Mantra Crystals

From  Meaning Dimension, Wholeness and Integration,  A glimpse of integral consciousness, and Practice, Path, Goal

There is an (almost) traditional meditation practice in the Meaning Dimension section of the Progoff Journal,  called Mantra Crystals. One part of the practice  includes a protocol for generating seven syllable meditation topics. My mantra crystals didn’t have a fixed number of syllables, they emerged organically from my daily zazen practice.

 After being away from ZCLA for about three years I was still sitting every day but now alone without any guidance or other meditators. I would sit with a question or practice but as my mind settled something usually arose that really needed to be worked on. I would note in the “100 hours of zazen in 100 days” log (insert photo) what topic emerged for the day.

From 2004-2009 I put occasional post-meditation notes in the Mantra Crystals section of my Progoff Journal. Below are all the page headings. All of my Intensive Journal entries are handwritten. So far I’ve typed the 14 indicated below with links.

TENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE
Five warrior syllables
Ah!
Ngondro 1 – Opening your heart

ZEN CASE KOANS
Mu
Not knowing is most intimate
Zuigan calls “Master”

DOGEN
Genjo koan
To study the Buddha way…

WILL JOHNSON
Aligned, relaxed, resilient
Relax into presence

MIND TRAINING (LOJONG SLOGANS)
Drive all blames into one

BREATHING
Breathing in (out) to (from) the hara
Counting breaths
Mindfulness of breathing

TRADITIONAL BUDDHISM
3 treasures
4 immeasurables (brahma-viharas)

MY PERSONAL KOANS
What is my practice?
What is my koan?
Let go of attachment to lineage & empowerment

DALAI LAMA
Simple human kindness

NYINGMAPA
Vajra guru mantra

UNIVERSAL
Who am I?

EDUCATION
Understanding by design

Working toward a shared planetary consciousness that heals the Earth