Pharmacopeia of Visualization : Tantra, Sex & Meditation – Ep. 190

This in depth teaching on the practice and performance of visualization during meditative states Robert A.F. Thurman provides a practical roadmap for those from any religious, cultural or economic background to apply the tools from the esoteric traditions of Buddhist tantra to understand and reduce suffering on all levels.

Opening this week’s teaching with an introduction of the subtle energy systems found in Vajrayana Buddhism and Hindu Shaivism Professor Thurman details the transformational power of imaginative visualization when guided by an experienced, qualified teacher.

Continuing the discussion begun in last week’s episode on Buddhist Psychonauts this episode includes an overview of Nine Point Breath Meditation as taught by Dr. Nida Chenagtsang, introductions to Buddhist Tantra, the Karma Sutra, the history of Theravada and the diverse meditation traditions of India, China and South East Asia, and a frank presentation of so-called “crazy wisdom” by Robert Thurman shedding much needed philosophical light upon the ethical lapses which occur due to milsleading teachers’ and misled students’ misunderstandings of the nature of ultimate and causal realities described by the Buddha and his great successors.

The second half of this week’s episode begins with a short explanation of the Mādhyamaka Centrist or Middle Way perspective and the experiential methods of teaching of emptiness, compassion and relativity found in the writings of Tsongkhapa, Asanga and Nagarjuna.

This week’s poetry segment Gary Gach reads the poetry of W. S. Merwin.

Pharmacopeia of Visualization : Tantra, Sex and Meditation – Ep. 190 Photo by Matt Briney on Unsplash

Gary Gregory Gach is an author, translator, and editor living in San Francisco. A dynamic speaker and teacher in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism his works include the anthology “What Book!? Buddha Poems from Beat to Hiphop” and the forthcoming “Pause Breathe Smile – Awakening Mindfulness When Meditation is Not Enough”.

W.S. Merwin is the 17th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry of the United States. He is the author of over fifty books of poetry, prose, and translations. He has earned every major literary prize, most recently the National Book Award for ‘Migration: New and Selected Poems’ and the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for ‘The Shadow of Sirius.’ He lives in Hawaii where he raises endangered palm trees.

“Pharmacopeia of Visualization : Tantra, Sex and Meditation – Ep. 189″ of the Bob Thurman podcast was recorded at the 2017 Force for Good Class Series.

‘A Force For Good’ is a Tibet House US course to further the Dalai Lama’s contemporary world initiatives, from His Holiness’ American Institute of Buddhist Studies and Mind & Life Institute science dialogues (Universe in a Single Atom) and His creation of Abhidharma 2.0 through the “Science for Monks” programs, his “secular ethics” (Ethics for the New Millennium and Beyond Religion), His nonviolent approach to conflict resolution, including His Nobel Peace Laureate activities to seek dialogue and a win-win reconciliation with China in the face of the ongoing ethnicidal policies in Tibet (Freedom in Exile and Man of Peace: The Illustrated Life Story of Tibet’s Dalai Lama) & along with his emphasis on positive activism (A New Reality: Charter of Universal Responsibility).

This on-going series was inspired by Daniel Goleman’s ‘A Force For Good: The Dalai Lama’s Vision for Our World‘.

To learn more about this year’s Force For Good Series please click the image above or visit: www.tibethouse.us.

Listen to more archive recordings from from past Robert A.F. Thurman teachings + public events please consider becoming a Tibet House US member. To learn about the benefits of Tibet House US Membership please visit: www.tibethouse.us.

The song ‘Dancing Ling’ by Tenzin Choegyal from the album ‘Heart Sutra‘ (2004) by Ethno Super Lounge is used on the Bob Thurman Podcast with artist’s permission, all rights reserved.