Practice idea: Mirror metta

I had a plan to read various books on the development of the Brahmaviharas / Aparimanas (Sublime Abodes / Immeasurables) and then to formulate practices for Metta (Loving-Kindness), Karuna (Compassion), Muditha (Altruistic Joy) and Upeksha/Upekkha (Equanimity). Short versions of the exercises and long versions (ones which are done in open-ended manner).

Also well done on going way beyond the 90 day challenge without PMO.

 

I practice a Chenrezig sadhana with the Om Mani Peme Hung mantra and that develops all four Brahmaviharas simultaneously, if you're interested. I highly recommend it!

 

As you might know, normally, to do any Vajrayana practice, you need three things: 1. Empowerment; 2. Reading Transmission; 3. Instructions on how to do the practice.

There are certain Vajrayana practices however, that you can do without receiving empowerment. Certain Chenrezig sadhanas and I think certain Tara practices as well.

In group practice, it's often okay to do more advanced practices without receiving empowerment, as long as someone in the group knows what they're doing.

Khenchen Konchog Gyaltsen Rinpoche has a book on Vajrayana practices you can do without a teacher, I think, but I haven't read it.

One Chenrezig sadhana I know for sure you can do without receiving empowerment is the Chenrezig sadhana by Thangtong Gyalpo. It's fairly easily available. Here's one copy: https://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/thangtong-gyalpo/drodon-khakhyabma-avalokiteshvara

It's a very profound and powerful practice, in my experience, and extra special because anyone can just do it. It's also pretty easy. Not complex at all.

Do you know the lineage of your local Vajrayana center? If they're Sakya or Karma Kagyu, they'll probably be able to give you the Reading Transmission and the instructions for that practice. Some Nyingma centers also practice this sadhana. It's pretty popular and widespread.
If they have a Lama that you trust and have devotion for, you can also request the empowerment and see what he/she says. Chenrezig empowerment is given pretty frequently by many Lamas so you can probably receive it at some point anyway, if you're interested.

If you can't receive the reading transmission for it, you can practice the sadhana without receiving it, or you can check on YouTube to see if you can just listen to the practice being done, that's kind of the same thing, but best to still receive it from a Lama is you ever get the chance. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Chenrezig+thangtong

Bardor Tulku Rinpoche has a video at the top there, explaining the practice. I haven't seen it but I think that would be excellent.

Other good explanations on how to do the practice are the books "Chenrezig: Lord of Love" by Bokar Rinpoche and "Trainings in Compassion" compiled by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche. The latter book has an explanation on that practice by the 15th Karmapa which is excellent. "Chenrezig: Lord of Love" is the most detailed commentary I've seen and is really all you need. I can send you a PDF copy of it because it's quite rare but I don't know if I can do that on NoFap... I can email it to you if you want.

I think that's about all I can say about it but if you have any questions, feel free to ask!

 

Oh, and btw, 100 syllable mantra has a short version! It's Om Benzra Sato Hung (Om Vajrasattva Hung if you want to keep it slightly more Sanskrit.).

 

Also, side note, different lineages and Lamas might have slightly different opinions on what I said above but I think that according to the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages, what I said above is kind of the consensus view. Some lineages and Lamas are more strict than others so you might find some different opinions but what I said is how I've been taught and I think it's a correct way of doing things. I can guarantee you it works, anyway. Especially if the practice is done with real devotion, loving-kindness, and compassion.

 

One last comment (I think): It's perfectly fine to do that Chenrezig practice in English, in case you were wondering.

 

Haha, that's funny, that's exactly the lineage I received that practice from. They definitely will be able to help you with that practice! They might even have a copy of the books I recommended. Kalu Rinpoche was probably the founder of that center then and he was a big promoter of that exact practice. Bokar Rinpoche was his main student and lineage holder and he wrote that book I mentioned. They probably do Chenrezig Puja a couple times a week at least at that center I bet. Most likely Chenrezig and then 6-armed Mahakala.

I don't want to get all woo woo on you but there's a good chance you already have a past life connection with that practice, looking at the way all this unfolded. Very interesting.