Taking the Essence of Life མི་ཚེ། ཆུད འན Mi Tshe Chülen

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The most profound Chülen is not to live more moments but to live each moment more deeply

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Tibetan chülen is best known for the "essence extraction" pills and practices, used as health tonics, rejuvenation aids, or even as a substitute for food by accomplished meditators. It is often used to extend life and improve health. However, chülen can be much more than that.

“At times we may think of chülen simply as a medicinal pill, but there is much more to it, as it works on the levels of body, speech and mind. Chülen practice, literally ‘essence extraction’, employs different methods to extract nutrition or ‘essence’ through alchemical processes, ritual, and contemplation. The extraction can occur from plants, flowers, barks and roots, water, rock, semen and blood as well as other less tangible substances, such as prāṇa or the ‘essence of space’ or even of stars.” Jamyang Oliphant the Mirror April 2020. Defining Chülen

Padmasambhava’s instructions on chülen were written down by Yeshe Tosgyal and rediscovered by Pema Lingpa. The instructions are called The Chülen of the Wish-fulfilling Jewel . The section Ting ’din bcud len (Samādhi essence extraction) is especially interesting:

"You should not seek your master or deities externally but instead see your own body as them, see their form appearance as male deities and their emptiness as female deities. Realize form and emptiness are inseparable. Your own body and mind are inseparable. Your masters are never external to you.  If you search for dākiṇi nectar and substances outside your own mind it will produce mental and physical efforts and distractions. If you perform meditative concentration you do not need to search for food and drink externally.  If you consume your own perceptions as food during meditation it will help to make your meditation free from obstacles and uninterrupted. If you perceive every single form as arising from Samathabadra’s nature of mind you will realize there is nothing to avoid or accept. These are the most meaningful things to practice. Be diligent."

“Taking the essence of life" is another essence extraction referring to the practice of making one's human life profoundly meaningful, as taught by Tibetan Buddhist masters like Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. With this method one uses the daily ups and downs of life to “extract” meaning and purpose for your life. By doing this practice one extends one’s life, not by creating more moments but making each moment more meaningful, more deep.

Extracting the essence of life is actually quite simple by using the three powers:

1. The power of habit;

2. The power of mindfulness; and

3. The power of compassion.

The three powers cut through the clouds of thought, negative emotions and pain.

Mindfulness is used as a tool of awareness and compassion as a form of unconditional love. Together they are what is known as mindful compassion.

One method for extracting the essence of life is to start with an old or new habit. As you go throughout your day become mindful of when you do this particular habit. It could be something simple and frequent like every time you open a door or less frequent like the first sip of coffee every morning.

Then when you become mindful you add on a compassion part. This could be compassion for yourself or others. For example, when your driving to work you could be mindful to drive in a compassionate way rather than the usual aggressive way.

One thing to keep in mind is that it is far easier to work with an existing habit and use the power of that habit than it is to create a new habit. Using an old habit, you are able to piggy back onto the power of that existing habit.

Here are some habits to start working with:

1.     First Sip of Coffee – smell it, taste it, savor it, offer it to yourself.

2.     Every time you meet a stranger in the street or store think “May this person be happy. May they have happiness in their lives.”

3.     Walking into a room think “may al beings here be happy”.

4.     When you pat your dog pause and feel the bond and the appreciation you and the dog have for this connection.

5.     When dressing in the morning think “I love myself therefore I dress my body in warm, comfortable clothes”.

6.     When the cat sits on your lap and purrs, pause and feel the appreciation and bond.

7.     First bite at meal time think “I love myself therefore I feed myself nourishing foods”, then smell it, taste it, savor it, offer it to yourself.

8.     When stepping into the shower think “I love myself and my body and I wash it with loving care and kindness.”

9.     Think of your own habits to work with:

Using the three powers of habit, mindfulness and compassion in this way, we are using the elemental energies of our body, mind and speech. The elemental energies are wind, fire, earth and water. These energies can manifest in a neurotic way as a mental poison or an enlightened-awakened way. By using the three powers we facilitate the awakened way.