Establishing a Boundary

When we do tantra practice our perceptions and thoughts created by the power of imagination are important for practice. All of this starts first with boundary practice. 

Boundary practice can have three different obstacles that may arise. The first obstacle is external karmic obstacles. Karmically means that it comes from our past, such as obstacles created in our childhood or past relationships. Second, are conceptual obstacles. These can be doubts, fears, confusion, indecisions, worry, and anxiety. All of these are mental reflections that need to be healed else they can be obstacles to our transformation. The third obstacle is the lacking of awareness, marigpa. Sometimes we call this ignorance – ignorance of our inner awareness of who and what we really are. When we establish a boundary we are attempting to cleanse these three obstacles to our practice. 

During the establishing the boundary practice we visualize ourselves as Takla Mebar, but we are not at that time actually the wisdom yidam Takla Mebar. At that time we don’t have the wisdom of Takla Mebar, for we have not practiced the three stages yet. What we are is practitioner Takla Mebar at that time. There are three Takla Mebar(s). Practitioner Takla Mebar whom we visualize ourselves as. Wisdom Takla Mebar whom we invite. And the union Takla Mebar which is the union of wisdom and the practitioner. 

The important thing to remember when being the practitioner Takla Mebar is to generate confidence. Don’t just say “I am Takla Mebar.” That is not enough. You have to generate confidence in order to establish a boundary. 

Next the boundary mandala is created through the nine protection spheres. This protection mandala is not the Takla Mebar mandala, but the establishing boundary mandala of protection spheres.  

Each of the protection spheres has its own mantra. The mantra contains the blessing or power to build the layers of the protection spheres. As we do this, we imagine ourselves sitting in the center of these protection spheres. After this, we move onto the threefold contemplation practice.

To Establish a Boundary

“SO! I am the body of Takla Mebar having gathered and come into being to overcome all evil interference, that which is abiding here needs to disperse and go. Otherwise, if it will not go and remains here, the protection of the nine pavilions will gradually emerge. The negative forces that do not depart will be consumed by fire. The consequence of going within the boundary will be ground into dust. 

Negative forces that are gathered here need to listen. I am the wrathful fire deity with a powerful blaze, The superior wrathful Takla Mebar With vibrant swastika weapons that will emerge And fill with wrathful emanations the upper, lower and middle realms. Furthermore, my open mouth reveals fangs of wrath and My hand holds symbolic flaming wheels. If anything goes beyond this line, it will be cut into pieces. 

Therefore, it’s better (for the negative beings) to stay in their respective locations. However, if (the negative energies) still do not depart, they must be forcefully driven away.“

“Recite three times each:

SO A RAM DRUM - TONG PÉ GUR KHANG DU GOM

Emptiness sphere meditate

OM RAM DRUM - YÉ SHÉ NGA YI GUR KHANG DU GOM

Wisdom sphere, meditate

HUNG RAM DRUM - TRO WÖ GUR KHANG DU GOM

Wrathful sphere, meditate

SÉ RAM DRUM - KYOP PÉ LHA SUNG GI GUR KHANG DU GOM

Protector sphere, meditate

YUNGDRUNG RAM DRUM - YUNG DRUNG GI GUR KHANG DU GOM

Swastika sphere, meditate

TSA TRA RAM DRUM - KHOR LO DANG TSÖN CHÉ GUR KHANG DU GOM

Wheel of weapons sphere, meditate

RENA RAM DRUM - RIN PO CHÉ GUR KHANG CHI KYANG MI CHÉ PAR GOM

Jewel sphere meditate. 

"Meditate on the absence of any negative energy entering inside of the mandala.”

How to Practice

In this practice, we are establishing a boundary to bring out protective qualities from our underlying awareness—a felt sense of confidence, protection, acceptance, being held and seen, being nourished, healing, well-being, spaciousness and so forth. These qualities have the power to heal and transform us.

To begin, sit in a relaxed way, with back comfortably straight, eyes gazing gently downward on the protection sphere mandala. Come down from thinking mind into the body, and settle into the grounded feeling of the body on your seat. Let the breath flow naturally while breathing from the abdomen, so you feel the belly expand and contract with each breath. Let that feeling draw you into it more and more, breath by breath.

Next, as you recite the sadhana verses and the mantras, you can imagine yourself surrounded by wonderful open, vast, accepting, empty space. Here in this sky-like emptiness there is room for everything. You are held in stillness, silence, and spaciousness. 

Surrounded by the five wisdoms, you can feel their qualities arise. The wisdom of emptiness feels like empty space. Mirror-like wisdom feels like clarity, shining and seeing clearly. All-accomplishment wisdom feels like you can hold everything in love and compassion – all the wholesome energies of love and compassion. Discriminating wisdom feels like a mindful gatekeeper who knows which thoughts, feelings, and perceptions are wholesome and unwholesome. The wisdom of equanimity/equality feels like leaving everything as it is – total acceptance of what is. 

Surrounded by fierce yidams, and protectors, imagine all the great enlightened beings, archetypes, and people in your life who have been there to support you, guide you, and protect you again and again throughout your life. Beings who out of compassion have given what they have to protect and care for you. Beings who have been there for you when you needed them most. You wouldn't be here today in the center of this circle if it were not for them and the kindness and generosity of their hearts.

Surrounded by a Yungdrung wall, completely impenetrable, keeping all karmic obstacles away. Surrounded by wheels of weapons to cut through any attachment, aversion, or ignorance. And finally surrounded by the precious jewels of the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, completely surrounding you and holding you in a caring embrace.

As you establish your boundary you may start to experience wholesome qualities arise. If notice them, you can then shift your attention to these qualities, rather than the image of the boundary. Relax into those protecting and healing qualities, letting them become a healing environment for your own body and mind. Focus just on the feeling of those qualities, not on stories the mind may create about the boundaries. Dropping such stories when they arise, just settle increasingly into the feeling of those qualities, letting them permeate your whole body and mind, letting them draw you into oneness with them. 

Bring the protection spheres to mind not just as a thought or abstract idea, but as happening right now, right here. You are being held in deep care, compassion, acceptance and warmth, beyond judgements. Relax into this experience, steeping in its shielding energies, feeling its protective qualities, and letting them spaciously infuse your whole being and your whole world. Accept these protective energies and qualities into your whole body and mind—into every part of your body, into every layer of feelings, thoughts, and emotions. Every part of you is held in protection. Let these protective qualities unify you with them more and more. These are the qualities of Takla Mebar, qualities found within you. 

In time, you may wish to expand your boundaries to include others, or simply invite them into your protection sphere. You can start with your loved ones, your family, and your friends. Over time, you may wish to invite more beings into the protection sphere to receive these healing qualities. It is important to remember we are engaging in this practice to not only heal our own suffering, but to heal the sufferings of all beings in the world.

Let any thoughts or reactions that occur be gently embraced in the spacious warmth and acceptance of this protection sphere. Let them find their own place in their own time, by letting them all be.

If you lose the feeling of the protection sphere, freshly recall the practice again, recite the mantras again, and let its power draw you back into the feeling of its support.

After some time, let this protection sphere help your mind to relax deeply and release all its frameworks of meditation or concern. Let the mind settle back a bit inwardly and come to rest in the background of its awareness, which is naturally wide open and luminous like a sunlit sky. As thoughts and feelings arise, let them just metabolize themselves and release within this sky-like openness of awareness, by letting everything be.

When you are ready to end the meditation, confidently arise yourself as the practitioner Takla Mebar.