Research Notes on the Kingdom of Shambhala

From: "The Five Elements In Tibetan Shamanism and Tantra" by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche..........

"In many indigenous traditions, we relate with the raw elements. Fire Pujas, Earth Ceremonies, rituals near springs, Sky and Space rituals.....Basically we are relating with the raw elements and their related spirit realms.....If you do not have a reference place when we talk about spirits, do a little dzogchen practive and feel spacious...

The shrine is basically the house of the enlightened first guest....such as Shen Lha Okar.,.....not really for the 2nd (Gods) , 3rd (Karmic Guests), or 4th (Guests of Compassion) Guests......Some people mix guests on a shrine but this is not a good idea.....

"The shrine is very important.....you burn the white copal to invite the spirits and the higher beings...Otherwise there is some kind of energetic interference. Some shrines have a lot of power.

"In the shamanic world we talk about inviting the four guests.

First Guests......Enlightened beings.......The three jewels; all the gurus, buddhas, and bodhisattvas, as well as yidams and dakinis. In different traditions you can have different enlightened beings.

In the Bon tradition we can invite Shenlha Okar. This is a sambhogakaya form. The image is full of ornaments representing enlightened qualities.

"From the white pure light arises the deity Shenlha Okar at the center of the mandala."(Wangyal:1993 p147)........"The body of Shenlha Wokar is white...his ontological status is than of bonku, 'unconditioned being' or 'supreme being', corresponding to the Buddhist category of dharmakaya...His association with light suggests Manichaean influences....The colour of his body is like the essence of crystal...his ornaments, attire, and palace are adorned by crystal light..." (Paul:1982) (Hoffman:1979,pg 105) (Kvaerne:1996, pg 26)

The yidam is one of the wrathful or peaceful deities which people practice with.Although there are many yidams in a tradition, you connect with one more fully and precisely.

Second Guests.....Guest of qualities.....Guests of Powerful Beings.....The guardians and protectors of the teachings. Not fully enlightened beings but very close and are naturally very powerful beings. Shiva is one example. More powerful than us in terms of mental ability, knowledge, and speech.

In terms of healing you do not have to invoke the enlightened beings all the time. You can also involve these gods, the second guests. Forces and spirits related with the planets for example.

The first and second guests do not provoke us too much.If you make an offering a bit improperly they will not be provoked by you.

Third Guests.....Karmic guests...the beings to whom you owe karmic debt. Very much in the spirit realm.

The eight classes of spirits, including the lha or devas, (sky spirits or mountain spirits), nyen (tree and earth spirits who live on the surface of the earth), and the lu or nagas, (serpentine water spirits who live beneath the earth), to all of whom we owe debts for despoiling the earth.

The last two guests can provoke sickness and cause a lot of problems. They don't have highly developed compassion. Some places can be very rough. The third and fourth guests could be evil, especially the ones who killl you. Demons are the forces which block you.

Fourth Guests......Guests of Compassion.......All of the sentient beings living in the six realms of rebirth who are the objects of our compassion.    

These guests are weaker than you and more helpless.If you are interested in healing you need to know how to give. An animal dying on the road. Needy being, spirits who are seeking help from you.