Student and Teacher

Together on the Path

In the following student questions from the recent A-tri Dzogchen retreat in Crestone, Colorado, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche gives advice about the importance of resting, from our thoughts, our discomfort, our minds, during both practice and in our daily life.

Student: I have difficulty with being uncomfortable when I'm practicing zhine (calm abiding). All the sensations and discomforts in my body are distracting me from being able to practice. Can you speak to that?

TWR: Sure. Regarding all the different kinds of discomforts that arise while sitting in practice, try not to be bothered by them; don't pay too much attention to them. It's okay to be aware of them. But often these kinds of common discomforts can be an excuse for you not to do the practice. That's why I want to bring this sense of enjoyment to our practice. Think about it. Think about the sense of enjoyment, the sense of its being like a game, like a challenge. The sense of fun! If you look at it that way, then immediately your mood changes. Your energy changes. It becomes, Okay, I'm ready for the next practice! Rather than the familiar voice in one's head that that says, Again? [speaking with dread]

The truth is that whenever we have one negative thought followed by another, then that should be the time when with clarity we ask, Again? But we don't say that! Instead we say, Of course I'll think those same old thoughts. I was occupied with them this morning, I'm thinking them now and I'm planning to be occupied with them all this afternoon. We feel too comfortable with the painful, negative thoughts.

So these little discomforts that arise while practicing are normal, unless it's really something that really needs your attention. Otherwise most of what we experience in sitting is normal, and you can come to kind of enjoy the challenge of it.

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Student: I have so many thoughts when I am trying to fall asleep. What advice can you give me?

TWR: Many people have difficulties with sleep. One of the things that helps: Just focus on the breath. Whatever tensions are there, breathe them out. Don't give up. Stay in bed. Don't turn on the light. Don't turn on your phone. Don't change your position too much. Maybe adjust it a little to be more comfortable, hug your pillow. And then focus on the breathing, and each exhalation. At the end of each exhalation [makes sound of long exhalation] you are going into sleeping mode. Maybe repeat it 10 times. You will drop off. The first time you practice this it might not work, but don't give up. Keep trying.

Look at how in the zhine practice of calm abiding you are taking a break from your thoughts, or trying to. Sleeping is the same thing. It's a break that you are taking every night. The brain needs a break. That is the time that the brain is processing and clearing its waste. It's like for the whole night the building is getting cleaned of its garbage. In the morning you are fresh and clear. If you sleep well, that means the night shift is working well.

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Student: I just wanted to share that I notice when I'm doing zhine (calm abiding) I see that my thinking actually takes more energy than when I simply let go of thoughts.

TWR: Definitely. It's good to notice that. Thinking takes a lot of energy. Again, coming back to the idea of resting, probably one of the most important kinds of rests is not thinking, or thinking less. And then at other times, when you do have a thought, try to have a good thought. Life is wonderful, because in every given moment you can see the beauty of life, the gift of life, something positive there. The more you connect with those, then the more you are creating a space for positive energy. And the more positive energy you feel, the more you can share that positive energy with others, wherever it is needed. It helps.