Chö in the Wild

Chod is learned and nurtured in the privacy of one’s meditation room, retreat center or monastic environment. But in day to day practice, Chöd is highly portable. Indeed, eventually it must be taken directly into the larger world, where the strength of one’s understanding and development is put to the test. The Chöpa of old traditionally wandered through the vast expanses of the Himalayas for periodic short or longer periods—and sometimes for many years, traveling in wild and uninhabited places and haunted grounds.

Enter the Nyensa

As a method of overcoming obstacles and going beyond ego-preferences, anywhere is suitable to practice Chod. But the term “Nyensa” describes the power spots where one can derive particular benefit. One’s practice is enhanced in such places, aiding our personal transformation and the dramatic inner shifts for which Chod is known. Because Nyensa is often translated as “haunted places,” there is a misconception about the nature of such power spots. They can be regions of great natural beauty and peace; while others are filled with distorted energies and harmful entities. They can be very unique or unusual landscapes, with various anomolies or extraordinary natural formations. This kind of Nyensa is also the place where many lha and dré, powerful worldly gods, demons and earth spirits reside. Indeed, traditional texts have lists of the hundreds of possible locales that are specific to different types of natural forces.

The Inner Lanscape of Chod

The yogis and yoginis invoke the presence of all these invisible beings as important guests to the Chod feast. With the shield of unrelenting compassion and fearless wisdom, one meets whatever rises with equal openness and clarity of mind and heart. Through this process, we also begin to see that the Nyensa is everywhere, both outside and within us. These areas not only test the strength of one’s practice, but are said to generate very quick and deep realization, through the combination of the accumulations of wisdom and merit, as well as intense clearing of karmic obstacles. At the same time, it is a devastating error to fall into the trap of “scientific materialism,” or a mindset that wants to believe that all these natural forces are “all in your head.” To relegate the vibrant living sea of life forms, consciousness and five-fold elemental energies to a mere psychological projection is to lose the thread of dharma completely.

Chod Alive

Parks, gardens, under old bridges, down by the stream, in the subway, near abandoned houses, in other people’s homes—there is no end of opportunities for getting out of our normal, habitual environment and facing the challenge of the unfamiliar and the unknown.

The Chod Nyensa

At the conclusion of each of our live Modules, participants spend an additional day with the TseWong Rinpoche, Lama Jinpa and Lama Pema. We will journey to a half dozen power spots or Nyensa in order to practice Chod, eat together, receive onsite instruction, and learn to integrate Chod into our broader lives. Besides the benefits of “Chod in the Wild” for our practice, it also provides the opportunity to connect with our sangha, our fellow spiritual warriors on the path. And importantly, we can experience a living example of the eventual fruition of our Chod practice. Tsewong Rinpoche is the true example of the impeccable Dzokchen master, embodying grace, humor and limitless warmth. His presence is itself one of the greatest lessons of the nature of the tradition of Chod. For we regular practitioners, it is a training in meeting our world each day. In our unique Nyensa we confront the terrifying and fascinating aspects of life that tests our inner character, personal depth and spiritual maturity, all in a single, potent practice.

Nyensa