The commonality between all living beings is their pursuit of happiness and the wish to be free of suffering.  Lord Buddha's teaching has clearly shown that life is in fact suffering of many types and there is a path that leads beyond suffering. But most of us live without considering what exactly makes us suffer and what exactly brings us happiness.  Day after day, we spend our time,  our resources, and our vital force to obtain happiness without looking closely to see if what we are investing in actually yields the result we are after.  We spend money on newer appliances, larger fancier cars, bigger dwellings with more buffer land, more entertainments systems and plastic surgery and treatments of all kinds to cover up the inevitable decline of our body and its good looks.  But this self-centered grasping activity never quenches our limitless desires and seems to create even more suffering as if we had been drinking salt water.  Food looses its nourishing tasty appeal, a family vacation seems like just another obligation, etc.  So what is missing?  How do we grapple with our ingrained tendencies to horde and grasp? How can we really sew the seeds for happiness and good circumstances to arise?

Inherent in the Vajrayana Buddhist path is the aspiration to work for the benefit others and relive their sufferings while establishing peace and the causes of peace. The Adamantine path as it is often called, gives rise to as many skilful means to alleviate suffering as there are types of suffering.  The basic key to happiness and the cause of happiness is the sewing of meritorious actions.  By engaging in meritorious activities, one gradually fulfills the accumulations of both ordinary and wisdom merit which leads to the ability to benefit oneself and others in a meaningful and lasting manner.  Activities geared towards the general good can restore energy, vitality and dignity, uplift ones outlook, remove hindrances and obstacles, enrich what is bereft and draw in what is required. 

While there are a broad range of forces at work in any person or locale they can be described in four main categories, as outlined below.

1. local spirits

The richness of nature brings forth abundance in plants, animals and insects. But beyond this there are other life forms—spirits of the land, forest, rocks and streams, and of the hearth and home. Our true  health and balance within the environment is interdependent with these dwellers and guardians of the land—or Devas, as they are called in the West. A whole pantheon of such beings is recognized within Buddhist spiritual traditions, just as they are in all indigenous cultures. When land and sea are polluted with chemical toxins, and the earth excavated or despoiled in so many ways, the homes, health and happiness of these local-beings is disrupted. When they suffer, this in turn creates suffering, disease and unfavorable conditions for us. Our success, prosperity and even safety are compromised. On the other hand, when they are satisfied and at peace, this creates tremendous benefits for our land, home and personal continuums. Far from being the product of fantasy, these are living, conscious beings and, like ourselves, have varying needs and requirements for their fulfillment and well-being.

2. elemental imbalances

In Eastern science, it is understood that our environment, body and even mind, are the result of the play of five basic elemental forces: fire, air, earth, water and space. It is more than a theoretical viewpoint, for the art and spiritual science of balancing these elements is both sophisticated and highly effective. When the elements are neither deficient or in excess, there is harmony, peace and health in our body, mind and in the environment. This is the concern of Feng Shui, the Chinese art of placement, that is now familiar to many Westerners. But achieving such balance is also an inherent goal in Tibetan rituals and personal / land-healing ceremonies. These work on an even deeper level, as they aim to transform the impure elements into their pure, enlightened aspect.

3. emotional imprints

Disturbed emotions and upsets can accumulate in a dwelling, literally permeating the structure. These vibrations can persist for years or decades. In fact, people often move into a home (or office) that has one or more areas where the energies are noticeably negative, "sticky" or just feel unhealthy. Such negative imprints, whether from our own family or from former residents, has ongoing physical and psychological effects. The results is that we become sick more often, are more stressed, depressed, experience misfortunes (such as loss of money or possessions or even accidents), have relationship difficulties, and so on. These emotional shadows can be cleared and cleansed from people, locations, rooms, or from the entire house.

4. obstructing entities

In some cases, there may be actual "entities" which inhabit our dwelling, for the unseen dimension includes a vast number of beings. Some are actually lost souls, as described in folklore. An individual's consciousness may become stuck between death and rebirth, unaware that they are in an intermediate state. Other apparitions are traces or imprints left by strong emotions or the personality of the deceased. Completely different, and usually far more destructive, are what we commonly call demonic or evil spirits. While there are many classes of such entities, they are often part of our projections and are often linked to us through karmic connections and past lives, not unlike our relationships with friends, family and even enemies in the human world. Still, other spirits may be attracted to our dwelling because of certain energies there. Just as we seek a home with certain qualities and amenities, the environment may also attract favorable or unfavorable entities. Several Vajrayana Buddhist rituals are geared towards removing these negative entities while assuring positive and beneficial energies remain firm as we wish.

Creating Sacred Life & Sacred Space:

Working with our Psyches, Land, Dwellings, Workplaces ... Healing our own continuums and our environments

In the West, we are now finally trying to redefine our relationship to the environment and to return to our Earth Mother with a deeper respect for the natural world. However, since ancient times, Tibetan Buddhist practitioners have been skilled in overcoming environmental distortions. Padmasambhava sometimes known as "The Second Buddha" and other great sages of the Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhist tradition, developed countless and wonderful spiritual techniques to transform negative influences that impinge on our well-being. These practices are vital today, part of our living Ngakpa lineage and have many profound effects, including:

Dismantling and dispelling negative tendencies and karmic patterns
Balancing the five elements (fire, earth, air, water and space) and drawing back their stability and vibrancy.
Clearing emotional imprints and negative vibrations from the land, home and our own minds
Enhancing health, peace, prosperity, well-being, inner spiritual richness and success in spiritual accomplishments

Healing our relationship with land-spirits and elemental beings that have become polluted due to past transgressions with the environment.

Eliminating obstructive entities and demonic influences (inner, outer and secret)

Building relations with environmental factors and gaining their energetic support

Transforming negative energies into beneficial circumstances, resources and realization

Commissioning Ceremonies in your home or place of work:

In Vajrayana Buddhism, the above goals are achieved by the performance of sacred rituals and aspirations on behalf of all beings.  By dedicating a vast accumulation of merit, sacred rituals can bring a breath of openness, balance and inner peace that can counter the outer chaos that we often face. By reconnecting our self and our dwelling with its spiritual and energetic roots, we can begin to rediscover an original, stainless sanity in a world that, at times, seems increasingly mad.  For details on how one can commission such ceremonies please see the page called:  Activities

In order to help heal the outer and inner conditions of those dwelling in America, it is important that this kind of technology of the sacred become known and integrated into our culture. Lama Rangbar Nyimai Ozer (Yugyal Tulku) has trained extensively in these healing rituals of Tibetan Vajrayana. Dedicated to bringing these unique methods to Western hearts and lives, Lama Rangbar is often available to conduct ceremonies for personal blessing or for one’s home or land or workplace. As part of these efforts, he is also working on several books on related topics.