The practices of offering charity to spirits, pretas and nagas are often recommended by Lama Zopa Rinpoche to benefit both the practitioner and the beings to which the practices are dedicated. This digital version includes advice and commentary from Lama Zopa Rinpoche as well as translation and commentary from Julia Graves. Contents include: Aroma Charity for Spirits (Sur Offering) - Commentary by Lama Zopa Rinpoche Naga Torma Offering - Commentary by Julia Graves Offering Water Charity to the Pretas - Offering Water Charity to Pretas, Intermediate State Beings and Nagas - A Short Practice of Offering Water Charity to the Pretas - An Abbreviated Practice for Offering Water to Pretas - Dedication Prayer for Making Water Charity - Appendix 1: The Daily Practice of Water Offering to Dzambhala - Appendix 2: Instructions for Blessing Water in an Elaborate Way with Various Deities - Commentary by Lama Zopa Rinpoche 118 pages, 2014 edition.

This practice requires the student to have permission/empowerment received from a qualified master in order to engage in the self-generation of the deity. However, it is permitted to do this practice without such an empowerment as long as you do not generate yourself as the deity. The Torma Offering to the Landlord Spirits (Zigdag Torma) is a common ritual, often done in the context of other more extensive practices such as self-generation sadhanas, burning offerings, land consecrations, and Dharma protector pujas. The torma offering placates the many spirits who live and own the land around us and beyond, requesting them to create favorable conditions for our practice and activities. Although the practice may be recited by anyone, a tantric initiation into any of the four classes of tantra is required to do the practice in full as the offering can only be blessed on the basis of having self-generated as a deity. 2021 edition.

This book is an edited transcript of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings at a three-month Vajrasattva retreat held at Land of Medicine Buddha, Soquel, California, from February 1 to April 30, 1999.

In the Tibetan tradition the ability to dream lucidly is not and end in itself rather it provides as additonal context in which one can engage in advanced and effective practices to achieve liberation. Dream yoga is followed by sleep yoga also known as the yoga of clear light. It is a more advanced practice similar to the most secret Tibetan practices. The goal is to remain aware during deep sleep when the gross conceptual mind and the operation of the senses cease.The result of these practicas is greater happiness and freedom in both our waking and dreaming states.

Description: Serpents have always been both venerated and feared throughout the world, but perhaps none so much as the Naga in Hindu, Tantric and Buddhist traditions. What are the Naga? They are the Serpent Lords of ancient times, more akin to the Orishas of Santeria than to the remote gods of Olympus. And, like the Orishas, they are far more accessible. This is more than a mythic and historical account of the Naga. It is also a Naga 'Grimoire' of practical and spiritual rituals. Serpent spirits are seen everywhere in Asian iconography and practices, but because of the extremely ancient and 'grass roots' origin of their worship, they are only rarely mentioned in traditional religious texts. This parallels the prehistoric worship of similar serpent spirits across the ancient world in many places under many names. In most Eastern and Western animist or pantheist traditions, serpent-demigods are positive beings manifesting as spiritual guardians. Often these spirits are associated with springs, rivers, lakes and oceans as well as the numinous chthonian world below, as are the Naga. Naga wisdom has the power to enlighten us about the ancient, often forgotten serpent spirits, their magick rituals and their place in helping us to heal Nature. Whether you wish to learn the history and mythos of the Serpent Spirits, or if you wish to work directly with these luminous beings, the book provides unique access to the power and wisdom of the Naga Lords. Naga Magick includes many Illustrations and an extensive Glossary.

Based on the teachings of the Buddha, this book offers the most compelling and impassioned indictment of meat-eating to be found in Tibetan literature and is pertinent to anyone interested in vegetarianism as a moral or spiritual issue. The Buddha's teachings show how destructive habits can be examined and transformed gradually from within. The aim is not to repress one's desire for meat and animal products by force of will, but to develop heartfelt compassion and sensitivity to the suffering of animals, so that the desire to exploit and feed on them naturally dissolves. There are two texts presented here. One is an excerpt from Shabkar's Book of Marvels, consisting of quotations from the Buddhist scriptures and the teachings of masters of Tibetan Buddhism that argue against the consumption of meat, with Shabkar's commentary. The second, the Nectar of Immortality , is Shabkar's discourse on the importance of developing compassion for animals.