Announcing Nine Ways Press: Books, eBooks, and Audiobooks about the Yungdrung Bön Religious Tradition

I am pleased to share an exciting update regarding my current and future published works. Nine Ways Press first title, Summoning the Drala: Protection and Support from Primordial Guardians. This was in response to multiple requests by the Yungdrung Bön faithful to have English translations related to invoking the drala available in order to prevent, harmonize, and/or avert disruptions or harm caused by astrological influences. There is both a spiral bound color book and an eBook available. Only the print book contains the Tibetan language prayers and corresponding phonetics for recitation. The spiral bound book includes an introduction that gives a brief explanation of the drala and how to make offerings, preliminary prayers, the main practices of the newly translated Essential Invocation of the Drala which is a prayer given by Buddha Tönpa Shenrap, and Command for the Queen of the Drala which was composed by The Second Buddha, the unrivaled Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen Rinpoche. The practice booklet concludes with the hundred syllable mantra, a dedication of merit, and symbolic images of armor and weapons that can be used for making offerings. Both the print and eBook are available here: Summoning the Drala.

Takri Rong, Queen of the Drala

Additionally, the publishing rights for my previous books have begun to be transferred from Sacred Sky Press to my own imprint, Nine Ways Press. I remain deeply grateful to Sacred Sky Press for their support in first bringing this material into print, and for the care they showed throughout that process. Moving forward, these titles will be reissued under Nine Ways Press, with one exception, Indestructible, the Longevity Practice of Lama Tséwang Rikdzin will remain with Sacred Sky Press as it was their first publication.

The first title to be republished by Nine Ways Press is the English language translation of The Heartdrop of Jamma. Both the color and black and white editions have been completely reformatted to a digest-style book with the Tibetan language and its corresponding phonetics now separate for ease of reading. The prayer Removing Obstacles from the Path follows the main text. An appendices has been added to provide a concise reference for the associated meanings for each of the twenty-five mantric syllables of Sherap Jamma’s mantra, and includes an overview of the Nine Ways of Bön.

And for the first time, The Heartdrop of Jamma is now available as an eBook. https://www.lulu.com/heartdropofjamma. The Spanish and French language translations of the text will soon be published as eBooks followed by their respective printed formats.

“If you recite from the beginning until the end, it is the same as reciting the Kangyur one time. Whatever the desired wish for yourself or others, if you pray and recite with a single-pointed focus, without a doubt it will be accomplished!”

From The Heartdrop of Jamma
Buddha Sherap Jamma, The Wise Loving Mother

Listen to The Heartdrop of Jamma

Many people find reading difficult due to physical, cognitive, or other circumstantial challenges. For that reason, it has been requested that I record audio versions of my books. This will also be of benefit for those who prefer to listen, and those who would like to read along with a recording. Although I planned to begin recording audio for my books later in 2026, the passing of my mother on April 7, 2026 inspired me to record audio for The Heartdrop of Jamma and to release it in conjunction with publication of the book during the observation of her forty-nine days in the intermediate state after death. In dedication to my mother, this audio will remain free to the public and can be found on the Nine Ways youtube channel here: Youtube: https://youtu.be/c9s82TmhfuA. May this offering bring great benefit to many countless beings.

As previous and future works are published under Nine Ways Press, most will also be published as eBooks. This will especially make them more accessible to international readers. Additionally, in keeping with my mission of making these teachings as accessible as possible, I have decided to make all eBook editions freely available to anyone over the age of eighty. They only need to email me a request along with their birthdate, and I will provide them with the eBook download. I am excited about this expansion of my work and vision and the ways in which it will expand support for the Yungdrung Bön community and beyond.

More Time Slots Now Available for Consultations or Mentorships

As of May 1, 2026, more online and in-person meeting times are now available for either individuals or groups for consultation or mentorship related to Yungdrung Bön religious practice or study. Email Raven Cypress Wood at RCW108@Gmail.com for more information.

Coming Soon:

Raven will interview Geshema Sherap Yeshe Palzin, member of the first class of Yungdrung Bön nuns to receive a geshe degree and founder of Niu Pal Gyi De Nai. Born in Tibet in 1982 and having spent her childhood as a shepherd, she longed to devote her life to spiritual practice. After receiving novice vows at the age of nineteen, she spent over four months on a harrowing journey making her way to Nepal, mostly on foot. This interview will explore her journey to Menri in Dolanji, receiving her geshe degree, and now being a teacher to Westerners. Stay tuned!

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All Tibetan translations by Raven Cypress Wood.

Raven Cypress Wood ©All Rights Reserved. No content, in part or in whole, is allowed to be used without direct permission from the author.

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Birth Anniversary of the Modern Day Saint Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen

Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen statue

The spiritual master Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche was a Yungdrung Bön monk, teacher, scholar, and realized practitioner of the modern age. He was born in the earth female sheep year of the fourteenth cycle, 1859 C.E. on the eighth lunar day of the third month in Kham, Tibet and was given the name Namgyal Tseten. In 2026, this date coincides with April 24th. At the age of nine, his parents were told that Shardza should be a monk.  He being their only son, they refused. He then became quite ill. As the illness continued, the parents agreed that he could become a monk. At this, he quickly recovered from the illness. 

Shardza attended his root lama, Tenzin Wangyal, for many years. At the age of eighteen, he took the full vows of a monk from the abbot of Yungdrung Ling monastery, Kalzang Nyima Toggi Gyaltsen at the Dza Tengchen monastery in Kham.  Because Shardza considered himself non-sectarian, he, received teachings, blessings and empowerments from many Bön and Buddhist teachers.  Altogether, he had twenty-four masters throughout his life. He went on a pilgrimage to many sacred places such as Kongpo Bonri, Menri Monastery in Tibet, Yungdrung Ling Monastery, and holy places in Lhasa. During this pilgrimage, he had many extraordinary visionary experiences.

Although Shardza kept strict vows and also performed many tantric practices, his view was dzogchen. He famously repeated the accumulations of the preliminary practices many, many times in his life, as well as reciting millions of mantra, especially the SAL LE Ö mantra. He preferred to retreat to a solitary place on the mountain near his monastery and focus upon the practice of dzogchen. When Shardza was seventy-five years old, his behavior changed. He became more casual in general and delighted in playing with children. He was seen doing miraculous things such as walking without his feet touching the ground or setting his bowl down in space.

In 1934 C.E. at the age of seventy-six, he began to spontaneously sing songs of realization. A few days later, he sewed himself inside a tent and forbid any of his disciples to open it.  The next day, rainbow lights began appearing above and around the tent. By the 4th day, rainbow-colored mist was seen coming through the seams of the tent. On that 4th day, Shardza’s disciple opened the tent. He found Shardza’s body enveloped in rainbow light, levitating in midair, and shrunken to the proportional size of a one year old child. (For more about Shardza Rinpoche, see previous article: https://ravencypresswood.com/2024/05/19/90th-anniversary-of-the-parinirvana-of-shardza-tashi-gyaltsen-rinpoche/) This realized master was a prolific writer and left behind volumes of commentary, practice instructions, prayers, and and spiritual poetry. Among his writings, he left the following advice for disciples and spiritual practitioners.

The actual location of Shardza Rinpoche’s attainment of the rainbow body in Tibet

“Atop the white lotus blossom of uncontrived faith, in the midst of the expanse of the five lights, with a longing to never be separate, from the heart of this faithful beggar, I supplicate to the wise lama who has immeasurable compassion!

I am a beggar who is overwhelmed by the disease of distraction. If the ties to meaningless preoccupations are not cut, there will never be a time when worldly activities are finished. Right now, my heart’s desire is to concentrate single pointedly without preoccupations!

For those whose mind stream is not liberated but who encourage others to be virtuous, if one’s own afflictive emotion of arrogance is not tamed, there will never be a time when that bad disposition is liberated, regardless of how hard you try. Right now, my heart’s desire is to tame my own mind stream!

For those happy to mindlessly talk when asked to comment or explain something, if meaningless talk doesn’t end and one’s speech doesn’t rest, there will never be a time when the afflictive emotions of attachment, aversion, and debating will ever be pacified. Right now, my heart’s desire is to act like one who is mute and to not speak!

For those attached to servants and companions, if the rope of longing for friends and relatives is not cut, whoever you are connected with will become contrary to spiritual practice. Right now, my heart’s desire is to be solitary and without companions.

For those who do not let go of grasping and being attached to wealth, a time will never come in the mind stream when you realize that you have no need for anything. There will never be a point when karmic defilements and the seeds of cyclic existence are exhausted. Right now, my heart’s desire is to be without attachment and free from activity!

For those tasked with working for others but who roam hungrily through the town, if you don’t put an end to eating the black food of insatiable donations, the thick defilements of karma will never be exhausted. Right now, my heart’s desire is to roam on a mountain like a pauper.

For those who accumulate things because of dissatisfaction with their possessions and wealth, if wanting to possess whatever you see isn’t abandoned, a time will never come when there is liberation from the suffering and misery of cyclic existence. Right now, my heart’s desire is to act like a beggar without anything! 

For those who adorn their body with many ornaments, if you don’t cast off wanting to wear nice things, there will never be a time when the negative karma of continual greediness comes to an end. Right now, my heart’s desire is to be without clothes and naked.

For those who are filled with the arrogance of having a youthful form, if the pleasure from eating and drinking wonderful things is not given up, there will never be a time when the craving mind of afflictive emotions and desire is renounced. Right now, my heart’s desire is to happily prepare this food and drink of a beggar. 

For those who practice virtue with coarse attachment, if you are unwilling to leave your mansion behind, whatever you accomplish will be unable to rise above being merely a worldly activity. Right now, my heart’s desire is to leave behind the mansion of my birth.

For those who want happiness through sleeping in bed, if the enemy forces of constant laziness are not conquered, in spite of having the soft mattresses of nine beds, they will only be a cause for fatigue. Right now without sleeping, my heart’s desire is to generate diligence and zeal.

For those who seek the bliss of the same taste in nine different places, if whatever suffering and misery arises is not taken as the path, even if you travel to the borderlands of the empire, there will still be causes for hardship. Right now, my heart’s desire is to not travel but to sleep like a beggar.

For those whose practice is lost in studying books, if there is no skill in subduing the afflictive emotions within one’s own mind stream, even though the Nine Ways are held by the intellect, it will be a cause of hardship. Right now, my heart’s desire is not to study but to summarize everything into a single meaning.

Because of never-ending activities, become weary of these meaningless distractions. Desire to go into the mountains of solitude without people. This is my simple advice.”

All Tibetan translations by Raven Cypress Wood.

Raven Cypress Wood ©All Rights Reserved. No content, in part or in whole, is allowed to be used without direct permission from the author.

Did you enjoy this content? This article is made possible by generous donors who want content like this to continue to be available. Don’t want to miss a post? Scroll to the bottom and click “Follow this blog.”

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New Publication: Summoning the Drala

After multiple requests by the Yungdrung Bön faithful to have English translations related to invoking the drala available in order to prevent, harmonize, and/or avert disruptions or harm caused by astrological influences, Nine Ways is happy to announce publication of Summoning the Drala: Protection and Support from Primordial Guardians. There is both a spiral bound color book and an eBook available. Only the print book contains the Tibetan language prayers and corresponding phonetics for recitation. There is an introduction that gives a brief explanation of the drala and how to make offerings. Prayers include the preliminary practices of requesing consideration, generating the mind of enlightenment, going for refuge, water cleansing, and fumigation with incense. Then follows the newly translated Essential Invocation of the Drala which is a prayer given by Buddha Tönpa Shenrap, and Command for the Queen of the Drala which was composed by the one known by Bönpos as The Second Buddha, the unrivaled Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen, founder of Menri Monastery and the one who united the three lineage transmissions of sutra, tantra, and dzogchen. The practice booklet concludes with the hundred syllable mantra, a dedication of merit, and symbolic images of armor and weapons that can be used for making offerings to the drala. Both the print booklet and the eBook are available here: https://www.lulu.com/search?sortBy=RELEVANCE&page=1&q=drala&adult_audience_rating=00

  • Table of Contents
    • Introduction
      • The Tügkar, Drala, Changseng, and Nyen
      • Making Offerings
    • Summoning the Drala
      • Requesting Consideration
      • Going for Refuge
      • Generating the Mind of Enlightenment
      • Cleansing with Water
      • Fumigating with Incense
      • Essential Invocation of the Drala
      • Command for the Drala Queen
      • The One Hundred Syllable Mantra
      • Dedication
      • Appendix
      • Endnotes

This booklet is meant to be an immediate support for those in need rather than an in-depth study of the subject material. These specific prayers were chosen because they are frequently recommended as expedient ways to invoke support and neutralize harm by calling upon the drala who are a primordial class of worldly protecters. Especially, from the view of astrology, each year brings both supportive and challenging aspects to each individual. For those whose yearly Tibetan astrological calculation indicates a probability for obstacles, one of the recommended methods for support is to call upon the drala. (To know more about who can benefit from invoking the drala during the current year of the Fire Horse, see previous article: https://ravencypresswood.com/2026/02/14/2026-the-year-of-the-male-fire-horse/)

“From our great ancestor of the past, Mu Chuk Khorlo, until the present victors of Bön and beyond, we have relied upon you as our close allies and made offerings to the drala of the ancestral lineages from generation to generation. Now, at our time of need, when we call upon the army of gods because of enemies, we beseech you to come quickly without delay!”

From The Essential Invocation of the Drala
Takri Rong, Queen of the Drala

All Tibetan translations by Raven Cypress Wood.

Raven Cypress Wood ©All Rights Reserved. No content, in part or in whole, is allowed to be used without direct permission from the author.

Did you enjoy this content? This article is made possible by generous donors who want content like this to continue to be available. Don’t want to miss a post? Scroll to the bottom and click “Follow this blog.”

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Feast Offering to the Deities of the Mother Tantra

Untitled
Mother Tantra deities as painted by Lama Kalsang Nyima. Photo credit: Raven Cypress Wood

On the 21st and 22nd lunar days of the 1st month, Menri Monastery in Dolanji, India perform a feast offering to the deities of the Mother Tantra according to the Shen tradition. In 2026, these dates are March 9th and 10th on the Western calendar. This kind of feast offering, known as tsok [Tibetan: tshogs] literally means “collection, accumulation, assembly.”

The source of the Mother Tantra within the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition is the primordial Buddha Küntu Zangpo. It has three cycles: external, internal and secret. Each cycle has a root text and commentary that was written by the sage Milu Samlek. The main yidam of the Mother Tantra is Sangchok Tartuk and his consort Khandro Chema Ötso. Of the two general types of either peaceful or wrathful tsok, the tsok of the Mother Tantra is categorized as wrathful.

menri ma gyud tsok 2021
Tsok offerings for the principal deities and retinue of the Mother Tantra. Photo credit: Unknown

For those who have vows with a yidam deity, performing a tsok is an opportunity to repair broken vows or commitments related to the yidam practice and to increase merit and accomplishment associated with that particular yidam cycle. Having offered to the enlightened beings, we gain more power and energy. Additionally, past negative actions and the obstacles and imbalances of daily life are purified. Qualities such as health, longevity, prosperity, confidence, and stability are strengthened and increased. When undergoing a deity retreat, a tsok is performed each day in order to generate merit and remove obstacles for a successful retreat.

When performing a tsok, the ritual can be done in its condensed, medium-length, or extensive forms. This is determined by the purpose of the tsok, the sponsor, the circumstance, and the umdzé or ritual director of the feast offering. However, every tsok has stages that are essential and a similar structure consisting of preparation, preliminary practices such as setting a boundary, refuge, generating the mind of enlightenment and admission of wrongdoing and purification, the main practice consisting of prayers related to the specific deity or deities, and the concluding prayers of dedication and auspiciousness. In general, once the length of the tsok is determined, then the necessary substances, torma, and food offerings are prepared. Everything must be clean, prepared according to the specific text, and placed in its proper position in the shrine area.

To begin, the tsok offerings are ritually cleansed with water, incense, together with the corresponding mantras and visualization. Then, through mantric syllables and visualization, all of the offerings become a vast array that fills the three thousand-fold universe with wondrous offerings that delight each of the five senses including delicious foods that contains the eight qualities of nutrition, as well as limitless auspiciousness and positive qualities. The principal deity and retinue are formally invited to the tsok and asked to reside in the objects of support such as the yidam support torma or deity vase that has been properly prepared and placed in the center of the mandala.

wrathful tsok
A wrathful tsok offering. Photo credit: Unknown

Now that the enlightened deity is present, prostrations are offered. One can also take this opportunity to confess any broken vows or commitments to the deity and receive purification and renewal of those vows. The eight offering goddesses are imagined to arrive from the vastness of space and to present the eight external offerings to the assembly of deities. Then, rakta mixed with black tea is offered as a symbolic offering of the liberation of our desire and attachment. Next, the ritually prepared medicinal alcohol is empowered and presented to the yidam deities as a symbolic offering of our realization and wisdom developed during our practice. The tsok is then liberated by being cut. The top-most portion is offered to the yidam deities, and the next portion is offered to the lineage lamas of the practice being performed. The linga torma represents outer enemies and obstacles as well as the inner five poisons, wrong views and so on. This torma is now presented to the yidam and religious protecters, liberated by cutting, and then offered while requesting the bestowal of both the ordinary and supreme attainments of the practice. The Yungdrung Bön protectors are then invoked and presented with offerings. After this, the prayer of delighting the deities and the lineage with the tsok is performed, and the prayer of attainment through accepting the tsok is performed. Then, by eating the tsok, vows are renewed and the blessings of the deities are received. The leftovers of the tsok offerings are given as a gift of charity to those lower beings who are powerless to take part in the tsok and who depend upon our generosity to receive its blessings. The concluding practices include prayers of aspiration and auspicious followed by dedicating all of the virtuous activity performed during the tsok for the benefit of every sentient being within cyclic existence.

The Eight Offering Goddesses

“Within this mandala where marvelous things arise, there is a collection of enjoyable things such as sights, sounds, smells, tastes, things to touch, ornaments, Bön treasures, and so on. Through this unsurpassed cloud of offerings, both actually set out and imagined, may our sacred commitments be fulfilled!

Through the blessings of having fulfilled our sacred commitments to you, may the enlightened teachings of the Yungdrung Bön spread! Dispel into space all external, internal, and secret obstacles!”

And,

“Amazing! This sacred food is the essence of spiritual attainment. I will partake of it and receive both the ordinary and the supreme spiritual attainments!”

For more information about the cycle of Mother Tantra texts, see previous article: https://ravencypresswood.com/2021/12/18/a-brief-introduction-to-the-mother-tantras-of-yungdrung-bon/

Tibetan translations by Raven Cypress Wood

Raven Cypress Wood ©All Rights Reserved. No content, in part or in whole, is allowed to be used without direct permission from the author.

Did you enjoy this content? This article is made possible by generous donors who want content like this to continue to be available. Don’t want to miss a post? Scroll to the bottom and click “Follow this blog.”

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Developing Knowledge & Wisdom through the Power of the Lion of Speech

Mawé Sengé, Lion of Speech, with a sword of knowledge and a scripture.

After the Tibetan New Year celebrations, students at Menri Monastery enter into an intensive retreat to cultivate the qualities of the wisdom deity Mawé Sengé, Lion of Speech. This retreat begins on the 24th lunar day of the 1st month and concludes on the 30th lunar day. In 2026, these dates are March 12th – March 18th on the Western calendar. The purpose of this retreat is to receive the blessings and empowerment of the wisdom deity Mawé Sengé in order to develop and sharpen the students’ intellect to support their upcoming studies in the new school year. The practice of Mawé Sengé is performed many times each day and the mantra of the deity is recited as much as possible throughout the retreat with a minimum accumulation of one hundred thousand mantra recitations.

Mawé Sengé is the manifestation of the Dzok ku, the enlightened state that spontaneously expresses perfected qualities. If practiced regularly, he clears away the darkness of confusion, develops the intellect, and gives a quick and steadfast memory without forgetfulness. If his practice is properly applied and accomplished, there are seven specific signs that arise that indicate his blessings and power have been accomplished. These are called The Seven Signs of Attaining Wisdom that Blazes Like Fire. They are:

  1. The sign of having removed the darkness of lack of knowledge from the intellect. Specifically, this refers to removing a weak or unclear intellectual understanding. 
  2. The sign of having the eye of wisdom. This is the attainment of clairvoyance, expansive knowledge, and wisdom.
  3. The sign of being like a lion of glorious poetry. This refers to the ability to write expert discourses, specifically scholastic poems and compositions.
  4. The sign of the sun of superior knowledge rising. This refers to the capability of having clear knowledge, without any confusion, regarding the qualities of any knowable subject. 
  5. The sign of attaining the recollection of intelligence that is never forgotten. This refers to a steadfast capability of remembering what has been learned without forgetfulness.
  6. The sign of being like a thunderbolt when debating. This refers to the capability to brilliantly overcome all others, without defeat or fear, when debating any subject whatsoever.
  7. The sign of the intellectual memory being fast like lightening. This refers to an extraordinary ability of having a clear and quick memory.

“I go for refuge to the wisdom deity for the intellect. I generate the supreme mind of enlightenment for the benefit of vigorous training in the highest wisdom. Having compassionately purified all karmic obscurations without exception, please bestow the attainments of an increased intellect, useful knowledge, and a divine voice!”  

— From The Short Practice of Mawé Sengé. Tibetan translation: Raven Cypress Wood

Mawé Sengé holding a sword and a butter lamp

In the Yungdrung Bön tradition, there are two principal forms of the wisdom deity Mawé Sengé. Both of these forms share most characteristics. However, one form holds a sword and a scripture as the hand objects. The other form holds a sword and a butter lamp. This second principal form of Mawé Sengé is according to the prayer, An Offering of Praise for the Supreme Wisdom Deity Sherab Mawé Sengé, A Garland of Utpala Flowers composed by the highly revered Nyammé Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche.

“With a sword of wisdom held in your right hand, you cut the root of deluded thoughts and self-grasping.

With a butter lamp of clarity held in your left hand, you dispel the dark intellect and ignorance of migrating beings.

In the space to your right and left, the sun and moon blaze with the splendor of the inseparability of method and knowledge.”

— Extract from An Offering of Praise for the Supreme Wisdom Deity Sherab Mawé Sengé, A Garland of Utpala Flowers

Tibetan translations by Raven Cypress Wood

Raven Cypress Wood ©All Rights Reserved. No content, in part or in whole, is allowed to be used without direct permission from the author.

Did you enjoy this content? This article is made possible by generous donors who want content like this to continue to be available. Don’t want to miss a post? Scroll to the bottom and click “Follow this blog.”

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