A Journey Into the Fire of Transformation

Currently, I am in the process of editing the third book in the Living Bardo series. The first book in this series is entitled, Dancing in the Fire of Transformation. This series of books guides the practitioner through various methods and experiments, to utilize this very lifetime as the Vehicle of Enlightenment.

Dancing in the Fire of Transformation is the presentation of the early stages of a practice known as deity yoga. It outlines stages of a journey that Bill and I have taken together. Bill had known me for some 10 years prior to our beginning this journey. During the year or so before our journey, Bill and I had worked together creating the book entitled, The Everyday Sanyasin.

Over the years that Bill had known me, he had heard me mention the practices that I had immersed myself in with a wrathful deity -- Mahakala. Many in the West find they have a fascination with the idea of a wrathful deity. Upon completing The Everyday Sanyasin, Bill urged me to provide teachings on yogic practices using a wrathful deity.

A number of years ago, Swami Ramananda advised me to be very careful with wrathful deities. He recalled several disciples of Ramakrishna; in their desire to follow in the footsteps of the master, they began the practice of deity yoga using Mother Kali. Ramananda spoke of how the lives of these disciples became confused and filled with drama.

For those of you who have read the Everyday Sanyasin, you have experienced the way in which each of us in America today utilizes ancient yogic practices in our everyday life. As I pondered Bill's request, an insight dawned in me. In an instant, all the various ways in which the methods of deity yoga are used in our daily life became apparent.

I realized that we make a separation between our actions in our church or temple, and our actions in our everyday life. Interestingly enough, for most of us, that which inspires our great passion is not located in the church or temple. The focus of our church or temple is typically quietude and serenity. Emotional outbursts are not considered proper.

Effective deity yoga practice requires emotional connection, sometimes even emotional outbursts. For practitioners in this time, the beginning steps in deity yoga require an emotional connection with your chosen deity. You must choose the deity who manifests the qualities that touch the heart of your being.

As Bill and I began our journey together, we left the Scriptures and proprieties of the temple behind. I would set the stage and Bill would create the play -- this creation arose with Bill’s increasing intimacy with his personal deity.

Initially, Bill chose the image of Shiva -- the mere sketch of an image -- for the image that you might find in your book or scripture began with a simple pencil sketch. From the beginnings of this sketch, Bill created color and expression; in one session, he even experienced dancing movement.

Dancing in the Fire of Transformation is an elegant journey. It is an offering to each one of you; in this very life, it can inspire a greater and greater connection with divine qualities of manifestation.

Many blessings surround all of you.

> learn more about Dancing in the Fire of Transformation

The Teachings of the Living Bardo

On Thanksgiving, we all count our blessings; we remember all we have gained and all that has been given us in this life. Now comes the season of Christmas – quite a unique time indeed. It is a time when we are asked the classic question, “What do you want?”

This is a great question for this time of year; in older times, December meant that snow was on the ground and the seeds of new life were sleeping, gathering strength to arise with their Spring Awakening. In some areas of the world, the celebrations of Christ’s birth take place in the Spring.

I have asked myself what do I want, or better said, what seeds of action do I wish to plant in the fertile soil of my life – seeds that I want to bring forth in the coming year. Of course, I began with the obvious -- World Peace, Feeding the Hungry –- yet I soon realized that these are more vague motivations rather than what I really want to manifest.

I soon arrived at an affirmation of what I am already creating – the Teachings of the Living Bardo. My affirmation opened to refining, communicating more completely the purpose of these Teachings.

Some teachings have as their focus the issue of what will happen when you die. In fact, there are many schools of practitioners who are in constant preparation for that dying moment and the after-life.

The Teachings of the Living Bardo are about discovering our Divine Human Potential – Our Divine Heritage. If you are reading this, you are Alive – this is the primary focus of the Teachings. We are all Alive! We have a marvelous opportunity to discover the brilliance, the diversity, and the effulgence of Human Manifestation.

In the Living Bardo Teachings, there are very few rules – each of us is free to find our inner light in our own unique manner. The Law of Karma is both a magnificent aid, as well as a reminder – “You reap what you sow!”

Using Karma as an aid, I realize that I can cultivate greater Creativity, greater Joy, and more dynamic Love, in my life. This is what the Teachings are all about. I use my creative manifestation to uncover my unique gems of Human Incarnation. I enhance these gems; first by becoming Aware of them, then by cultivating a Willingness to utilize them in my life, and then to Playfully create in my life with my unique Human Expression.

This is the core of the Teachings of the Living Bardo.

Blessings to you all.