Hrvatsko Budističko Društvo "Padmasana"

POVLAČENJE U 2014./Retreat in 2014.-english translation check at the bottom please

19 članova H.B.D. ‘Padmasana‘, oslobodivši se svojih svakodnevnih aktivnosti pristupilo je sedmodnevnom meditacijskom povlačenju u Jelovom Klancu, nedaleko Plitvica. Povlačenje se odnosilo na trening uma u preliminarnim praksama iz tradicije stupnjevitog puta. Ovaj trening predstavlja sam temelj za sve glavne prakse u mahayanskoj sutri i tantri. Ako je temelj kuće slab ona će pasti lako i na isti način, bez osnove u preliminarijama ne može biti nikakve stabilnosti i koristi od praksi tantre. Upravo zbog toga su veliki jogini poput Lame Tsong Khape proveli toliko vremena zaposleni preliminarnim praksama. Okoliš povlačenja je bio vedar, miran, prijateljski, jednostavan, ali udoban i daleko od svih vrsta uznemirujućih zvukova ljudi, prometa itd. U sedam dana viđali smo jedino konje na proplanku ispred ranča i družinu mačaka, mačića i dva psa. Većem broju nas bila je to dobro poznata okolina, budući da ovdje održavamo naše godišnje povlačenje po četvrti put zaredom.

Kao i u svim prethodnim godinama, povlačenje su vodili duhovni mentori našeg društva, Gen. Lobsang Norbu (Dragutin) i Lhamo Özer Chenma (Reena). Povlačenje je otvoreno tantričkim ritualom i prizivom blagoslova velike mandale Dorsem Njing’tig terme u trajanju od šest sati, nakon čega je započeo trening u meditaciji na Vajrasattvu i ostalim praksama s lakoćom. Za neke članove pročišćavanje Vajrasattvom izmamilo je suze kao da se ispirala težina koja se držala skriveno u sebi. Tijekom sljedećih šest dana u skladu s preliminarnim praksama i inicijacijom koju je dao Lama Alak Tsawa Rinpoche članovima grupe u 2013., meditacijska zasjedanja su se odnosila na kriya tantričku praksu Vajrasattve i Ganden lha Gyama-e. U obje ove prakse, pročišćavanje tijela, govora i uma bilo je izvođeno iznova i iznova. Baš kao što se pere odjeća koja ima potencijal da bude čista, na isti način pročišćavamo naše tijelo, govor i um jer ovo tijelo, govor i um sadrže potencijal za postignuće prosvijetljenog tijela, govora i uma koji su skriveni privremenim nečistoćama.
Osim praksi Vajrasattve i Ganden lha Gyama-e, u rano jutro naš dan je počinjao s treningom u shamathi  kako bi se smirio um i postao pažljiv i poman na objekte naše meditacije.

Poslijepodnevne sate članovi su provodili vježbajući vipassana meditaciju na dah, motreći svoje pokrete punih sat vremena u hodu. Većina Članova je protok vremena jednog sata koncentracije na hod i disanje dozivjela kao skraćen. Trening u odljepljivanju od ideja, misli, osjećaja i tjelesnih senzacija traži vještinu promatranja i snagu prepoznavanja mentalnog toka koji se ostavlja takav kakav jest tamo gdje je nastao, barem na kratko, donoseći neopisiv mir boravljenja u sadašnjem momentu u kojemu se gubi osjećaj vremenskog protoka. Nazvali smo to ‘puštanjem vlastitih kokica na pašu’.

Unatoč dugim satima sjedenja u meditaciji, od 06:00-19:00 (s odgovarajućim pauzama), entuzijazam cijele grupe povećavao se svakim narednim danom. Osjećaji sklada i sreće su prevladali među svima. Uostalom, odnosi između ljudi povezanih zajedno kroz duhovne prakse su mnogo jači od onih koji vežu ljude zajedno kroz svjetovne aktivnosti. Barem bi tako trebalo biti, jer kroz mahayansku duhovnu praksu cilj je postići ne samo najveće dobro za samog sebe, već i za sva druga osjetilna bića, također. Takva divna motivacija ne ostavlja slobodan prostor za neugodnosti, borbe i sl.Dan kada smo ušli u okruženje za naše povlačenje, vlasnica imanja nas je pozdravila rekavši da smo donijeli sa sobom sunce. Naime, još od zimskog vremena ovdje su se smjenjivali samo kišni dani. Kao da su se potvrdile njezine riječi, vrijeme se idućih sedam dana pokazalo kao vrlo stabilno uz obilje sunca, dok je ostatak zemlje imao lokalne pljuskove. No sedmog dana, nakon što smo se spakirali za odlazak i napravili zadnje skupne fotografije u predivnom zelenom pejsažu, kiša je počela sipati. S obzirom na sedmodnevni predah od kiše, konji na ranču u svakom su momentu uživali, presretni u slobodnom trčanju zelenim pašnjakom, časteći se satima sočnom travom kao da su predosjećali da će kiša doći uskoro. Mačke i mačići sjedili su konstantno ispred naših vrata, kao da su i oni u meditaciji. Dva dobra psa s ranča bili su naši stalni gosti pridružujući se našim večerama. Jednostavna jela od riže, leće i salate od povrća svake večere koju su spremali zajedno članovi grupe, činilo se, nisu nikome smetala. Ipak, žudnja za raznolikošću u hrani, savladala je i natjerala jednog od naša dva psa da uzme jednu od obrednih tormi koju smo prinijeli svjetovnim zaštitnicima. Vidjeli smo ga kako veselo bježi s njom u ustima, ali spuštenog pogleda, u vrijeme našeg odlaska.

Drugoga dana, kada smo po prvi puta u povlačenju mentalno prizvali Lamu Tsong Khapu vizualizirajući ga na oblaku kako sjeda na svoj tron, iznenada je sijevnulo i začula se prodorna tutnjava groma koji je upravo udario u gromobran na krovu ispod kojeg se nalazio naš meditacijski prostor, i to baš taj bungalov od niza drugih bungalova u blizini. U to vrijeme obredno je kreiran vajra šator sa zaštitnim vajra prstenom oko meditacijskog prostora, pa smo u tome prepoznali vidljivi znak blagoslova vajra uma iz samog Gandena i shvatili njegovu nepogrešivost. Bilo je to označeno samo jednim udarom groma nakon čega je utihnulo i potpuno se razvedrilo.

S našim unutarnjim napunjenim baterijama napustili smo mjesto povlačenja, spremni koristiti ovu pozitivnu energiju u našem svakodnevnom životu. Život i Dharma nisu odvojeni. Zapravo život je Dharma. Moramo samo znati kako primijeniti naše duhovne prakse u svakodnevnoj situaciji. Na primjer, iznijeti patnju na duhovni put, znači suočiti se s njom i koristiti ju za učenje o sebi, a takvu priliku naš život nam daje cijelo vrijeme.

Na povratku u Zagreb, svi smo stali u mjestu Rastoke kako bismo posvećenim obrednim tormama iz našeg povlačenja hranili ribe u rijeci Korani s motivacijom da ovaj čin doprinese njihovom boljem budućem preporađanju. Nakon toga proveli smo još neko vrijeme zajedno uz čaj i sokove, dijeleći međusobno sreću i mir koju smo izdisali prema svima u našoj blizini. Još jednom je vrijeme bilo na našoj strani, nebo se na trenutak zaplavilo ispunjeno bjelinom oblaka koji su nekud plovili tražeći utočište u praznini beskraja. Mirisalo je na ljeto. Na svježoj travi i lišću velikog drveća ljeskale su vodene kapi. Velika pozornica životne ljepote mirno je disala u skladu sa svojom prirodom.

Ponovo smo se našli pod velikim udarom kiše tek onda kada smo putovali prema Zagrebu, uranjajući u svakodnevne misli koje su kucale na naša vrata tražeći svoje izgubljeno mjesto na kojem osjećaju sigurnost, barem za sada, do narednog povlačenja.

Dojmovi sudionika s meditacijskog povlačenja:

Jako sam se veselila retreatu i na kraju sam otišla doma s puno više pozitivnog iskustva nego što sam očekivala, jedino što mi je nekako prekratko trajalo Hvala na velikom trudu Reeni i Dragi da nam omoguće ovo nezaboravno unutarnje putovanje! /Željka Kolarić/

Dok se gradila mandala stvarnost se raspala u milion sićušnih komada, a onda su Reena i Drago beskrajnim strpljenjem i suosjećanjem lijepili komadić po komadić onako kako to treba biti… Hvala Reeni i Dragi na dragocjenom predavanju svojih znanja i iskustava, hvala svim članovima sanghe na divnom druženju! Voli vas Maja. /Maja Pušić/

Već iz iskustva snažno sam predosjećao, čak i izražavao drugima, osjećaj koliko mnogo će ovo povlačenje nadalje unaprijediti sve nas polaznike u pravcu razumijevanja istinskih ljudskih vrijednosti kao i prirode uma. Ipak, na kraju povlačenja shvatio sam da nisam niti približno slutio koliko. /Petar Sugović/

Bila sam Buddha jedan tjedan. U tišini svog uma. Daleko od svijeta što stvarnost ga neki zovu. Udah, izdah. I praznost. Sunce me pržilo, ptice su pjevale, oblaci su pričali neku svoju neshvatljivu priču. /Ivana Lončarević/

“Osvijestio sam prijašnja učenja i približio se na putu samospoznaje; okus i ugoda svega učinjenog u retreatu me ispunjava i dalje.” /Goran Šimić – Šime/

“Kada sam krenula na put željela sam imati iskustvo meditacije mirnoobitavajućeg uma. To je lakše postići kada je čovjek odvojen od svojih uobičajenih uloga i obveza. Kada sam se vratila iz ‘povlačenja’ imala sam osjećaj da sam se energetski obnovila i da je posuda mojeg bića ispunjena svjetlom.” /Asija Delalić/

Generalno što se tiče retreata, osjećam pozitivno djelovanje u svakodnevnom životu tih sedam dana. Bilo je lijepo i korisno. /Srđan iz Zadra/

Naravno slojevita dubina nauka, me kao i nakon lanjskog retreta, zadivila, možda bolje reći zapanjila i motivirala za daljnje učenje. No motivaciju za ustrajnost u svakodnevnoj praksi bih istaknuo kao najvažnije iskustvo ovogodišnjeg meditacijskog povlačenja. Gen. lobsang Norbu i Lhamo Ozer Chenma, zahvaljujem vam za učenja, vaše prisustvo i vodstvo. /Vedren Bolfek/

Retreat in 2014.

Nineteen members of our Padmasana Buddhist Society , freeing themselves from their mundane activities entered into a  seven days retreat in Jelov Klanac.

The retreat was on the preliminary practices which are the very foundation for all other Buddhist practices. If the foundation of the house is weak it shall fall easily, in the same way without the foundation of the preliminaries, there cannot be any stability and benefit of the practices of Tantra. It was because of this, that great yogis like Lama Tsong khapa spent many years engaging in the preliminary practices.

The environment of the retreat was serine, friendly, simple yet comfortable and away from all kinds of disturbing noises of humans, traffic etc. In the seven days we encountered only the horses in the ranch, a few cats, kittens and dogs. For many of us this was a familiar surrounding as we held our annual retreat here for the fourth consecutive time. As in all other previous years the retreat was led by the spiritual mentors of our Society ‘ Gen Lobsang Norbu ( Drago) and Lhamo Ozer Chenma (Reena)

Opening the retreat with the tantric rituals to receive the blessings from the great Dorsem mandala that continued for six hours, we entered the retreat with ease. For some members the purification gave way to tears as though washing away the heaviness which was kept hidden within themselves.  During the following six days in conjunction with the preliminary practices and initiations given by Alak Tsawa Rinpoche to the group members in 2013, meditation sessions were undertaken on the practices of Vajrasattva ( Kriya Tantra) and Ganden lha Gyama. In both these practices purification of the body, speech and mind was performed over and over again. Just as one washes cloths because the clothes  have the potential to be clean, in the same way one engages in the purification of the body, speech and mind as each have the potential of the enlightened body, speech and mind that are obscured temporarily by impurities.

In addition to the above practices, in the early mornings the day began with the Shamatha practice, to calm the mind making it more pliable. In the afternoons the group engaged in an hour of walking Vipassana meditation combined with the breath, being aware of every movement. For most of the members this hour seemed to pass too quickly. Training to remove the stickiness or grasping to ideas, thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations, requires skillfulness   of observation and the power to recognize the flow of mental thoughts, to leave the thoughts as they are, to let them originate and cease naturally. The success of such a practice even briefly brings indefinable peace resting in the present moment losing a sense of time.  We named this ‘releasing own chicken (thoughts) on the pasture.’

Despite the long hours of sitting in meditation from 6:00 am to 7.00 pm (with adequate breaks) the enthusiasm of the group increased with each day. A sense of harmony and happiness prevailed. After all, the bound among people tied together through spiritual practices is much stronger than people bound together through mundane activities. At least this is how it should be because through spiritual practices you not only aim for the highest goodness for yourself but for all other sentient beings as well. Such a wonderful motivation leaves no room for unpleasantness, fights etc.

The day when we entered our retreat surrounding, the lady owner greeted us saying we had brought the sun with us. She said from the winter time they had been having continuous rains. As though to prove her right the weather for the next seven days was stable with plenty of sunshine, while the rest of the country was having rain showers. However on the seventh day after we packed to depart and took some group photographs the rain started to pour.

Given some respite from the rain for seven days, during the retreat the horses of the ranch were overjoyed freely running around eating the tender grass for long hours as though sensing that the rains would come soon. The cats and kittens sat constantly outside our door as though in meditation themselves. The dogs were our constant guests joining us for dinner. Rice and pulses every night cooked together by group members did not seem to bother them. Yet craving for some variety in food, one of the dogs managed to take a torma that we had offered to the worldly protectors and was seen at the time of our departure running away with it merrily yet with his head hanging downwards in guilt.

On the second day , when we evoked Lama  Tsong Khapa visualized over clouds for the first time in the retreat , despite other bungalows in the vicinity  , a thunder lightening struck precisely over the rooftop of our meditation hut. During that time we had already transformed mentally our meditation hut into a Vajra tent with a protective Vajra fense around the meditation area. It was as though we received a sign of blessing of the infallible Vajra mind from Ganden.  After just a strike of thunder, complete silence prevailed and the sky cleared up.

With our inner batteries recharged we left the retreat to use this positive energy in our everyday lives. Life and Dharma are not apart. In fact life is Dharma. We just need to know how to make use of our spiritual practices. For example to bring suffering onto the path we need to face suffering, this opportunity our life gives us all the time.

On the way back to Zagreb we all stopped in a place called Rastoke to offer the tormas of the retreat to the fish in the river Korana with the motivation that may this act bring about a better rebirth for them. After that we spent a little time together drinking some beverage, sharing among us an air of happiness and peace which spread and touched the people surrounding us. Once again as though the weather was on our side, the sky cleared up, filled with white clouds which floated about, as though searching for refuge in the endless space. The smell of summer was in the air. On the fresh grass and on the leaves of the big tress raindrops sparkled.  The stage of the beauty of life breathed peacefully in harmony with its own nature.

Once again we found ourselves struck by heavy rain just as we began to travel towards Zagreb,   plunging into everyday thoughts that knocked on our door searching for the safety of their lost place, until the next retreat.

Impressions of the participants of the meditation retreat:

I was really looking forward to the retreat and after the retreat I went back  home with  much more positive experience than I expected,( except that  somehow it lasted for a short time ). Thanks to the great effort  of Reena and Drago for giving  us  the possibility of this unforgettable inner journey! –

-Željka Kolarić

Generally with regard to this retreat, I felt a positive effect  in everyday life during these seven days. It was nice and helpful.

–Srđan from Zadar

Here’s how it was for me at the retreat:                                                                                                                            During the time the mandala was being built, reality broke into a million tiny pieces, and then Reena and Drago’s   endless patience and compassion stuck piece by piece just as it should be … Thanks to  Reena and Drago for their precious  lectures, their knowledge and experiences, thanks to all members of the Sangha  for the wonderful company! Love you all

- Maja Pušić

“When I started on the path, I wanted to have the experience of meditation of the calm abiding mind. This  is easier to achieve when a person  is separated from  daily roles and responsibilities. When I came back from the retreat, I had a feeling that I renewed my energy and that  the vessel of my being  was filled with light. “Gen. Lobsang Norbu  and Lhamo Ozer Chenma thank you for the teachings, your presence and guidance.

-Asija Delalić

Already from experience, I strongly felt, even expressed to others, a sense of how much this retreat for all of us students is going to  further improve towards understanding the true human values ​​and the nature of mind. However, at the end of the retreat, I realized that I was  not even  close to imagining  how much.

- Peter Sugović

For a week I was the Buddha . In the silence of my mind. Far from the world that some call reality.  Inhalation, exhalation and  emptiness like space. I was burned by the sun, the birds were singing, the clouds were talking about  some  incomprehensible story of theirs.

-Ivana Lončarević

“I  remembered  previous teachings and came closer to the path of knowing  myself;  the taste and comfort  of all  that was done  in the  retreat continues to fill me . ”

-Goran Šimić-Šime

Of course  the layers of the depth of the teachings, as also after last year’s retreat, amazed,  rather  to say surprised and motivated  me for further learning. But the motivation to persevere in the daily practice,  can be pointed out as the most important experience of this years meditation retreat. Gen. Lobsang Norbu  and Lhamo  Ozer Chenma, thank you for the teachings, your presence and guidance.

-Vedran Bolfek