Question asked by Yee Ling
Dearest Rinpoche,
I am happy to hear that you are recovering well from your reflux test and that your condition is improving. As advised by you, I am now doing my Migtsema retreat and am halfway through. My husband has been very supportive but he is not Buddhist. He has asked me why the number of the preliminary practices for water offering, mantras to be completed is 100,000. Is there a reason for that particular number? One of the conditions state that we should not travel during the retreat.
I have to travel with my husband before I complete my migtsema retreat. Is it possible for me to continue the retreat while travelling and what do I need to do in order not to break the retreat?
Dear Yee Ling,
Since the travelling seems so important break the retreat and start up from where you left off when you return.
As for 100,000, it is the minimum to help turn the mind around using a starting number for beginners who cannot do advanced practices for now… There are practitioners who do 3 or 4 million of each preliminary and see many powerful signs from this as a result. There are Americans who go into retreat for 3 years, 3 months and 3 days doing just the preliminaries. Very powerful.
I wish you happy travels.
TR