Satisfied Buddhist - Domo Geshe Rinpoche

It seems as though we are inundated with influences all throughout life directing, guiding, or even forcing us to be who others wish us to be. We actually are less self-driven than we might think! In subtle and manifest ways, we emulate role models, such as a teacher, or a parent in childhood. As we begin to read, we are influenced by many other role models such as Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Napoleon, Alexander the Great, or Gandhi. Others might emulate rock stars, celebrity chefs, fashionistas, or even high profile criminals. Our interest here is not to decide what are healthy or unhealthy role models, or how we “should” behave, but instead explore the dynamics of influence. In that way, we can become clearer regarding which influences we might wish to continue that relationship with and free up our mind to explore new role model influences. However, as we explore, we must be mindful, as there will be lingering disarray from unhappy modeled influences. How we decide tow...

I believe the spirit of enlightenment, the yearning to awaken this great aspiration, is like calling the muse. Great artists and great creative people might cultivate a mind capable of drawing the creative spirit close to them. I understand it used to be personified as the Athenial spirit of creativity. I didn’t know about muses before, but it certainly sounds like the dakinis doesn’t it? What we Tibetans would call the dakini might be called the muse in other cultures. An artist or poet might sit with their pen raised in the air while praying or entice the muse to arrive in order for them to be able to put their pen to paper and cause their work to become extraordinary. The powerful creative energy of the muse is the same as the creative energy of the higher tantric practices. The references in sadhanas to “May the Dakas and Dakinis...” is not ordinary because they are sacred energies connected to transcendent evolutionary development. However, we can make some connection betwee...