Dear Anarkali,

You asked a very good question. This phrase “let go” or “let it go” is something that we do hear a lot of, especially when talking about spiritual journeys.

Usually when we go through difficult situations in life, we cling to the experience, or more importantly get caught up in the emotional reaction to the experience. We allow these emotions to grow and grow, cling to them, and make decisions based on them, which ultimately lead to more negativity. These decisions are based on emotion and not logic.

Let me give you an example, one day you are taking with your bother or sister, but they say something you don’t like or take the wrong way. You cling to this, and think that he or she is not being nice. You have an emotional reaction because he or she should always be nice to you right? Then over time, you cling to this emotional reaction of being hurt, and this makes you see fault in a lot of what he or she does. Up until one day when you cannot take and you get into a fight with them. In this example, you get caught up in the emotion, until it leads to something more negative. But did you ever think about the other person? Maybe they were having a bad day, and said something that was negative because they were irritated. But maybe they didn’t actually mean it?

Letting go, means when you have an emotional reaction to something, not to cling to the emotional reaction and let it guide your actions and over take your mind. Letting go, means to have the experience, have the emotion, but not let that emotion over take our logical thinking.

When you let go, in any situation, you shed this excess and built up emotional baggage, which binds you to further negativity. I hope this helps.

Dear Glicel lagat loyola,

Thank you for your comment. You can calculate your birth Buddha using this link: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/tibetan-astrology/tibetan-astrology.html

If you are interested, you can read more about Tibetan Astrology here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/tibetan-astrology/introduction-to-tibetan-astrology.html

If your birth Buddha is indeed Vajrasattva, you can follow the prayers on the Vajrasattva birth Buddha page: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/tibetan-astrology/mewa-3-birth-buddha-vajrasattva.html. Alternative, if you want more of an explanation and a longer version of the practice, you can find more information here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/an-important-purification-practice.html

In life, according to Buddhism, all obstacles we face in life are caused by our Karma. Karma is the accumulated results from actions we have taken in this life and also in previous lifetimes. In order to overcome these obstacles you need to purify that karma so the negative effects are lessened. Vajrasattva is extremely beneficial is purifying this negative karma.

If however, your obstacles are quite strong right now, you should engage in the daily practice of Dorje Shugden. His practice is very well-known for holding back negative karma, which lead to obstacles, until we can purify the karma. He basically helps to hold back negative effects, until we are able to purify them, through practices like that of Vajrasattva. You can find his daily practice here: https://www.dorjeshugden.org/practice/diamond-path-a-daily-sadhana-of-dorje-shugden.

I hope this helps. If you have any other questions, you are more than welcome to ask them here.

Dear Jason,

Thanks for writing. Can you explain more about in which ways you are struggling and what sorts of practices? Is it practices like deity practices or things like Mind Training. When we have more information, we will be able to advise you better.

In general, when engaged in Vajrayana practices, you should have a firm grounding in the general teachings. When this foundation is strong, then any practices built on it, will also be strong. If you are going through this, then I would suggest that you take the time to read, study and implement the teachings of the Lam Rim. One excellent translation is called Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand by Pabongka Rinpoche. We have it available for order on our online store here: https://www.vajrasecrets.com/lamrim-liberation-in-the-palm-of-your-hand. Alternatively, you should be able to find it at your nearest bookstore that has a large Buddhism section. If they do not have it, I’m sure they can order it in for you. The Lam Rim covers both basic and advanced Buddhist practice and actually includes Vajrayana practices too. This is a great teaching to implement into our lives and takes us step by step all the way to enlightenment if practiced properly. I hope this helps.

Dear Rocco,

Yes, the dice divination or any deity requires both multiple initiations and retreats before it can be engaged in properly. You can find out more about this process on the following article: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/dorje-shugdens-dice-divination.html I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Yuden,

I am sorry to read that you have been going through this. I would suggest that you engage in the joint practice of Lama Tsongkhapa and Dorje Shugden. This practice is very well-known to help us in times of need: https://www.dorjeshugden.org/practice/diamond-path-a-daily-sadhana-of-dorje-shugden.

Lama Tsongkhapa’s practice is known to calm the mind and allow us to think better, and let’s us deal with out situations better. Dorje Shugden’s practice is one that removes our obstacles quickly, especially any harmful situations, provides us with protection and creates good conditions around us.

I hope this will help you.

Dear P,

Unfortunately, His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche has passed into clear light some time ago. We are in the midst of building a relic stupa and complex around it. If you would like to read more, see here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/the-tsem-rinpoche-relic-stupa-project.html

In essence, the Buddha forbade evangelizing Buddhism. Buddha did tell his students to go out and teach, but not to actively convert. This is because a) the Buddha respected all religious paths, and b) if you actively convert someone they may still have reservations as to efficacy of the path to enlightenment.

Therefore the Buddha taught, that yes, you do share your Buddhist thoughts and philosophy with others, but you do not actively convert people. Buddha said that the true mark of any system which leads to spiritual advancement, is how those who are already practising transform themselves to become better people.

His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche’s view also followed this. Rinpoche always told his students that when we transform to become better people and become wiser, more compassionate, more kinder. That is the true worth of Buddhism, and when others see this it will show them that the Buddhist path is a beneficial one. Then it is up to them if they would like to follow it as well or not. I hope this helps.

Dear David,

Thank you for your question. You can search online for any Tibetan Buddhist centre belonging to the Gelugpa lineage. There, you should find practitioners who will be able to guide you. The practice of Vajra Yogini is widespread within our lineage. However, please not that before empowerment, especially into a tantra such as Vajra Yogini, one needs to train in the foundational Buddhist practices. In essence, these can be found in the Lam Rim texts. When this foundation is strong, then any practices built on it, will also be strong. I would suggest that you take the time to read, study and implement the teachings of the Lam Rim. One excellent translation is called Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand by Pabongka Rinpoche. We have it available for order on our online store here: https://www.vajrasecrets.com/lamrim-liberation-in-the-palm-of-your-hand. Alternatively, you should be able to find it at your nearest bookstore that has a large Buddhism section. If they do not have it, I’m sure they can order it in for you. The Lam Rim covers both basic and advanced Buddhist practice and actually includes tantric practices too. This is a great teaching to implement into our lives and takes us step by step all the way to enlightenment if practiced properly. I hope this helps.

Dear Dawa,

You can find out more about astrology and the day of our birth and its significance for practice in this article here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/tibetan-astrology/introduction-to-tibetan-astrology.html

Dear Anup Kumar Bhattacharya,

Since your case is medical in nature, I would suggest that you seek further medical advice than what you have been given already. You should follow your doctors advice to alleviate the problem.

In addition you can couple any medical treatment with the practice of Shize, who is well-know for healing purposes. You can find out more about his practice here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/dorje-shugden/shize-a-practice-for-healing-and-long-life.html

I hope this helps and your problem is alleviated soon.

Dear Shakya,

In short, yes, black magic does exist in the world according to Buddhism. It is the Buddhist belief that black magic is cause when some tries to harm you using supernatural means, this can either be a manipulation of elemental forces or by bending non-physical beings to cause harm.

However, it also depends on the person who is the recipient of black magic. If they do not have the karma to be harmed by black magic, then no matter how much black magic is sent, they will not be harmed. For example, no matter how much black magic you try to send to an enlightened being, they will not be affected, because they have no karma to be harmed.

I hope this explanation helps.

Dear Harkeen Kaur,

You can go to the following app to calculate your Tibetan astrological Mewa number and what it means for you: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/tibetan-astrology/tibetan-astrology.html

Unfortunately at this time we do not offer detailed astrological reports. In any case, if you are worried about any problems that you may face in life, you can engage in the practice of Dorje Shugden (https://www.dorjeshugden.org/practice/diamond-path-a-daily-sadhana-of-dorje-shugden) or any other Dharma Protector to alleviate any obstacles you may face and at the same time to create the conducive conditions necessary to accomplish any of your virtuous aims.

Dear Anup Kumar Bhattacharya,

I believe that we have answered your question previously. Please refer to the answer there. Thank you

Dear Stephanie,

I’m sorry but I do not fully understand what you mean when you say you have received 2 initiations on your left hand. In any case, from the rest of your message, I would suggest that you engage in the practice of Dorje Shugden, which can find here: https://www.dorjeshugden.org/practice/diamond-path-a-daily-sadhana-of-dorje-shugden.

Calling upon the energies of Dorje Shugden on a daily basis will help to alleviate any of your symptoms if caused by supernatural elements or forces, as well as give you protection. At the same time, he can help to remove obstacles in your life and create the conducive conditions you need to help you do what you want to do. In this case, you want to study and practice the Dharma, which is a very beneficial aim indeed. Just to be on the safe side, since you are having these facial twitches, I would suggest you also go to see your medical professional to see if it is caused by something that can be treated medically.

I hope this helps. Thank you

Dear Help,

I am sorry that you and your family are facing difficult times. In these situations it is best to be clear about your worries with your family. Perhaps you should try and calmly talk to your brother in regards to your parents, and see if you can help make arrangements for them. Family life is hard, because each individual may nor may not have the same thinking as the other person. But in my experience, talking with each other, openly and without ill will is always the best course of action.

On a spiritual level, you can engage in the practice of Dorje Shugden to help remove obstacles and create conducive conditions in your life and the lives of your parents and brother. You can find the practice here: https://www.dorjeshugden.org/practice/diamond-path-a-daily-sadhana-of-dorje-shugden. However, this practice will give you a quick fix. You must work to sort out the problems that you family is facing in a calm and level-headed manner. Then this practice will help things be smoother. I hope this helps.

Dear Thorim,

Thank you for your question. There are two ways to do this:

1. The first is just to send the light out to all beings, but not to visualise them. Just think strongly that they are receiving the light and blessings.

2. The second is to visualise all sentient beings of the six realms surrounding you, in infinite forms, but all human in appearance. This following the visualisation that is done as part of the Four Immeasurables at the beginning of any puja or sadhana.

I hope this helps.

Dear Parth,

Yes, Dorje Shugden’s practice can be engaged in for those who have passed away, especially during the time closest to their passing, as the energies generated and dedicated can help Dorje Shugden lead them to a better rebirth rather than being at the mercy of their karma.

Even if the person has been deceased for a long time, Dorje Shugden’s practice can still help them and they can gain benefit in whatever realm that they have taken rebirth in.

In the case of Tsem Rinpoche’s passing, we do engage in the practice of Dorje Shugden, but this time because Rinpoche is an attained being, we do not prayer for a fortunate rebirth for him. Since he is attained he can take rebirth wherever he wants to. So in this case, we pray to Dorje Shugden to remove the obstacles and create the conditions so that we may be able to meet Rinpoche in his new form again when he comes back again. I hope this helps.

Dear Anton,

In regards to the death process, from a scriptural point of view his is no significance to that strong smell. Perhaps it was something, but it is not necessarily related the spiritual death process. Perhaps as what the person told you, it may have been the corpse itself. I hope this helps.

Dear Tommy,

Thank you for your interesting question. Kache Marpo has appeared in the form of a Dharma Protector, so his ‘function’ in our daily practice is as a Dharma Protector and not a Yidam (meditational deity). So his practice is one that is used to remove obstacles and create the conditions so that we can engage in our Yidam practice strongly and gain results from it.

However, since Kache Marpo is an enlightened Dharma Protector, in the future he may take on the form of Yidam. Technically, because his mind is enlightened, he can be a Yidam, but from the point of view of his form and why he arose in the form, practically speaking at the moment, he can only be considered a Dharma Protector.

As an enlightened Dharma protector, you can definitely take refuge in him and his practice is definitely beneficial, but not in the same way that a Yidam practice would be, which would be to actually transform the mind and gain spiritual attainments. I hope this helps.

Dear D.L.

Thank you very much for your comment. We are praying everyday that Rinpoche returns and spreads the Dharma again.