DHARMA GLIMPSES is an introduction to The Profound Treasury teachings of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, taught by Judy Lief. In these short, accessible talks, Judy invites listeners to explore the subtleties and delights of the Buddhist path of meditation and insight. She introduces listeners to some of the key ways that mark Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche's unique and brilliant exposition of the dharma in the context of contemporary Western society.
[This episode originally aired on Sept. 26, 2023] This period of history has been marked by incredible leaps in efficiency: things that used to take a great deal of time and effort can get done more quickly and easily than ever • but there are whole areas of reality that can't be accessed by efficiency, no matter how quick or clever or speedy we are • in fact, the harder we try and the speedier we get, the further away we are • there's a value, at least once in a while, of taking a break from trying to be efficient, from trying to get somewhere faster • I’m not talking about rejecting the idea of efficiency, replacing it with some other approach; it's more about recognizing the limits of that attitude and that approach, and our tendency to apply it where it doesn't really fit • I have an old dog who I take on “walks,” although they're very, very slow, and he's very, very stubborn • if I think of these walks as walks, as exercise, or as trying to get somewhere, accomplish something, I just get more and more frustrated and impatient • but when I just drop that whole concept and just relate to the dog sniff by sniff, it's actually quite enjoyable.
Episode 139: Filters Frames and Blind Spots
[This episode originally aired on Sept. 19, 2023] In Buddhist psychology, a lot of emphasis is placed on the process of perception because the way we perceive —and misperceive — has tremendous consequences • in grade school we are taught an oversimplified view of what it means to have a sense perception: there's an object out there, and there's the eyeball, and the brain, and boom, just like that, a perception • you might say, I saw an apple, but of course you never just see an apple — you see everything around the apple as well • all of that came into your little eyeball, and you just decided to say, I saw an apple • you made a choice; that’s an example of a filter • in addition to filtering, we engage in framing: we place things within a particular frame — a frame of assumptions, a frame of agendas, biases, and prejudices, simple associations, or memories • and finally there are blind spots, which is when we just don't see things at all, and we don't realize we don't see them • as we look into patterns of perception and misperception, we can see how many of our troubles start out just on a simple level of how we first see things • by recognizing and seeing through such patterns, there's a chance that our perceptions might begin to be a bit more free and open.
Episode 138: When You Lose Your Mind, Come Back
[This episode originally aired on June 28, 2022] The phrase, “When you lose your mind, come back” describes a lot of what happens in meditation: repeatedly losing our minds, and repeatedly bringing ourselves back • the moment we’ve noticed we’ve lost it is the moment we can return • what are we returning to? the simplicity of the present moment • another phrase Trungpa Rinpoche used quite a lot was, “Don’t think too much” • what are the benefits and what are the limits of thinking and conceptual understanding? • in the Buddhist tradition scholarship is highly valued • however, to be a realized person, to live a dharmic lifestyle, you don’t need to be a scholar; you don’t need to be all that clever • “coming back” in this context could mean coming back from the tangle of conceptual notes and fascinations to something immediate and basic and close to the heart • Trungpa Rinpoche used the term “intellect and intuition” when referring to these two streams • they are not in opposition or at war; there’s a sense of sophistication in the interplay between these two.
Episode 137: The Role of Discipline
[This episode originally aired on June 21, 2022] In the dharma a great deal of emphasis is placed on integrating meditation practice and study • interwoven throughout is the need for discipline, the need to apply our training to the real challenges of life • if you look at the role of discipline in terms of meditation practice and study, it’s very simple: you have to do it • it takes effort and commitment to stick with study, to stick with practice • even when we are not studying or practicing, discipline is the thread that ties it all together • it’s a long-term vision, not a short-term bandage or a magic pill • discipline in the Buddhist understanding is not a heavy-handed thing—there isn’t a set of commandments or rules; there is no particular punishment and no particular reward • all we have is our actions, our ability to notice the results of our actions, and our ability to learn from them and make decisions based on what we observe.
Episode 136: Balancing Act
[This episode originally aired on June 14, 2022] Since we are the only ones who know what’s really going on during any session of meditation, or in life generally, we have a responsibility to be our own meditation instructors, working with the patterns that capture our particular mind from time to time • many years ago I was introduced to pairs of qualities that can help us in identifying different kind of traps, or extremes, we can fall into, as ways to bring ourselves back into balance • the first pair talks about the two poles of anxiety and tranquility • in this example, we are working to find a middle ground where we are not falling into anxiety, and we are not becoming overly tranquil to the point of being disengaged or blasé • the second pair is agility and heaviness • the third pair is inflexibility and pliancy • the fourth pair is too firm and too soft • the fifth pair is self-doubt/uncertainty and a rigid sense of proficiency • the final pair is insincerity and genuineness/uprightness.
Episode 135: Peacefulness in the Midst
[This episode originally aired on June 7, 2022] I used to carry around a cartoon that depicted a beautifully robed monk with a Japanese shoji screen behind him, everything perfectly in its place—and behind the screen everything was complete chaos • it’s very tempting to create a façade of tranquility and peacefulness in our meditation practice and ignore what’s behind the screen: the roiling emotions and thoughts, the confusion and history and regrets • how do we unify our world so there’s not a front and a back, a side we present to ourselves and others, and a side where everything is hidden? • it’s tempting to think we can create some kind of pristine experience for ourselves, and just ditch the rest—the messiness, the embarrassment, the regrets—so we can hang out in a peaceful and serene place... but we still have this lingering, lurking collection behind the screen • but here’s the twist: to the extent that we begin to let go of clinging to our “front of the screen” experience of serenity or peace, to the extent that we loosen our attachment to a particular state of mind, we discover a deeper kind of peace and tranquility, one that comes from incorporating the whole thing • I call this “peacefulness in the midst.”
Episode 134: The Play of Emotions
[This episode originally aired on May 31, 2022] Emotions are a natural part of who we are • they can be powerful—even overpowering—or they can be subtle, almost an undercurrent • they can be very inspiring, or they can be very disruptive • if you trace negative emotions back to their source, you discover that they arise from an ongoing battle where everything is taken personally • if you trace that battle back to its source, you find a sense of duality • it’s almost like the emotions are the army of ego: the troops, the scouts, and the fortresses of defense and offense • because emotions are filled with energy, the ego can deploy them to further its aims • meditation practice is one way to explore this emotional landscape; when we are meditating we can observe the emotional world in a more dispassionate way • in Buddhist practice the guideline is to honor and respect the power and energy of emotions, while neither suppressing them nor feeding them.
Episode 133: Letting Go
[This episode originally aired on August 8, 2023] I recently had a problem with my computer—whatever I put in my "trash" would just stay there; I couldn’t empty it • I started thinking about how that could describe our personal “trash”—our freak-outs and obsessions, our worries and regrets, as well as what we read in the news • we can shove that stuff deep within us, and sometimes it’s not so easy to know how to let it go • one approach is not to take anything in: closing our hearts, closing ourselves to the pain and confusion within us and around us • but the notion of letting go is based on actually opening our hearts and taking something in fully, but then not dwelling or holding onto it, but releasing it • as we let go, we bring ourselves more completely into the situation • when you can let go and open to a situation, you can connect with something that is sacred and holy, something beyond our small world of self-fixation and self-absorption.
Episode 132: Eight Everyday Preoccupations
[This episode originally aired on August 1, 2023] The eight everyday preoccupations are eight ways we occupy our minds in order to avoid experiencing things directly • they act as a kind of a central filtering mechanism, separating out the things that feed our ego from the things that challenge it • because of this filtering mechanism, we get jerked around into a very reactive way of living and thinking • all of our thoughts and actions curve inwardly to a kind of self-centered preoccupation: what’s in it for me? how does it affect me? • the eight preoccupations are divided into four pairs: pleasure/pain; fame/insignificance; gain/loss; and praise/blame • for example, why do we feel so lifted up and inspired when we are praised, but we feel so insulted and deflated when we are blamed? • the ego is a bit of a paper tiger: it presents itself as very strong and fierce, but in reality it is very vulnerable and weak • without the constant reinforcement of pleasure, gain, fame, and recognition, the ego just deflates and collapses • when the experiences that come to us—good and bad, up and down—are not recruited as tools to cover our anxiety, we can deal with them straightforwardly, with no agenda.
Episode 131: Genuine Effort
[This episode originally aired on July 25, 2023] Effort plays a very important part on the Buddhist path; it’s one of the three main components of discipline, meditation, and knowledge • effort is where the rubber meets the road; it’s where things get tested and become real • Trungpa Rinpoche talked about effort in terms of combining discipline and delight • he used three analogies to describe three different approaches to effort • the first is a jack rabbit, racing along with a burst of enthusiasm and then collapsing in exhaustion • the second is a worm that’s eating its way through a tree, just plowing along with no vision, no sense of where it’s going • the third is an elephant walking through the jungle: steady and slow and dignified, with a sense of vision, mindful and aware of where it’s going • the walk of an elephant is an example of right effort • another aspect of effort is being genuine • someone who is genuine doesn’t say one thing and do another; their speech is true, and it manifests in how they act in the world.
Episode 130: Two Kinds of Bypassing
[This episode originally aired on July 18, 2023] Someone recently asked me, “Am I spiritually bypassing?” • I took that term to mean using one’s practice or spiritual path as an escape, or relief, from the responsibilities of regular life in this world • it is a relief in a way, to take a break from the relentless struggles of daily life • is it possible to practice meditation in a way that’s not bypassing all of that, while at the same time recognizing the need to have some relief from the relentlessness of life? • I think there is actually a parallel, or opposite, form of bypassing, something I would label “material bypassing”—avoiding our own spirituality our spiritual yearnings and insights by keeping busy and constantly occupying ourselves with an endless stream of worldly concerns • the challenge is to find some way of being skillfully and wholeheartedly engaged in both your life and your meditation practice—appreciating that we need to take a break from worldly concerns, but then we need to re-energize and engage fully in the world again.
Episode 129: Lighthearted Practice
[This episode originally aired on July 11, 2023] Today I’d like to explore the problem of becoming an adult • the world of children is filled with magic and fantasy and stories, with vivid perceptions and playfulness • but as we grow up we’re supposed to get over all that, and develop adult-like qualities • gradually, year-by-year, the magical world of childhood fades away • yet many of the great spiritual masters say what we really need to do is to become more like children, and less like adults • when we take a lighthearted approach, a childlike approach, our spiritual practice becomes less of another project that we take on with earnest determination, and more of an exploration of curiosity and interest and delight • I thought of a new word: “curiodyssey” (“curious odyssey”) — if we soften our earnestness, something more childlike, playful, and delightful can emerge in our meditation practice.
Episode 128: Simple Compassion
[This episode originally aired on July 4, 2023] The word “compassion” can seem so overwhelming in the face of all the suffering in the world that it can stop us in our tracks • while we’re imagining all the great gestures of compassion that we might do, we can miss the small, ordinary, daily acts of compassion that really do affect our world • some of the hardest compassion to feel is just being present with suffering that isn't fixable • this is what people in the hospice setting often do: they simply sit with someone who is passing from this life • that simple act of being present with someone can bring about a quality of deep acceptance • compassion can also be a momentary thing that completely shifts the energy—a smile or a glance, a simple recognition of a human being who, like you, is suffering • such little moments of connection are so subtle, but they ripple forward and can change our feeling for the whole day • at its core, that simple connection is really the seat of compassion; it may be even more important than the grand compassionate heal-the-world projects that we may imagine • it’s on the spot, it’s immediate, it’s not a big deal—but it can change everything for ourselves and for those we encounter.
Episode 127: Beginning and Ending with Kindness
[This episode originally aired on June 27, 2023] The attitude that’s encouraged whenever we embark on a spiritual journey is not to approach it simply as a means of self improvement, but to switch our normal way of operating so that we are thinking about others • traditionally this is talked about as beginning by raising bodhichitta and ending by dedicating the merit • when we sit down to practice meditation, or to begin any project, we start by connecting with tenderness of heart and the desire to use our actions in order to benefit others • arousing kindness and compassion is the beginning point, and it’s also the ending point • when we dedicate the merit, rather than regarding what we have just completed as our own private accomplishment, we take it as a further statement of commitment to all other beings • piece by piece, action by action, we are gathering a certain kind of power and energy that we can then turn outward • many of our actions, good or bad, start with little flickers of thought • we can work with the thinking process, deliberately shaping our thoughts in the direction of greater openness, kindness, and awareness.
Episode 126: Settling and Looking
[This episode originally aired on June 20, 2023] We are all familiar with meditation as a way to tame and quiet the mind • another important aspect of meditation is clear seeing, or insight: the power of meditation to reveal the intricacies of the workings of our minds • a traditional image for untamed mind is that of a pond stirred up by the wind • all the silt in the pond is mixed with the water, making it murky • as the wind dies down—when we sit still and practice mindfulness—the water begins to clarify, and we can see more layers of what’s really going on within us • some things are quite beautiful, yet other things are painful to look at • it’s important to realize this power of meditation, because there’s a reason that we hide certain parts of ourselves • it’s not that easy to come to terms with the different corners of our being • it’s so important to be gentle and steady, and not immediately try to overcome all our hesitations about our own experience • step-by-step, through the practice of meditation, we are exposing who we are to ourselves • by removing firewalls and moats and protective mechanisms that deplete our life force and our energy, we can relax our guard and live more wholesomely and more full-heartedly.
Episode 125: Loneliness
[This episode originally aired on June 13, 2023] The feeling of loneliness, which is familiar to many of us, can be a very vulnerable and slightly threatening feeling • Trungpa Rinpoche emphasized the value of relating to loneliness as well as the value of being in community • he said that without relating with your loneliness, you can’t really be in community in a way that’s healthy; it can just be people leaning on one another, and can therefore be knocked over very easily • but by developing a strong sense of oneself and accommodating fundamental loneliness, we can actually be in community in a much stronger and more loving way • there are certain things in this life we have to do all by ourselves • we are born alone, and we die alone • a deep-rooted loneliness comes baked into life itself • one way of accommodating the reality of loneliness is to take loneliness as an ongoing default position, rather than as a mistake or a failure; to view loneliness as a thread that runs through our life from the very beginning to the very end • but in order to accommodate the reality of loneliness, we have to actually get through the sometimes extreme pain of loneliness • showing up for our own loneliness can give us the courage we need to show up for others who are struggling with loneliness and abandonment.
Episode 124: Hub, Spokes, Rim
[This episode originally aired on June 6, 2023] There are many ways to look at the connection between spirituality and our everyday lives • in the Buddhist tradition, the basic components are very simple and straightforward: they are wisdom, compassion, and effective action • an image that illustrates how theses three components work together is that of a wheel — a wheel with a hub, spokes, and a rim • the hub at the center connects the wheel to the energy source; it distributes that energy through the spokes to the rim • in terms of the Buddhist path, that hub involves working with the mind • the cultivation of mindfulness and awareness is central; everything that happens revolves around that central hub • the spokes of the wheel point to the skills and qualities we need in order to cultivate compassion action • the rim is the point of contact with the grittiness of the road • this wheel is not up in the sky somewhere; it is connected with the ground of ordinary living, with the challenges and struggles of everyday life.
Episode 123: Nobility
[This episode originally aired on May 30, 2023] When the Buddha spoke of being “a son or daughter of noble family,” what was he referring to? • in India, where the Buddha taught, there was a caste system with very clear distinctions between the noble castes, the less noble castes, and the untouchables • the closest thing in many Western societies is being born into wealth or being born into poverty • with extreme wealth comes access to extreme power; you basically enter a different dimension, one accessible to only the privileged few • but the Buddha completely redefined the meaning of “noble” • you are acknowledged as a son or daughter of noble family the moment you commit yourself to the bodhisattva path: the moment you dedicate your life to the service of others, to alleviating the suffering of sentient beings • the Buddha replaced the idea of nobility as status with nobility of character • and from that perspective, a noble one could be of any cast, any class, any culture, any gender • as a member of the noble family, you embark on a path of cultivating body, speech and mind, not just for yourself, but for the benefit of all beings.
Episode 122: Optical Illusions
[This episode originally aired on May 23, 2023] Today’s topic is perception, how we see our world • each of us sees things a little bit differently, and optical illusions highlight this fact • in one well known optical illusion, some people see a chalice, while other people see two women facing each other • which is it? • you might see a chalice when everyone around you sees two women • the problem begins when we take our version as solid and real, when we clamp down on our particular way of viewing the world and close our mind to any other possible options • it's humbling to recognize that everything we see is from our particular point of view, but there's also something very liberating in recognizing the power of our perceptions: there's a freedom in knowing that how we perceive things is not fixed • when we begin to see through this pattern of assumptions being taken as reality, we see openings, we see possibilities • there's room to connect with others because we don't start with the assumption that they're in the same world as we are • we recognize that we're in different perceptual realities, and we can use that understanding to connect at a deeper level.
Episode 121: The Wizard of Oz Sutra
[This episode originally aired on May 16, 2023] I find it inspiring to discover wisdom in the midst of so many ordinary stories, even simple children's stories • the Wizard of Oz is one such story • the main character is Dorothy, whose life changes completely when she is swept up in a tornado and lands in a magical place called Oz • there she embarks on a journey of discovery, accompanied by her little dog Toto and three companions: a scarecrow, who is looking for a brain; a tin man, who is looking for a heart, and a lion, who is looking for courage • together, they follow a path called the yellow brick road, said to lead to the wizard himself — someone who can can give them what they feel they lack • but when the trio finally gets to the abode of the Wizard, they discover he is not the savior they were looking for at all; it was all just a show, a circus act • however, what the Wizard offered was actually better: he pointed out that each of them already possessed what they were looking for • I refer to this kind of twist as Buddhist humor: you need to follow that yellow brick road, go through all of its adventures and challenges, to realize you didn't need to do it • that's a perfect example of Buddhist humor — and a perfect example of how a teacher points out to the student their own nature.
