Alex Wilding

The four empowerments refers to four ways, four successive ways, in fact, of encountering and working with a high tantric deity. whether this is a peaceful or wrathful deity, male, female, father, mother, or whatever. Now, the problem is this. Well, perhaps problem is overdoing it, but it's the place where we can trip up and get confused.

The four empowerments refers to four ways, four successive ways, in fact, of encountering and working with a high tantric deity. whether this is a peaceful or wrathful deity, male, female, father, mother, or whatever. Now, the problem is this. Well, perhaps problem is overdoing it, but it's the place where we can trip up and get confused.

Apart from receiving the kind of empowerment just mentioned, perhaps before that stage or outside of it, we are expected to receive these four empowerments from the lama visualised in front of us. This happens in particular in the guru yoga practices such as those that form perhaps the most important part of the preliminary practices, the gundro. We looked at those a bit in episode 31.

Apart from receiving the kind of empowerment just mentioned, perhaps before that stage or outside of it, we are expected to receive these four empowerments from the lama visualised in front of us. This happens in particular in the guru yoga practices such as those that form perhaps the most important part of the preliminary practices, the gundro. We looked at those a bit in episode 31.

Usually this involves a visualization in which three or four lights come from centers in the lama's body and dissolve into her own. I don't think it's giving too much away to mention that generally This is a white light from the head representing the body, a red light from the Lama's throat to ours representing speech, and a blue light from the Lama's heart representing mind.

Usually this involves a visualization in which three or four lights come from centers in the lama's body and dissolve into her own. I don't think it's giving too much away to mention that generally This is a white light from the head representing the body, a red light from the Lama's throat to ours representing speech, and a blue light from the Lama's heart representing mind.

For the first three empowerments, then either all three lights come at the same time, or a fourth light in another colour comes from the navel centre for the fourth empowerment. All these details, naturally enough, are specific to the system that you are studying and practicing, and you have to get them from the appropriate commentaries and sources.

For the first three empowerments, then either all three lights come at the same time, or a fourth light in another colour comes from the navel centre for the fourth empowerment. All these details, naturally enough, are specific to the system that you are studying and practicing, and you have to get them from the appropriate commentaries and sources.

There is no question here that these four empowerments are, in principle, the same as the four empowerments of a high tantric ceremony.

There is no question here that these four empowerments are, in principle, the same as the four empowerments of a high tantric ceremony.

On the other hand, it most definitely does not mean that because we've done a Guru Yoga like this, perhaps extensively, we have now received the four empowerments in the formal sense that we might mean when somebody says, for example, have you received the Hevajra empowerment?

On the other hand, it most definitely does not mean that because we've done a Guru Yoga like this, perhaps extensively, we have now received the four empowerments in the formal sense that we might mean when somebody says, for example, have you received the Hevajra empowerment?

They are intended here either to prepare the ground for receiving those four empowerments formally, or, if that's already happened, to cultivate the seed that we should have received at that time. They represent the same meaning, even though they aren't quite the same thing.

They are intended here either to prepare the ground for receiving those four empowerments formally, or, if that's already happened, to cultivate the seed that we should have received at that time. They represent the same meaning, even though they aren't quite the same thing.

It's not the same as when we receive the empowerment formally from our Lama, or from a high lineage holder of the lineage to which our Lama belongs. Classically and ideally, that formal empowerment would come later, but things are messy these days, it's a fact, and it's silly to expect classic rules to be followed every time.

It's not the same as when we receive the empowerment formally from our Lama, or from a high lineage holder of the lineage to which our Lama belongs. Classically and ideally, that formal empowerment would come later, but things are messy these days, it's a fact, and it's silly to expect classic rules to be followed every time.

Now, I don't want to get too deeply into this, partly because I'm not qualified to do so, and also, as I often point out, I am not your Buddhist teacher, just somebody who's been on the same path as you for quite a while. All the same, to get a handle on this, it might be worth saying at least a few words about these famous four. One. The first empowerment is called the Vase Empowerment.

Now, I don't want to get too deeply into this, partly because I'm not qualified to do so, and also, as I often point out, I am not your Buddhist teacher, just somebody who's been on the same path as you for quite a while. All the same, to get a handle on this, it might be worth saying at least a few words about these famous four. One. The first empowerment is called the Vase Empowerment.

It relates to the body, and to the idea that you are being empowered to embody the deity. One aspect of empowerment is that, at least in the first stages, it parallels the investiture of the ruler of a kingdom. That kind of ceremony would begin with the body of the soon-to-be ruler being washed with water poured from a vase.

It relates to the body, and to the idea that you are being empowered to embody the deity. One aspect of empowerment is that, at least in the first stages, it parallels the investiture of the ruler of a kingdom. That kind of ceremony would begin with the body of the soon-to-be ruler being washed with water poured from a vase.