Hello all at DhO.

My second book "What's Next? On Post-Awakening Practice" has been published as ebook, at Open Heart-website, free of charge. 
Download from this page: http://www.en.openheart.fi/35532

Video of the official Book Launch can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0RgsMR9gEY

It's out and downloadable now. See link to the website from the OP.

Contents

Foreword, 4
Disclaimer, 6
Illustrations, 7

CHAPTER 1: Open Heart Bhumi Model

Introduction to Open Heart Bhumi Model, 13

• Buddhism and Mind
• How the Mind is Constructed
• Emptiness and Open Heart Bhumi Model

How to Visit Bhumis, 18

• Bhumi Visitation Exercise
• Tips

How to Open Bhumis: Dynamic Concentration, 21

• Statistics from Open Heart Sangha
• Dynamic Concentration
• We're Only In It for the Fruit
• How to Use the Body
• Sutra-based Buddhism and Dynamic Concentration Combined
• Tantric Deities and Dynamic Concentration Combined

Bhumi Mapping: How to Map Oneself and Others, 27

• The General Context
• The Key Factors of Bhumi Mapping
• Tips
• Tantric Way of Bhumi Mapping: 13 Pure Land Jhanas
• Bhumi Mapping Experiences

CHAPTER 2: Accounts and Photos

Opening and Perfecting Bhumis, Accounts by Practitioners, 33

• Karl's Account, 33
• Jonathan's Account, 36
• Helena's Account, 39
• Tiia's Account, 41
• Mikko's Account, 43
• Pasi's Account, 45
• Nathaniel's Account, 46
• Kim's Account, 51

Bhumi Opening Comments, 54

Photographs of Practitioners: Photos from 0 to 13th bhumis opened, 59

Additional Photos: Bhumi Openings and Perfections, 65

CHAPTER 3: Additional materials

What is Emptiness? How to Make Sense of Emptiness? 76

• Practical Points
• How Do I Know If My Understanding of Emptiness Is Right?
• Practical Advice

The Core Features of Pragmatic Dharma by Vincent Horn, 78

• The Relationship of Theory and Practice
• Awakening is Possible
• Maps are Helpful
• Reality-Testing is Crucial
• Openness & Transparency For the Win!

Seeing Enlightenment from a Photograph by Shinzen Young, 81

Bhumis in Traditional Buddhism, 83

• Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
• Jigme Lingpa
• Acarya Malcolm Smith
• Zen-master Hakuin
• Daniel Ingram

About the Author, 85
Give a Donation, 86

What's Next?-book is now available in epub and mobi, as well. Download here for free. http://www.en.openheart.fi/35532

thanks, will check out.

FYI. Epub and mobi don't have as many photos but otherwise exactly the same.

Just started reading your first book yesterday with great interest. Thanks for sharing. 

Benoit

My pleasure, hope it is of use. Awake-book is now available in its full version online, here.

Thanks Kim.  I've been hoping to find out more about your approach without going through the paywall/subscription.

Malcolm

FYI. No one has ever been rejected teachings or guidance due to lack of funds. Everything in my two books has been out for free since day one, although the books conveniently gather all the info in between two covers.

There is this whole discussion about money and dharma that deserves its own arena (so if anyone wants to discuss this topic, I suggest starting a new thread) but I'll just mention that all OH teachers are laypeople with bills, families and so on. We are not a big organisation nor we have a religious establishment to back us up, like established lineages and monasteries do. These are the main reasons why we ask money in return.

Actually, it is useful. I went straight to part 2 quite a few times (after doing noting for a few minutes), and it sometimes trigger that same mysterious taping/pulsing sensation in the middle of the head or behind the face as when I get stillness in noting practice. It confirms a hypothesis I've had that this mysterious pulse happens when there are moments of disembedding from the sense of self.

I saw a graph where you draw points in the middle of the head. I didn't read much of that yet since it's in your second book and I'm reading the first one for now (I'm still pre-stream-entry). But I wonder what your interpretation/understanding of that middle of the head taping is, if you have any. Would appreciate what you think that's about.

In any case, I've started experimenting with using part 2 with my noting practice, and appreciate learning it.

Thank you.

I'd also be interested in this, during one of the shifts a few months ago there was a whole body synchronization that happened after this pulsing became very strong when noting very quickly. During a few sessions recently i've been focusing on tension in the face and head, and whenever that tension is released and the head and face seem relaxed and still, the pulsing occurs (or more accurately I become aware of the pulsing). It almost feels like my eyes fluttering, but instead of my eyes, it's some region in the center of the head/brain. Recently it's more subtle, during the previous shift it felt much stronger, like someone snapping a rubber band into that spot until it "released".

A note for those who don't have calmness reg. the Two-Part Formula: Giving the second mode too much emphasis or doing that alone will tie you into a knot of discomfort (self-based existence). That is not a correct application. In 2PF, there are two modes and it is both mode that actually makes it work.

All kinds of sensations from pulsating to pressure, from aches to ecstasy can come up with using the 2PF, just like in any other kind of practice. Ben, I don't know what you mean by taping but what I've seen from numerous people who have used the tech, its probably just one of the sensations. This happens because with the practice, you are consciously bringing up the subject-self and poking it with awareness. Therefore you get sensations in the areas of the body that are related to the subject-self. With awakening all sensations even out and only clarity remains.

Hello Kim,

Thank you so much for sharing! 

The .mobi links is broken.

Also, would be nice to have "Awake" in .mobi and epub formats

metta

Leandro

Kim,

A suggestion for openheart webpage: to have the option to do a ONE time donation (via paypal), now the only choice is monthly.

metta

Mobi-link fixed. I'll ask the tech guy.

Thank you for the suggestion, I'll let another tech guy know. The PayPal button is not set for one time donation but this of course can be done at PayPal too.

Hi Lars. Didn't see your message until now. You are describing standard sensations that have been discussed extensively and in detail in Awake.

Thanks Kim!

What did you think of it? Would be nice to hear some comments and impressions from people who are not Open Heart practitioners.

Reader feedback: "I decided to print it out, and while I was waiting impatiently by the printer, I was watching the pictures of Bhumi openings as they emerged. I never really saw the point of these before, but I suddenly realised that you can see the natural state in their eyes! Now I see!"

My book "What's Next?" discusses something called dynamic concentration.

The idea of using momentary explosive power is uncommon and I can understand why those who are not familiar with the idea, might not even take it seriously. However, dynamic concentration is used in zen buddhism, dzogchen as well as in martial arts that are highly influenced by buddhist thought. In Japanese arts dynamic concentration is called kiai.

On this playlist I have gathered almost 30 video clips from different teachers and practitioners, incl. Shodo Harada Roshi, Keith Dowman and Lama Wangdu Rinpoche, to show that the use of dynamic concentration does traditionally exist.

At the moment I am working on a non-tantric/secular course on dynamic concentration that will be available soon. Read more about dynamic concentration and suggested exercises from the book, from page 21 onwards.

Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDnaw-mgIrU&list=PLqTm9fV9DGhtXvWzWyuaQ9IzbIbcpMlqm

The Awake -book can be found in pdf format free of charge here. It is also available in Kindle format in Amazon, but according to my understanding Amazon insists that there should be a price tag.

Hi folks.

About dynamic concentration that is discussed in the book. In OH sangha we have seen how effective it is to combine tantric deities with dynamic concentration, where one sharply shouts the syllables of the deities mantras. On average, in our group of 70 people, there are 6-8 awakenings or kenshos each month. However, dynamic concentration can also be done without tantric deities, for example, using The Three Jewels or the mantra from Heart Sutra as mantras. In the book, one can find a thorough explanation of the topic and find other examples to better understand the principles of the practice.

In the following clips, I have filmed these two widely used mantras, so that people new to the idea could get a better picture what the practice is and how it is done.

As far as I know, there is no more effective way to cut through the layers of the samsaric mind to pure awareness or buddhanature, than dynamic concentration. It literally takes a few minutes to test it. It is best when repeated once or twice a day, for several days in a row, so that one can see how it works. I'd like to invite everyone to try it out and share your experiences.

• Three Jewels, BUD DHA DHAR MA SANG HA: https://youtu.be/n_Dsxr1vnYg?list=PLqTm9fV9DGhtYrtz_kro465trHll4fBP8&t=1
• Mantra from Heart Sutra, GA TE GA TE PA RA GA TE PARA SAM GA TE BO DHI SVA HA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzmZvHhsZlU&list=PLqTm9fV9DGhtYrtz_kro465trHll4fBP8&index=1

Hello all:

What's Next?-book has been added a new chapter entitled, "CHAPTER 3: Shamatha Experiment".

The new chapter can be read and downloaded here as a separate pdf-file. https://www.en.openheart.fi/35532

This chapter lists accounts of advanced practioners, who have opened mahasiddha bhumis according to Open Heart Bhumi Model, writing about their experience of performing concentration exercise of focusing on the breath.

The main practice that is responsible for their attainment is called an Open Heart Yoga (OHY), which is the main practice of Open Heart.  OHY is based on tantric method and dzogchen nonmeditation that does not involve standard concentration exercise such as focusing on the breath, but an explosive type of concentration called the Dynamic Concentration (also see this thread), which is responsible for rapid familiarisation with the natural state for those who practice it.

The accounts of the OH advanced practitioners show that they are able to perform this task with ease, due to having cleared out much of the dualistic mind contents and having gained default access to the natural state. 

To help with the context of these accounts and the experiment, it is useful to keep in mind the difference between the approach based on awareness, which involves pointers to facilitate familiarisation with the effortless natural state, as in OHY, and mindfulness based approach, which is based on continuous application of intention, such as focusing on breath or noting practices, see the following video for explanation of the difference.

Great Difference between Mindfulness and Awareness approaches