This week’s meditation session is led by Elaine Retholtz and the theme is Change. The guided meditation begins at 10:00.

This painting depicts the deities described in a 14th century text “The Peaceful and Wrathful Deities, The Profound Teachings of Self-Liberated Wisdom Mind” and the famous “Liberation upon Hearing in the Intermediate State”—the treasure teachings (terma) discovered by the treasure revealer Karma Lingpa.

At the moment of death, according to Buddhist systems, we have an opportunity to attain an enlightened state of mind. However, our own karma brings up various visions, including terrifying ones. If we do not recognize them as mere projections of our own mind, we cannot reach the enlightened state or a good rebirth.

The teachings illustrated here allow practitioners to prepare and train their minds for periods of change. Often ritual specialists read these instructions to the deceased as the means of guiding them through the difficult process of transitioning to future existence.                                     

Our perception of change is a reflection of our state of consciousness. When we are mired in attachment, we view change with fear. This causes a difficult transition from one state of being to the next. When we recognize that our fears are projections of our mind, we are able to transcend to a new state with joy and ease.