Replay on Zoom:
Follow the live transcript → Virtual Hangout #44
Some of the asked questions:
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Hello Andrew- 2 Questions 1. Tergar instructor Cortland Dahl briefly mentions body practices used in “The completion stage” of Vajrayana practice in an introductory lecture. With these, the practitioner can attune to and “cut through” the energy currents that correspond to dysfunctional mental, emotional and behavioral patterns- clearing the debris that obscure recognition of one’s true nature. He seems to say these practices are as effective as the “nature of mind approaches”, such as Dzogchen and Mahamudra. Have you ever used any of these body approaches? Could you share your knowledge and opinion of them? 2. You alluded to turbocharged tantric practices in Book Club that can catapult the practitioner into the “dimensionless dimension” of one’s true nature. Could you say more about this? Thank you so much! I just joined the program and am fairly new to all this stuff - the breadth and quality of information, interaction, and engagement are mind-blowing.
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I recently listened to an interview that Sam Harris had with Iain McGilchrist, who you’ve mentioned before and who wrote, “The Master and the Emissary.” I was intrigued by the roles that the different hemispheres have in our understanding of the world. It occurred to me that left hemisphere dominance, (or lack of right hemisphere participation), may be responsible for the conspiracy thinking that is so prevalent in much of the Republican party these days. Also, that CPTSD and other forms of trauma may shut down the right hemisphere and cause distorted and delusional thinking by the dominant left hemisphere. Knowing this has allowed me to feel a bit of compassion towards conspiracy thinkers. Can you comment on this? Thanks!
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From a Buddhist pov, does believing something “make” it so? So is the verb “to believe” have a more ACTIVE or PASSIVE nature? Is there a verb form that is neither active nor passive but something else?
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Andrew mentioned at the beginning that merit creates the Purelands. What does he mean by that, whose merit? Thanks
