Knowledge

Dark retreat

Source 📝

1330: 42: 1021:
While the Great Perfection contains a diversity of visionary yogas, their basic format bears many similarities to Kalacakra’s six yogas: an organizing theme of dark and light, the use of dark-retreat and sky-gazing, a sequence of visions that progresses from unstructured spots of light to encounters
1026:
Hatchell notes that there are major differences between the Kalachakra and Dzogchen system, including different "preliminary practices that prepare the yogi for vision" and "the details and sequences of the main practices" are also different. Also, Dzogchen "presents a unique system of luminous
992:
for the attainment of the Rainbow Body), which according to Hatchell are "techniques that lead to the experience of spontaneously arising visual experiences, which are said to occur without deliberate effort or conceptual imagination, and which appear before the practitioner’s eyes."
1004:
and result in a series of unstructured appearances of light—like sparks, fireflies, and so forth—that ultimately coalesce into a vision of deities, or the appearance of a luminous goddess known as the Great Seal
988:
The dark retreat environment of the Bon religion is particularly conducive to the practice of certain visionary yogas (such as the “six-limbed yoga” of Kalacakra and the Dzogchen practice of
1057:
tradition is a restricted practice only to be engaged by the senior spiritual practitioner under appropriate spiritual guidance. This practice is considered conducive for navigating the
1000:
instruct the yogi to spend lengthy periods either gazing at the blank sky or residing in a dark room specially prepared to seal out all light. Both of these are forms of
944: 1371: 937: 414: 1405: 1364: 317: 916: 930: 1027:
energy channels that traverse the body’s interior and give rise to vision, a feature that is absent in Kalacakra."
237: 1420: 854: 68: 1357: 1410: 1400: 1022:
with fully formed deities, and a tendency to use these visions as the basis for philosophical discussion.
892: 532: 23: 359: 1153: 1114: – Pitch-black, light-proof, soundproof environment heated to the same temperature as the skin 1053:
The time period dedicated to dark retreat varies from a few hours to decades. Dark retreat in the
490: 431: 342: 63: 1277:
Naked Seeing The Great Perfection, the Wheel of Time, and Visionary Buddhism in Renaissance Tibet,
1080:
are examples of modern, if not contemporary, practitioners of significant periods of dark retreat
250: 219: 1390: 812: 770: 651: 478: 387: 1284: 1147: 961: 578: 124: 106: 1135: 897: 330: 285: 8: 1395: 1141: 1001: 909: 904: 473: 51: 1312: 864: 590: 549: 404: 370: 354: 1345: 1316: 1304: 1123: 1039: 738: 656: 600: 583: 573: 544: 409: 392: 380: 1030:
The dark retreat practice is discussed in the various Kalachakra works, such as the
466: 1415: 1337: 1296: 973: 780: 775: 612: 607: 566: 556: 41: 31: 119: 93: 1105: 819: 644: 634: 629: 312: 307: 209: 129: 1255: 1184: 1341: 1111: 1077: 824: 793: 755: 745: 639: 617: 539: 302: 139: 134: 1265: 1384: 1308: 1271:
Dawning of Clear Light: A Western Approach to Tibetan Dark Retreat Meditation
1251: 1180: 723: 622: 454: 297: 268: 232: 214: 194: 1062: 859: 844: 684: 204: 1138: – Visual phenomenon involving seeing animated lights in the darkness 360: 1117: 1085: 1073: 837: 375: 177: 1017:
Regarding the Dzogchen tradition of visionary practice, Hatchell writes:
1329: 1300: 874: 679: 519: 507: 497: 461: 199: 1129: 1093: 1054: 1006: 869: 502: 485: 255: 713: 765: 701: 426: 182: 144: 73: 977: 157: 1081: 1046:
and its commentary by Drugom Gyalwa Yungdrung, which are part of
968:) is a spiritual retreat in a space that is completely absent of 849: 805: 800: 696: 595: 561: 349: 273: 58: 1126: – Philosophical idea of a person having a unique existence 1034:
Commentary. It is also discussed in the Dzogchen tantra titled
750: 514: 449: 172: 167: 162: 83: 1120: – Indigenous Chibchan ethnic group of northern Colombia 1069: 1058: 969: 760: 718: 708: 661: 88: 78: 691: 1047: 1171: 1169: 1068:
The traditional dark retreat requires stability in the
1166: 996:
According Hatchell, the Kalacakra system's six yogas:
1072:and is only suitable for advanced practitioners. 1382: 1092:(Tibetan), an advanced practice of the Dzogchen 1285:"The Sensory Deprivation Tank – A Time Machine" 1144: – Period spent in reflection or solitude 1365: 1156: – Tantric practices in Tibetan Buddhism 938: 1061:at the time of death and for realizing the 1042:Similar practices are also discussed in the 1372: 1358: 945: 931: 1282: 1250:. (Includes transcribed interview with 1179:. (Includes transcribed interview with 1383: 1324: 1221: 1219: 1038:(sgron ma 'bar ba’i rgyud), one of 972:, which is an advanced practice of 13: 415:Svatantrika-Prasaṅgika distinction 16:Tibetan Buddhism advanced practice 14: 1432: 1216: 1150: – Tibetan Buddhist practice 1096:, a version of the Dark Retreat. 1328: 1108: – Psychological phenomenon 40: 1275:Hatchell, Christopher (2014), 1228: 1207: 1198: 1189: 1: 1289:Anthropology of Consciousness 1283:Phillips, Matthew T. (2021). 1257:(accessed: November 15, 2007) 1240: 1186:(accessed: November 15, 2007) 1344:. You can help Knowledge by 7: 1234:Hatchell (2014), pp. 10, 21 1099: 1036:Tantra of the Blazing Lamps 983: 361: 10: 1437: 1406:Tibetan Buddhist practices 1323: 1246:Allione, Tsultrim (2000). 1204:Hatchell (2014), pp. 5–11. 1195:Hatchell (2014), pp. 9–10. 1175:Allione, Tsultrim (2000). 1269:Lowenthal, Martin (2003) 1260:Dymakova, Silvie (2014) 1160: 1154:Tibetan tantric practice 444:Practices and attainment 432:Pointing-out instruction 343:Three marks of existence 1279:Oxford University Press 1132: – Visual illusion 1044:Advice on the Six Lamps 1421:Tibetan Buddhism stubs 1340:-related article is a 1225:Hatchell (2014), p. 9. 1213:Hatchell (2014), p. 7. 1040:the Seventeen Tantras. 1024: 1015: 813:Tibetan Buddhist canon 1148:Sky gazing (Dzogchen) 1019: 998: 388:Dependent origination 1262:Week in the darkness 887:History and overview 286:Samding Dorje Phagmo 151:Second dissemination 1142:Retreat (spiritual) 1002:sensory deprivation 674:Institutional roles 113:First dissemination 1411:Dzogchen practices 1401:Spiritual retreats 1301:10.1111/anoc.12138 1011:phyag rgya chen mo 865:Tree of physiology 405:Four Tenets system 1353: 1352: 1136:Prisoner's cinema 1124:Personal identity 955: 954: 917:Index of articles 533:Major monasteries 491:Tantra techniques 410:Rangtong-Shentong 318:10th Panchen Lama 107:Key personalities 1428: 1374: 1367: 1360: 1338:Tibetan Buddhism 1332: 1325: 1320: 1235: 1232: 1226: 1223: 1214: 1211: 1205: 1202: 1196: 1193: 1187: 1173: 974:Tibetan Buddhism 947: 940: 933: 870:Festival thangka 364: 337:General Buddhist 44: 34: 33:Tibetan Buddhism 19: 18: 1436: 1435: 1431: 1430: 1429: 1427: 1426: 1425: 1381: 1380: 1379: 1378: 1248:Women of Wisdom 1243: 1238: 1233: 1229: 1224: 1217: 1212: 1208: 1203: 1199: 1194: 1190: 1177:Women of Wisdom 1174: 1167: 1163: 1106:Ganzfeld effect 1102: 1032:Stainless Light 986: 951: 922: 921: 888: 880: 879: 840: 830: 829: 820:Mahayana sutras 796: 786: 785: 741: 731: 730: 675: 667: 666: 535: 525: 524: 445: 437: 436: 333: 323: 322: 313:14th Dalai Lama 308:13th Dalai Lama 292: 281: 263: 245: 227: 210:Patrul Rinpoche 152: 114: 109: 99: 98: 54: 32: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1434: 1424: 1423: 1418: 1413: 1408: 1403: 1398: 1393: 1377: 1376: 1369: 1362: 1354: 1351: 1350: 1333: 1322: 1321: 1280: 1273: 1267: 1258: 1242: 1239: 1237: 1236: 1227: 1215: 1206: 1197: 1188: 1164: 1162: 1159: 1158: 1157: 1151: 1145: 1139: 1133: 1127: 1121: 1115: 1112:Isolation tank 1109: 1101: 1098: 1088:performed the 1078:Dilgo Khyentse 985: 982: 953: 952: 950: 949: 942: 935: 927: 924: 923: 920: 919: 913: 912: 907: 901: 900: 895: 889: 886: 885: 882: 881: 878: 877: 872: 867: 862: 857: 855:Wall paintings 852: 847: 841: 836: 835: 832: 831: 828: 827: 825:Nyingma Gyubum 822: 816: 815: 809: 808: 803: 797: 792: 791: 788: 787: 784: 783: 778: 773: 768: 763: 758: 756:Galdan Namchot 753: 748: 746:Chotrul Duchen 742: 737: 736: 733: 732: 729: 728: 727: 726: 716: 711: 705: 704: 699: 694: 688: 687: 682: 676: 673: 672: 669: 668: 665: 664: 659: 654: 648: 647: 642: 637: 632: 626: 625: 620: 615: 610: 604: 603: 598: 593: 587: 586: 581: 576: 570: 569: 564: 559: 553: 552: 547: 542: 536: 531: 530: 527: 526: 523: 522: 517: 511: 510: 505: 500: 494: 493: 488: 482: 481: 476: 470: 469: 467:Avalokiteśvara 464: 458: 457: 452: 446: 443: 442: 439: 438: 435: 434: 429: 423: 422: 418: 417: 412: 407: 401: 400: 396: 395: 390: 384: 383: 378: 373: 367: 366: 357: 352: 346: 345: 339: 338: 334: 329: 328: 325: 324: 321: 320: 315: 310: 305: 303:5th Dalai Lama 300: 294: 293: 283: 282: 277: 276: 271: 265: 264: 259: 258: 253: 247: 246: 241: 240: 238:Rangjung Dorje 235: 229: 228: 223: 222: 217: 212: 207: 202: 197: 191: 190: 186: 185: 180: 175: 170: 165: 160: 154: 153: 148: 147: 142: 140:Trisong Detsen 137: 135:Songtsen Gampo 132: 127: 122: 116: 115: 110: 105: 104: 101: 100: 97: 96: 91: 86: 81: 76: 71: 66: 61: 55: 50: 49: 46: 45: 37: 36: 28: 27: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1433: 1422: 1419: 1417: 1414: 1412: 1409: 1407: 1404: 1402: 1399: 1397: 1394: 1392: 1391:Consciousness 1389: 1388: 1386: 1375: 1370: 1368: 1363: 1361: 1356: 1355: 1349: 1347: 1343: 1339: 1334: 1331: 1327: 1326: 1318: 1314: 1310: 1306: 1302: 1298: 1294: 1290: 1286: 1281: 1278: 1274: 1272: 1268: 1266: 1263: 1259: 1256: 1253: 1252:Namkhai Norbu 1249: 1245: 1244: 1231: 1222: 1220: 1210: 1201: 1192: 1185: 1182: 1181:Namkhai Norbu 1178: 1172: 1170: 1165: 1155: 1152: 1149: 1146: 1143: 1140: 1137: 1134: 1131: 1128: 1125: 1122: 1119: 1116: 1113: 1110: 1107: 1104: 1103: 1097: 1095: 1091: 1087: 1083: 1079: 1075: 1071: 1070:natural state 1066: 1064: 1060: 1056: 1051: 1049: 1045: 1041: 1037: 1033: 1028: 1023: 1018: 1014: 1012: 1008: 1003: 997: 994: 991: 981: 979: 975: 971: 967: 963: 959: 948: 943: 941: 936: 934: 929: 928: 926: 925: 918: 915: 914: 911: 908: 906: 903: 902: 899: 896: 894: 891: 890: 884: 883: 876: 873: 871: 868: 866: 863: 861: 858: 856: 853: 851: 848: 846: 843: 842: 839: 834: 833: 826: 823: 821: 818: 817: 814: 811: 810: 807: 804: 802: 799: 798: 795: 790: 789: 782: 779: 777: 774: 772: 769: 767: 764: 762: 759: 757: 754: 752: 749: 747: 744: 743: 740: 735: 734: 725: 724:Western tulku 722: 721: 720: 717: 715: 712: 710: 707: 706: 703: 700: 698: 695: 693: 690: 689: 686: 683: 681: 678: 677: 671: 670: 663: 660: 658: 655: 653: 650: 649: 646: 643: 641: 638: 636: 633: 631: 628: 627: 624: 621: 619: 616: 614: 611: 609: 606: 605: 602: 599: 597: 594: 592: 589: 588: 585: 582: 580: 577: 575: 572: 571: 568: 565: 563: 560: 558: 555: 554: 551: 548: 546: 543: 541: 538: 537: 534: 529: 528: 521: 518: 516: 513: 512: 509: 506: 504: 501: 499: 496: 495: 492: 489: 487: 484: 483: 480: 477: 475: 472: 471: 468: 465: 463: 460: 459: 456: 453: 451: 448: 447: 441: 440: 433: 430: 428: 425: 424: 420: 419: 416: 413: 411: 408: 406: 403: 402: 398: 397: 394: 391: 389: 386: 385: 382: 379: 377: 374: 372: 369: 368: 365: 363: 358: 356: 353: 351: 348: 347: 344: 341: 340: 336: 335: 332: 327: 326: 319: 316: 314: 311: 309: 306: 304: 301: 299: 298:Je Tsongkhapa 296: 295: 290: 289: 288: 287: 279: 278: 275: 272: 270: 269:Sakya Pandita 267: 266: 261: 260: 257: 254: 252: 249: 248: 243: 242: 239: 236: 234: 231: 230: 225: 224: 221: 218: 216: 215:Dudjom Lingpa 213: 211: 208: 206: 203: 201: 198: 196: 195:Yeshe Tsogyal 193: 192: 188: 187: 184: 181: 179: 176: 174: 171: 169: 166: 164: 161: 159: 156: 155: 150: 149: 146: 143: 141: 138: 136: 133: 131: 128: 126: 123: 121: 120:Padmasambhāva 118: 117: 112: 111: 108: 103: 102: 95: 92: 90: 87: 85: 82: 80: 77: 75: 72: 70: 67: 65: 62: 60: 57: 56: 53: 48: 47: 43: 39: 38: 35: 30: 29: 25: 21: 20: 1346:expanding it 1335: 1292: 1288: 1276: 1270: 1261: 1247: 1230: 1209: 1200: 1191: 1176: 1089: 1067: 1063:rainbow body 1052: 1043: 1035: 1031: 1029: 1025: 1020: 1016: 1010: 999: 995: 989: 987: 965: 958:Dark retreat 957: 956: 860:Ashtamangala 845:Sand mandala 685:Panchen Lama 652:Tashi Lhunpo 284: 205:Jigme Lingpa 125:Śāntarakṣita 1118:Kogi people 1086:Ayu Khandro 1074:Ayu Khandro 966:mun mtshams 579:Mindrolling 376:Bodhisattva 178:Sukhasiddhi 168:Abhayakirti 1396:Meditation 1385:Categories 1254:) Source: 1241:References 1183:) Source: 1050:religion. 875:Mani stone 680:Dalai Lama 520:Buddhahood 508:Dream yoga 498:Deity yoga 474:Meditation 462:Bodhicitta 200:Longchenpa 130:Kamalaśīla 1317:237710164 1309:1556-3537 1295:: 63–78. 1130:Phosphene 1055:Himalayan 1007:mahamudra 739:Festivals 503:Guru yoga 486:Vajrayana 455:Pāramitās 355:Cosmology 331:Teachings 256:Taranatha 1100:See also 1094:Upadesha 984:Overview 898:Timeline 766:Dosmoche 702:Rinpoche 591:Narthang 550:Dzogchen 427:Dzogchen 280:Bodongpa 183:Milarepa 145:Ralpacan 24:a series 22:Part of 1416:Nyingma 1090:Yang-Ti 1082:sadhana 910:Culture 905:Outline 893:History 850:Thangka 806:Tengyur 801:Kangyur 781:Losoong 776:Sho Dun 697:Karmapa 657:Tsurphu 618:Ramoche 601:Pabonka 596:Nechung 584:Namgyal 574:Labrang 562:Jokhang 545:Drepung 540:Tradruk 515:Thukdam 421:Nyingma 399:Tibetan 371:Rebirth 362:Saṃsāra 350:Skandha 291:Gelugpa 274:Gorampa 251:Dolpopa 189:Nyingma 59:Nyingma 52:Schools 1315:  1307:  990:Thögal 771:Monlam 751:Dajyur 714:Tertön 613:Ralung 608:Palcho 567:Kumbum 557:Ganden 450:Lamrim 381:Dharma 244:Jonang 220:Mipham 173:Niguma 163:Talika 84:Jonang 74:Bodong 1336:This 1313:S2CID 1161:Notes 1059:bardo 970:light 962:Wylie 794:Texts 761:Losar 719:Tulku 709:Geshe 662:Yerpa 645:Shalu 635:Sanga 630:Sakya 479:Laity 393:Karma 262:Sakya 233:Marpa 226:Kagyu 158:Atiśa 89:Gelug 79:Kagyu 69:Sakya 64:Kadam 1342:stub 1305:ISSN 1076:and 976:and 692:Lama 640:Sera 623:Rato 94:Rimé 1297:doi 1065:. 1048:Bon 980:. 978:Bön 838:Art 1387:: 1311:. 1303:. 1293:33 1291:. 1287:. 1218:^ 1168:^ 1084:. 1013:). 1009:, 964:: 26:on 1373:e 1366:t 1359:v 1348:. 1319:. 1299:: 1264:. 1005:( 960:( 946:e 939:t 932:v

Index

a series
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Dharma Wheel
Schools
Nyingma
Kadam
Sakya
Bodong
Kagyu
Jonang
Gelug
Rimé
Key personalities
Padmasambhāva
Śāntarakṣita
Kamalaśīla
Songtsen Gampo
Trisong Detsen
Ralpacan
Atiśa
Talika
Abhayakirti
Niguma
Sukhasiddhi
Milarepa
Yeshe Tsogyal
Longchenpa
Jigme Lingpa
Patrul Rinpoche
Dudjom Lingpa

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.