The five Tsa Lung exercises

Instructions to the Tsa Lung — Part 1

Inner refuge

Tsa (Channel)
RANG LÜ GYAL WE KYIL KHOR Ü
YÖN TEN MA LÜ JUNG WE NE
TSA SUM KHOR LO NGA YI LONG
TONG PE KU LA KYAP SU CHI

 

First refuge: Body
The center of the victorious mandala, one's own body,
The source of all positive qualities without exception,
Is the expanse within the three channels and the five chakras.
I take refuge in this body of emptiness. (30 sec)

 

 

Lung (Wind)
DUK NGEL PUNG PÖ TREN TSOK KÜN
YE SHE LUNG GI RAP SEL TE
MA CHÖ KA DAK NAM KHE LONG
Ö KYI KU LA KYAP SU CHI

 

Second refuge: Speech
All the gathered clouds of suffering and misery
Are completely cleared by the wisdom wind,
Revealing the unelaborated, primordially pure expanse of the sky.
I take refuge in this body of light. (30 sec)

 

 

Tigle (Sphere of light)
YE SHE Ö NGE GUR KHANG NE
NYI ME TIG LE Ö ZER TRÖ
MA RIK MÜN PE DRA WA SANG
DE CHEN KU LA KYAP SU CHI

 

Third refuge: Mind
From the pavilion of the five wisdom lights,
Rays of non-dual spheres of light emanate,
Clearing the webs of the darkness of ignorance.
I take refuge in this body of great bliss. (30 sec)

 

 

Cleaning obstacles with the Tsa Lung exercises

The five Tsa Lung exercises support the release of physical, energetic and mental obstacles. Tsa means in Tibetan channel and Lung means life breath or wind. Through the concerted concentration of mind, breath and movement in each exercise, we try to open certain Chakras or energetic centers in the body and purify the obstacles that disturb and obscure the realization of the pure and open space of being.

 

 

The three main channels

To clear obstacles through the Tsa Lung exercises, imagine the three main channels of the body: the Central Channel and the two side channels. These channels are made of light. The blue central canal rises straight up through the middle of the body and goes a bit further from the heart to the opening at the top of the head. The diameter corresponds to that of a bamboo arrow. The side channels, one red, the other white, have a narrower diameter and are connected about four fingers below the navel to the base of the Central Channel. Both side channels rise straight up from the connection point on both sides of the Central Channel in the body. As the Central Canal goes straight up through the vertex, the side channels curve under the skull; go down behind the eyes and open each in a nostril. The right channel is white and represents method (skillful means or qualities). He is the channel of male energies. The left channel is red and represents wisdom. He is the channel of feminine energies.

 

Along the Central Canal are Chakras, energy centers with different qualities and characteristics that offer practitioners various options. The Central Canal is the path for us. It is not a road or a highway in the physical sense, but it is a path, a stream of consciousness. When you feel clear, being clear is a state of mind. To feel complete is a state of mind. Feeling the presence of the qualities is a state of mind. Feeling the ripening of qualities is a state of mind. To manifest it is a state of mind. So it's about mind, mind, mind, mind, mind, and everyone is the foundation for the next level, and that's called path.

 

Perhaps, if you love someone very much, you should say, «I love you from my Central Channel». This is better than loving someone from the heart, because when you say «out of my heart», you could just relate to your emotions. The Central Channel is the clear and open expression of the totality of your being.

 

It is difficult to describe exactly the experience of the Central Channel. There is no common terminology for this. In a simple way, it could be said that it is a deep «resting» in yourself, a complete rest with complete consciousness, not something like resting in sleep. We all know how to rest in a deep sleep, but to rest with full consciousness is something that not everyone knows how to do it. The Tsa Lung exercises help to clear the blockages and obstacles in order to rest deeply with complete consciousness.

 

 

The five Tsa Lung exercises

In each of the five exercises there are four breathing sections: inhale, linger, inhale again and exhale; in each exercise you breathe through the nose and imagine how the breath follows the path of the side channels to the junction, as previously described. When the air reaches the juncture below the navel, the male and female energies of the side channels unite and move up the Central Channel. Imagine that the Central Channel fills with positive energy, which rises to the Chakra with which you work in the exercise. The breath is lingered during the whole process and the concentration stays on the special Chakra.

 

While holding the breath to the special Chakra of each exercise, the positive qualities of the Prana are kept like nectar in a jar. Then, without exhaling, breathe again, take in a little more clean air and hold your breath during the movements. This afterbreath intensifies the heat and energy, helping to spread out of the Prana, as well as spreading nectar throughout the body. Focusing on the Prana, one concentrates on the specific Chakra of the particular exercise. At the end of the movements, the exhalation in the Central Canal sinks down and moves out through the side channels and the nostrils outwards. Imagine this exhalation exhausting, expelling, and purifying the blockages and obstacles that could obscure your natural awareness. Imagine, that the Chakra opens and purifies itself and supports the experience of open awareness in this Chakra. The breath now returns to its normal rhythm and you remain in open awareness.

 

It is recommended to repeat each of the Tsa Lung exercises at least three times. These exercises can clean up gross obstacles such as those that cause illnesses or strong, negative emotions, they can exhaust the driving forces of the dark thoughts, and they can also cleanse the subtle obstacles that are the ability to recognize your own nature of mind and to stay in this disturb.

 

At the end of the three repetitions, simply rest with the attention in the Chakra you have just worked with, open and relax as body and energy settle down. Let your mind rest in the open space of the Chakra as long as the experience stays fresh and natural. If you can rest with your eyes open, that's best. If you notice that you are distracted with your eyes open, just close your eyes.

 

 

1. The Tsa-Lung exercise for the upward-moving Prana

The Tsa-Lung exercise for the upward-moving Prana opens the Throat, the Forehead, and the Crown Chakra. Inhale through the side channels and imagine pure air coming in and filling the Central Channel up to the Throat Chakra. Hold your breath and focus on the Chakra. Breathe in again, keep your breath still and keep the focus. Feel how the breath internally spreads upward and nourishes all sensory organs in the head. Bring to conscious the obstacles that you are trying to cleanse or exhaust. Start slowly turning your head counterclockwise five times. Feel the subtle Lung move up in a spiral through your head like nectar. Then change direction and circle your head five times clockwise, while maintaining the feeling of spreading nectar upward in a spiraling motion, as if it washes and cleans all that it touches. At the end of the movement you exhale. Imagine that the breath in the Central Channel goes down and the obstacles leave the body over the side channels through the nostrils. Your attention is directed upwards as you exhale, imagining the obstacles being taken away by the subtle Lung and expelled by the Crown Chakra. Repeat the exercise a total of three times. At each repetition the exhalation releases obstacles and cleans them. After the third repetition, rest your mind in open awareness and feel the Throat, Forehead and Crown Chakra open and clear. Your eyes may be open or closed at this point. Rest in open awareness as long as the experience stays fresh and natural.

 

 

Note: According to the instructions, the breath is holding for the duration of each exercise and is only breathed out at the end. If you feel that you need more air before the movement is over, breathe in again. If that's not enough air, repeat the movement only three times and gradually build up your stamina until you can do five repetitions. (2 min)

 

 

2. The Tsa Lung exercise for the Life Force

The Tsa Lung Exercise for the Life Force opens the Heart Chakra. Inhale through the nostrils and follow the path of the side channels. Imagine that the breath enters the Central Channel at the junction and rises up to the heart. Hold the breath at chest level and focus on the Heart Chakra. Breathe in again, hold your breath, keep your focus on the Heart Chakra and feel the Lung spread inside your chest and nourish the area of your heart. You may perceive or feel the obstacles that you are trying to exhaust and purify.

 

 

Extend your right arm away from your body and rotate your arm 5 times over your head counterclockwise in a motion like lasso swinging. Feel the vital breath spread in your chest and strengthen your life force. Then circle the left arm five times clockwise with the same lasso motion. Keep your breath and focus, put your hands on the sides of your hips, and rotate your upper body five times to the right and five times to the left. At the end you exhale and imagine that the breath in the Central Channel goes down and is released over the side channels through the nostrils. Feel that with the exhalation obstacles are released and exhausted. Imagine in the same way that the heart chakra opens and becomes free. Repeat the exercise a total of three times. At the end, rest in open awareness supported by opening in the Heart Chakra. Remain as long as the experience is fresh and natural. (2 min)

 

 

 

3. The fire-equivalent Tsa-Lung exercise

The fire-equivalent Tsa-Lung exercise opens the Navel Chakra. Inhale clean air through the nostrils, follow the path of the side channels, and bring the Lung to the juncture where it enters the Central Canal and moves up to the navel. Keeps the air in the vase holding (bar lung, Kumbhaka). In the vase holding, the muscles of the anus, perineum, and pelvic floor are pulled up to form a basket while the diaphragm pushes down and acts like a lid. Be careful not to hold with too much pressure and tension. Focus your mind on the Navel Chakra in the «vase». Breathe in again while keeping the focus and the vase holding. Feel that the Lung is spreading, filling the vase and nourishing the navel area. Circle the belly counter-clockwise five times, keeping the concentration and the vase holding, and makes consciously every obstacle you cleanse. Then circle clockwise five times. At the end of the movement the exhalation in the Central Channel goes down and out over the side channels and the nostrils. Feel that the obstacles are released with the breath and dissolved in the space. Feel the opening and release in the Navel Chakra. Repeat the exercise a total of three times, than rest in open awareness with the focus on Navel Chakra support. Rest as long as the experience stays fresh and natural. (2 min)

 

 

 

4. The all-pervading Tsa Lung exercise

The focus of the all-pervading Tsa-Lung exercise begins at the junction of the Three Channels, moves through the Central Channel, and then penetrates the entire body beyond physical boundaries. Inhale clean air through the side channels until connection; bring the Lung into the Central Channel and hold the focus and breathe there. Imagine that the Lung begins to spread throughout the body. Breathe in again; imagine or feel the breath of life expanding and pervading places where energy seems to be blocked. As you feel the spread breath of life all over your body, raise your hands above your head. Beat these up vigorously over the top of your head, rub them together and create the sensation of heat and energy. Continue to hold your breath and massage your entire body especially where you feel injuries or blockages. Feel how these areas are invigorated, as if breath of life pulses through every cell of your body.

 

 

Continue to hold your breath and perform a movement similar to shooting arrows, while opening your upper body. Do this five times to the right and then five times to the left. When you exhale at the end, the Lung in the Central Canal descends and the obstructions are expelled over the side canals through the nostrils. Feel the relief through all pores of your body. Return to normal breathing, then repeat the breathing a total of three times. Rest in the end in open awareness. Your focus can be assisted by the Chakra on the junction of the Three Channels. Rest as long as the experience stays fresh and natural. (2 min)

 

 

 

5. The down moving Tsa Lung exercise

The down moving Tsa Lung exercise opens the Secret Chakra. Place your right foot in front of your left, with your hands around your knees. Inhale through the nostrils, follow the path of the side channels, and bring the Lung or Prana to the junction of the Three Channels. At the base of the Central Channel is the Secret Chakra. Create the «basket holding» by pulling up the muscles of the anus, perineum and pelvic floor. Focus the attention and the Prana in the Secret Chakra, supported by the basket holding. Breathe in again and continue to focus and the holding as you expand the Prana. Feel that you are nourishing this area. Recall certain blockages that you cleanse. Grasp your right knee with both hands and turn in that direction. Circle the abdomen five times counterclockwise. Then turn to the left knee and grasp it with both hands. Circle clockwise five times. Grasp both knees and circle the abdomen five times counterclockwise. If you have enough breath, you can also circle five times in a clockwise direction. As you move, the breath is holding in the basket and the focus remains on the Secret Chakra as you work to exhaust and clean the obstacles. At the end you exhale through the nostrils, taking the obstacles from the Prana on the way through the side channels and going out with the breath, where they dissolve in the space. Imagine the Secret Chakra releasing and opening and the subtle energy moving down the Secret Chakra. Repeat the exercise a total of three times. (2 min)

 

 

After the last repetition, stay in a state of contemplation for a long time, feel the changes on the levels of body, energy and mind. Rest deeply in open, natural awareness as long as the experience stays fresh. (3 min)

 

 

 

Dedication

(ngo mön)
GO SUM DAK PE GE WA GANG GYI PA
KHAM SUM SEM CHEN NAM KYI DÖN DU NGO
DUK SUM SAK PE LE DRIP KÜN JANG NE
KU SUM DZOK PE SANG GYE NYUR TOP SHOK

 

All pure virtue done through the Three Doors,
I dedicate to the welfare of all sentient beings of the Three Realms.
Having purified all afflictions and obscurations of the Three Poisons,
May we swiftly achieve the complete Buddhahood of the Three Bodies.

 

 

Dedication prayer

(ngo wa)
KYAP NE SUM LA DING CHEN TOP PAR SHOK
GO SUM NYAM TOK YE SHE GYE PAR SHOK
DUK SUM DAK NE KU SUM TOP PAR SHOK
RANG GYÜ DRÖL NE ZHEN LA PEN PAR SHOK

 

May I gain great confidence in the Three Refuges.
May my experiences and my realization of wisdom of the Three Doors increase.
By purifying the Three Poisons, may I receive the Three Bodies.
By liberating myself in my own being, may I benefit others.

 

 

Explanation of the terms in the dedication:
Three Doors — Body, Speech, Mind
Three Realms — desirable, shape, shapeless
Three Poisons — Aversion, Desire, Ignorance
Three Bodies (or dimensions) —

 

bön ku or Dharmakaya;
dzok ku, long ku, or Sambhogakaya; and
trül ku or Nirmanakaya