The Integration of Stillness and Movement: the approach of different buddhist paths. Eifel 10.2001

October 2001. James Low teaches on "The Integration of Stillness and Movement: the approach of different buddhist paths" at Kamalashila Institute in the Eifel region of Germany. "Most of us who have been involved with buddhism for some time will have reflected a lot on impermanence, but it is never something to treat lightly. It is the royal road to an understanding of stillness and movement." ~ James Low Contents: Stillness and movement The Four Basic Reflections: back to basics Precious human birth Impermanence and death Karma Ice or water, depending on the conditions Going it alone Samsara: banging into things Taking refuge Resources: Transcription on Dang-wa, Rol-Pa and Tsal Transcription on the four basic reflections and refuge Full transcript Audio recording Original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5IOUHAwWvw Chapters 00:00 Observing the mind and its movements 10:34 Precious human birth 18:27 Fragmentation of self and the creation of karma 29:13 Death and the continuation of awareness 34:16 Samsara and fluidity: ice and water as metaphor 43:22 Purification as preparation for death 59:20 Balancing energy through diet and daily habits 1:10:55 Betraying the Buddha nature in ordinary experience 1:17:16 Phenomenology of existence versus the stories we tell 1:23:34 The need to relax in practice 1:31:30 Space as the ground of all elements 1:37:09 Relaxing into space versus wind 1:44:23 Machig Labdrön practice: structure and purpose 1:51:02 The necessity of devotion in tantra 1:56:56 Recognizing awareness free of subject and object 2:29:45 Questions and housekeeping 2:34:58 Articulating the process of becoming caught in thought 2:41:31 Thought as ornament: the dharmakaya to sambhogakaya 2:49:53 The ego eats thought 3:02:56 Using deity practice to transform samsaric identity 3:09:13 Samaya: the commitment to maintain practice 3:23:19 The meaning of great happiness (dewa) in tantra 3:30:15 Pure vision and the recognition of fault in Dzogchen 3:39:53 Recognizing one's own nature (ngo rang drol) 3:49:09 The mind is not conditioned by human existence 3:55:45 Investigating how we create our own entanglement 4:09:25 Commitment in tantra versus flexibility in Dzogchen 4:15:30 Distinguishing sacred practice from superstition 4:20:10 The three statements of Garab Dorje 4:35:19 Chöd: the practice of cutting attachment 4:43:23 Cutting attachment to the body in meditation 4:49:37 The visualization of offering the body 4:55:44 The dharmakaya visualization in Chöd 5:01:58 Clarifying the view: beyond thought and expression 5:16:26 Working with fear in meditation 5:22:15 Walking meditation: mindfulness and presence 5:35:51 The Eight Consciousnesses and the Root of Ignorance 5:42:30 Practicing Purification Without Judging What Arises 5:51:46 Lhundrup and rangdrol: instant arising and self-liberation 5:59:47 Receiving Compliments and Insults Without Losing Awareness 6:04:48 Dang, Rolpa and Tsal: The Three Modes of Energy 6:11:52 Tsal: particularities of manifestation and the crystal 6:18:33 Spontaneous activity and leaving no trace 6:30:20 Practicing when tired as preparation for death