The Blessing of the Channels, Winds, and Spheres

The Blessing of the Channels, Winds, and Spheres Within the Hollow Interior of the Reality Body

Three parts:

1. Essential point of the body posture

2. Essential point of the visualization

3. How to receive the blessing

1: Essential Point of the Body Posture

The essential point of the body posture is the seven-point body posture. This has already been explained earlier, but to summarize the are legs crossed, hand in equipoise, backbone straight, stomach pressed in, neck bent, tongue joining the upper plate, and shoulders lifted back. 

2: Essential Point of the Visualization

The essential point of the visualization is to remember the explanation of the hollow interior of the Sambhogakaya and the Nirmanakaya visualizations taught previously. 

From within the hollow interior of the Sambhogakaya practice, generate yourself as khandro Thugje Kundrol. Then imagine the three channels from the hollow interior of the Nirmanakaya visualizations taught previously. The right channel is white, the left channel is red, and the central channel is blue.

At the upper end of the central channel are the mandala of the elements of Bodhichitta. You can visualize this as a circular upside down white HUM at the crown of the head. This HUM has four characteristics. 

Four Characteristics of Bodhichitta:

1. White like an autumn moon. 

2. Luminous like a sesame oil lamp.

3. Round like a bird egg.

4. Melting like mercury rolling down. 

At the lower end of the central channel, visualize the A-shad (“A” stroke) fire. It has the four qualities of the A-shad fire.

Four qualities of the A-shad fire:

1. Color is red.

2. Luminous like a sesame oil lamp.

3. Heat is like feeling molten iron (or the top of the butter lamp).

4. Shaped like a copper needle. Four finger widths tall.

Visualize both the Bodhichitta HUM and the red A-shad fire.  

Next sixteen finger-widths in front of both nostrils floating in space visualize the sixteen vowels on the right side stacked on top of each other. These are shown here.

On the left side visualize the thirty-four consonants stacked on top of each other. These are shown here.

These vowels and consonants represent the seed syllables of all the yidams and khandros. If visualizing the individual syllables is too challenging, you can visualize sixteen white spheres on the right side and thirty-four red spheres on the left side.

Next, inside the central channel in the center of the heart visualize a thumbnail sized sun cushion. Above that visualize the essence of the body, Bodhichitta as a white sphere the size of a mustard seed. Above that white sphere visualize a moon umbrella the size of a pea. 

3: How to receive the blessing

Inhale gently through both nostrils. From the space in front of you the sixteen vowels led by “A” and the consonants led by “KA” come into the nostril and into the right and left channels one syllable at a time. The vowels go in the right nostril and channel, the consonants go in the left nostril and channel. These vowels and consonants go down to the junction of the three channels and up the central channel. When they arise at the heart with the sun cushion, white sphere, and moon umbrella the vowels circle right three times around. This represents the nature of skillful means. The consonants circle left three times. This represents the nature of wisdom. 

Then the moon umbrella rises up and dissolves into the HUM at the crown of the head. 

Then the sun cushion goes down and dissolves into the A-shad fire. 

Then the white sphere in the heart, vowels, and consonants naturally disappear into their own nature. 

Then exhale. Until here the breath is held. 

We can practice this three, five, or up to seven times in a session. But not more than that. Then rest without a reference point. 

Why is this practice called a blessing? By way of the syllables which represent the yidams and khandros the practice blesses the channels. By way of the syllables which represent the yidams and khandros circling the Bodhichitta sphere at the heart the practice blesses the spheres. By inhaling the syllables which represent the yidams and khandros mixing with the breath the practice blesses the winds.

The positive qualities from this practice described in the Dranpa Sangrub says, “By the meditative stabilization on the subtle spheres hindrances to the channels, winds, and spheres will not occur. The nature of reality will always be known, and you will realize emptiness (connect to the natural state of mind).”