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A Guru Yoga Prayer (Refuge Meditation)

In front of us is a vast lake. Its waters are sweet and pure. The sun is shining and the water reflects the deep blue of the sky. Everywhere from the forests around come animals to drink at the waters edge. They stand together in peace and harmony; lions stand by lambs and tigers by zebras. On the shores of this lake, children are playing and families are picnicking.

We stand here amidst a vast horde of others like ourselves, Seekers of Truth, Followers of the Path. We have a sense of awe and reverence, for in the centre of this lake rises a vast tree. Its roots stretch deep into the earth, drawing nourishment from the Mother. Its trunk rises strong and true and its branches spread wide, reaching far up into the Heavens, like the Baobab trees of Africa.

From everywhere -- from the four directions and from all corners of the universe -- come tiny dots of light, like fireflies or small comets. They land in the tree and it begins to glow with their light. Each point of light represents a teacher from time present or time past from all the great and lesser traditions of this planet. They come here to bear witness to our vow to travel the Path of the Bodhisattva:

From this day forward, in this life and in all our lives to come,
We dedicate our life energies to aspiring to develop the good and the wholesome.
    May we develop the compassionate and loving heart;
    May our minds be clear
    And may we always act without hesitation
    To help alleviate suffering wherever it may be found.

In the centre of this tree, we imagine a figure seated in a chair. Neither male nor female, it is gazing directly but compassionately upon us. We imagine that into the crown of its head a white liquid is pouring. This stream of nectar represents the essence of all those who have taught us in this lifetime, from the humblest farmer to the highest lama. As we recollect each one with gratitude and respect, the central figure begins to fill with light and to glow with a blue-white radiance.

From the forehead of this being, a white light begins to stream. With the sound of OM it strikes against our foreheads, opening and cleansing our bodies and establishing us in mental stability.

From the throat of this figure, a red light streams. With the sound of AH it strikes against our throats, opening and purifying our speech, igniting our immune systems and leading us towards a knowledge of the veins and channels within.

From the heart of this being, a blue light springs. Like a rainbow arch, it laps gently against our heart centres, opening the chakra with a soft movement like a water lily on a quiet pond, or a sea anemone. The gentle sound of the humming of bees seems to spring from our heart centre: HUM.

We hold this envisioning in our minds and imagine these 3 lights and 3 sounds streaming into our bodies. Then, with a deep sense of reverence, humility and commitment, we perform three prostrations using the Guru Rinpoche mantra. May the Lama mind never desert us.

OM AH HUM BENZE GURU PADME SIDDHI HUM

Your tree should be as you imagine it. To see a traditional Tibetan image of this refuge tree, click here.

This prayer was written as a way to help Westerners understand Guru Yoga. It is designed to be done while performing 100,000 prostrations, an essential part of the Tibetan Foundation work called Ngön-dro.

Catherine Jetsun Yeshe
Toronto, Ontario, Canada - 1997

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