This past weekend I was happily able to attend a two day retreat given by Jigme Tromge Rinpoche. The retreat contained a series of meditations and contemplations based on an 18th century Tibetan text by Drimed Khakyod.  As the flyer advertising the retreat explains:

Broadly described as instruction on shamatha (‘calm abiding’ meditation), these practices have considerable range and profundity. Each technique, clearly and succinctly explained, focuses on a different aspect of practice – for example, one-pointed concentration, compassion, understanding of relative and absolute reality and so forth – and as we progress through the teachings, our foundation is strengthened and we learn which tools to apply to counteract specific pitfalls.

This was my first experience with this particular form of meditation. I found it profound and ritualized. The teachings were specific and detailed. I was surprised how different the methods involved in this retreat were from methods I’ve experienced before; there were many visualizations and exact techniques. However, I left the retreat feeling as if this was essentially touching on the same truths that other methods touch on. The forms may be different, but inherent reality isn’t.

I shall leave you with the Red Tara Dedication Prayer

Dedication

Throughout my many lives and until this moment, whatever virtue I have accomplished including the merit generated by this practice, and all that I will ever obtain, this I offer for the welfare of all sentient beings. May sickness, war, famine and suffereing be decreased, for every being while their wisdom and compassion increase in this and every future life. May I cleraly perceive all experiences to be as insubstantial as the dream fabric of the night and instantly awaken to perceive the pure wisdom display in the arising of every phenomenon. May I quickly attain enlightenment in order to work ceaselessly for the liberation of all sentient beings.

Prayer of Aspiration

Buddhas and bodhisattvas altogether:
whatever kind of motivation you have,
whatever kind of beneficial action,
whatever kind of wishing prayers,
whatever kind of omniscience,
whatever kind of life accomplishment,
whatever kind of benevolent power and
whatever kind of immense wisdom you have,
then similarly I, who have come in the same way to benefit beings,
pray to attain these qualities

The Auspicious Wish

At this very moment, for the peoples and the nations of the earth, may not even the names disease, famine, war and suffering be heard. Rather may their moral conduct, merit, wealth and proseperity increase, and may supreme good fortune and well-being always arise for them.