Jim
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Do you feel that it’s important to stick to a single practice, or is it OK to mix and blend practices? Or, do you find it advantageous to switch between separate practices as the opportunity or intention suggests.
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ebettaglio
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In my experience it is possible to blend certain aspects of certain practices that seem to have a natural mutual magnetism (could it be a common ancestry?). An example of this is what the shamanic group I participate in calls Shamanic Tonglen. Here we blend the shamanic journey audio visual experience with the Buddhist practice of Tonglen which involves the coordination of breath and the attitude of loving kindness and compassion. In this practice we inhale the suffering of the subject(s) we’re working with and exhale relief and healing towards them while in a state of non- ordinary reality arrived at through shamanic pathways. This allows the infusion of shamanic visualization and or sound to the Tonglen practice. Our experience with this has been positive, healing and fulfilling!
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Mike R
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Howdy folks
Although cross-practices can confuse the mind at times, I’ve found that they can also support and contribute to each other. Particularly the ‘journey’ type formats seem to allow a more fluid integration of “data” from other practices and sources like ‘intuitive inspiration’, memory bits, understanding past experiences, teachings, energy awareness, etc, to embrace what’s happening in the present moment. The activated journey format can and does offer up a mosaic of results that can be ‘outside the box’ of the language of the practice format one is engaged in. For me the ‘practice’ is the vehicle to effectively achieve whatever the purpose of the ‘journey’ is, not the purpose itself. Being receptive and fluid is needed.
What puts the active cross-practices experience into perspective for useful integration and connecting value for me is the uninvolved silence of Being as the formless backdrop to the interactive forms of the journey drama. The silence of Being is then too a player/non player in the cross-practice dream theater as activating energy and expansion of consciousness support the growth of the practitioner and often bring effective results when working for others.
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