As part of our Kechara Journey, we were asked to choose one of the 11 Yogas and dive deeply into it. I was tempted to jump into what seemed to me to be a more complex and challenging Yoga. But the Yoga of Purifying Beings kept calling to me in its simple power. I yielded the call.
I “think” I have an understanding of all beings and phenomena being a manifestation of my own mind. I may even get a glimpse of this on-the-cushion from time to time; appearances dissolve and “I” am left with this experience of vastness that moves through my heart center, not my head. Off-the-cushion? Not so much. During commentary Khandro-la challenged us to take this Yoga of Purifying Beings off-the-cushion. So, this, I did.
While driving the car, walking the dog, sitting in a waiting room and even, yes, when in the midst of family, friends gathering and socializing, I paused and imagined instantaneously becoming Vajrayogini with the red BAM at my heart! BAM! After a quick glance review of my body mandala, I visualized red light rays of tiny Vajrayoginis shining through “every pore” of my skin into every direction and on every being. These little Vajrayoginis danced and sang vajra songs, penetrating through blockages in my own mind to purifying ALL beings who then became Vajrayoginis themselves.
I “pretended” that it was really happening, and it was magical! From within my own mind, I felt the power to literally transform my experience of people and situations. “My mind, the Dakini Queen,” was creating a pure land right before my eyes. I was standing in the middle of it all and the amazing things was that my own heart space was getting bigger and bigger! I was fulfilling the two purposes, right here, right now, on the spot!
Coming back to basics, I am reminded of a few lines from the Cho Preliminaries, A Song of Realization in Praise of the Vision of Father Lobsang
I, a yogini of unborn space, behold all sights and sounds as the magical show, the great deception, never grounded in any way. In this ecstatic union of appearance and emptiness, I gained my certainty in infallible interdependence.