessary in that case. But I am not telling you to do that. The moment of natural empty cognizance doesn’t last very long by itself, but that’s perfectly okay. You don’t have to try to prolong that moment; rather, repeat it many times. “Short moments, many times”—this is the training in uncontrived naturalness. Uncontrived naturalness means you don’t have to do anything during that state. It’s like ringing a bell. Once you ring the bell there is a continuity of sound; you don’t have to do anything in order for the sound to continue. Simply allow that continuity to endure by itself until at some point the sound fades away.

At the moment of recognizing your mind essence leave it in naturalness, simply as it is. If you keep striking the bell, the sound is interrupted by the effort. Just leave that recognition be without altering it. That is the way to not lose the continuity. Soon enough the recognition will vanish by itself. As beginners, naturally we will forget after a bit. We don’t need to try to prevent that or guard against it with great effort. Once distracted, again recognize. That is the training.

Every level of teaching has its own purpose, and even though the very heart of the Buddhadharma is to recognize mind essence and train in that, still, there are obstacles and hindrances that need to be cleared away and enhancement practices that need to be done.
An obstacle is something that prevents us from remaining in the natural state. These can be cleared away by certain practices. There are also ways to improve or enhance our practice and to deepen our experience. These two—clearing hindrances and enhancing—are extremely useful.

Outer obstacles are connected with our environment; inner obstacles with our physical body, and innermost obstacles with our thought patterns. To dispel these, it’s extremely beneficial to do the preliminaries and the inner practice of deity, mantra and samadhi. Hindrances need to be removed, as they are the result of negative deeds that obscure our nature. Relying on the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha and on the guru, yidam and dakini as support quickly clears away hindrances.

Enhancement practices, for instance, are to develop devotion to the enlightened ones and compassion for sentient beings. Devotion and compassion strengthen the recognition of mind nature. Other practices also further enhance mind essence; however, the Third Karmapa stated the most essential point when he said: “In the moment of love, the empty essence dawns nakedly.”

In the moment that either devotion or compassion is felt sincerely, from the core of our heart, there is really nothing to obscure us any longer. The more we train in devotion to all enlightened masters, buddhas and bodhisattvas, the more our progress in recognizing mind essence will be enhanced. In exactly the same way, generating loving kindness and compassion for all sentient beings will also help tremendously to enhance our realization of buddhanature.

Let us conclude this teaching by engaging in the last of the Three Excellences, the excellent dedication. As a result of having studied these teachings, please dedicate the merit and make aspirations for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Tulku Urgyen Ripoche (1920-1995) was one of the great Dzogchen masters of this era. He studied and practiced both the Dzogchen (Skt.: Maha Ati) teachings of the Nyingma school and the Mahamudra teachings of the Kagyu school, and was the Dzogchen teacher of the late sixteenth Karmapa. Over the course of his life he spent more than twenty years in retreat, including four three-year retreats. Tulku Urgyen established six monasteries and retreat centers in the Kathmandu region, where today his teachings are continued by his sons Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, Chöling Rinpoche and Tsoknyi Rinpoche. This article is excerpted from As It Is and is presented with the kind permission of Rangjung Yeshe Publications. ©1999 Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche

Existence & Nonexistence Teachings on Dzogchen, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Shambhala Sun, March 2000.

From: Shambala Sun