It's Up to You The Practice of Self-Reflection on the Buddhist Path

On the spiritual path we speak of enlightenment. But how do we reconcile the idea of enlightenment with what we see when we look in the mirrorwhen insecurities, doubts, and self-centered tendencies arise in our minds? Dzigar Kongtrul suggests that we need not feel "doomed" when these experiences surface. In fact, such experiences are not a problem if we are able to simply let them arise without judging them or investing them with so much meaning. This approach to experience is what Kongtrul calls self-reflection. Self-reflection is a practice, a path, and an attitude. It is the spirit of taking an interest in that which we usually try to push away. When we practice self-reflection we take liberation into our own hands and accept the challenge and personal empowerment in Kongtrul's title: it's up to you.

Dzigar Kongtrnl was born in Northern India, the son of the highly respected Buddhist lama Neten Choling Rinpoche. After being recognized as a reincarnation of the nonsectarian master Jamg÷n Kongtrnl Lodro Thaye, he received extensive traditional training in all aspects of Tibetan Buddhist doctrine. In 1990, he began a five-year tenure as a professor of Buddhist philosophy at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. He also founded Mangala Shri Bhuti, his own teaching organization, during this period. He has established a mountain retreat center, Longchen Jigme Samten Ling, in southern Colorado. When not guiding students in long-term retreats and not in retreat himself, Rinpoche travels widely throughout the world teaching and furthering his own education.