Short Moments, Many Times

 Perhaps the most profound advice I have received from my teachers that has been passed down through the Dzogchen lineage is “short moments, many times.” It is difficult to sustain rigpa, ordinary mind, the natural state, or whatever you would like to call it. It often comes out of nowhere, when you drop your practice, when you sneeze, or when you have lost awareness stepping off the curb and are almost run over by a car. These are accidental moments over which you have no control. For me, “short moments, many times” is a way to practice. Even in a longer practice session, you can take this approach. You can let go of the concept of practice you are clinging to, take a break, and rest for a brief moment. Sometimes when I find myself feeling flat I think of my gurus, their awake mind and their hearts of compassion. For me, this freshens the space of awareness. Thoughts might drop away, and I hear the birds, the hum of space free from thoughts and I can rest for a few moments. When your mind starts running after thoughts or even when your mind seems frozen in a quiet state of so-called meditation you can break your practice by shouting the Tibetan syllable Ah or Phet. From "Pith Instructions from My Teachers" p. 195 https://www.amazon.com/Pith-Instructions-Teachers-James-Gritz/dp/1998248003/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2B91KJA150GHP&keywords=pith%20instructions%20from%20my%20teachers&qid=1706544328&sprefix=%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-1&fbclid=IwAR0F_mUfxBSyw3OTD9Qltrbw3rRkFG7DdMwdfK4rTRlFk4sGZkySXSMsktE