In his (slightly belated!) autumn seasonal, we hear from Suvajra about his new, unexpected circumstances, caring for his teacher Urgyen Sangharakshita. It's an intimate and touching picture of their friendship, and moves naturally into an extended reflection on Suvajra's devotional practice of Chöd - "cutting" - meditation. Chöd is a ritualised practice from the Tantric tradition involving the whole body and mind. Its aim is to see deeply into the nature of self and of consciousness itself, and we get a wonderful glimpse into the true nature of empowerment, initiation, and indeed relationship to a teacher in that context. With a clear sense of how facing down the gods and demons we carry with us can lead to a clear-hearted seeing of things and a life dedicated to kindness.

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