Reflecting on our personal dharma focus, with Rigpa’s renewed Path of Study and Practice
Curriculum Team
What better time than the new year to reflect on our path! The recent December / January Sangha Day was an opportunity for everyone - older and newer students to pause, take stock and reflect on what they want to focus on in their study and practice at this time. A key part of the day was an update on Rigpa’s renewed and updated path of study and practice (Curriculum) as a basis for the personal reflection.
So, in case you missed the opportunity to join a Sangha Day in your country, here are some of the key components.
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We are each following a path of Dharma study and practice in Rigpa in different ways:
—Some of us may be longtime students in Rigpa and have previously made a commitment to follow the Buddhist path. For us, this can be a chance to take stock of where we are at in our journey and look at what might help us to go further.
—Some of us may be newer to Rigpa or we may not be especially focused on following a path to enlightenment. We may simply be exploring how the Buddha’s teachings can help us in our lives or we are drawn to being part of a spiritual community. For us, this is a chance to get a glimpse of what is available in Rigpa, should we wish to explore further.
Update on Rigpa’s Path of Study and Practice
Over the last two years, a lot of collective work has gone into making Rigpa’s path of study and practice clearer.
In the following video Ian, Lily, Sebastien, Valerie and Seth, on behalf of a wider collaborative Curriculum Team, share an incredibly clear overview of Rigpa's path of study and practice, as well as how it relates to our practice, and the various courses, retreats and events we can follow.
‘Our Dharma Path must be fluid’
Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche said in a teaching to Rigpa students in Lerab Ling in 2018, that our personal Dharma path must be very fluid, based on our own mind. It can’t be planned by a one-size-fits-all blueprint.
“Dharma has to be kept very fluid. … Dharma practice is about your mind and you have to look into yourself and see where your weaknesses are. If, in your own mind you find refuge is weak, you should always work with refuge. If you think refuge is OK but bodhichitta is something that you need to work with, then work with bodhichitta a little bit more. But then if you're becoming overly emotional about your refuge and bodhichitta, maybe a little bit on emptiness and the realization of the true nature is very important. But in your understanding of emptiness you can't understand what the true reality of phenomena are, then a little bit of Vajrayana creation and completion practices may be good. In that way and in many different ways, looking at what would be that practice, that truly enlightens and illuminates your mind and frees it from confusion, that's your prerogative. No teachers dictate that; no sanghas need to dictate that, you must find your own way.”
Reflecting on our path and making a plan
It can be helpful to take a moment to reflect:
Why did I start on this journey, this path? Was it to change something in my life, to achieve enlightenment, to feel better?
Do I have a clear spiritual goal right now? Do I have a clear spiritual goal for the years to come? ... for the coming months?
Where am I on the path? What have I achieved/learned/transformed/discovered?
Are there any aspects of the path I feel I have skipped over too quickly? Are there subjects I should work on more than others?
What kind of support for my path do I appreciate from the sangha? ...from my friends on the path or from instructors and teachers?
How can I best support others on their path?
After reflecting, we might want to make a plan for the coming weeks, months or even years.
What is the main thing that I need to work with? What is it that I want to focus on?
How am I going to do that? Do I already have a sense of what my plan for enlightenment could look like, or at least how I could start to make one? Identify real practical steps that you can take for the next week, next month, next year.
Would I like to make a new year’s resolution relating to this?
Those who joined the Sangha Day in their centres (or online) said:
“The outline of the path brought clarity and the teaching from Khandro Rinpoche put it into the right perspective.”
“It was beautiful, complete and wonderful. A lot of work has been done on the curriculum. I can now find my way and work with it.”
“Compliments to the team that prepared this for this day. It’s nice that Rigpa has this clear curriculum now – it gives a lot of clarity .
Join the next Sangha Day
The next Sangha Day (held in February or March depending on your centre), will offer more opportunities to get together with your sangha (online or in person depending on the circumstances wherever you are) to look more deeply at “Aspiration and Intention, what do you truly want to accomplish?” as well as just hang out with sangha friends. Check with your local centre for details.
May 2022 be a year of mindfulness, compassion and healing for the whole world and may we all progress on our spiritual path, for the benefit of all beings!
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