Gaden Lhagyama and depression

It is pretty amazing on how sadhanas work on our minds.

perhaps this is finally a cure for depression instead of expensive consultations with psychiatrists and mind-numbing medications.

In my previous post, i have been in deep depression for a whole month but continue to function normally -- insomia, loss of appetite, feeling like im not here and my mind is looking down from somewhere...all while having difficulty breathing the entire week. It warped me into a mental state where i no longer feel that i am myself and i dont recognize/acknowledge/feel my own actions, my identity or people around me, the time and even space as i would zone out periodically. It's basically a state of mind where the mind envelopes itself in a self-enclosed bubble and disconnects itself from reality.

I have not been doing Ganden Lhagyama regularly like i should and i wanted to restart it but i postponed due to mental laziness. Eventually, under the depressed state of mind i eventually started doing it 3 days ago. I just read the text out loud, in english, and i didint even feel anything when i read it. to me it was just reading words.

That very night, i was able to breathe normally without feeling choked for the first time in a month. And i was able to sleep properly for the first time in weeks too. And the next day i was able to feel my surroundings again.

I continued to do the prayers and my breathlessness reduced. It still happens but it is a lot reduced compared to before. But my mind was as lucid as always and i am no longer feeling disconnected. It's the 3rd day and im still drowsy but i am feeling so much better than before from the whole month.

when i did this prayer, i just recited the words. i did not feel anything nor visualized anything and it did help. If it could have an effect on me under these circumstances, i am positive it may help anyone else irregardless if they had any faith in Lama Tsongkhapa...

however i am fully aware that i should use this opportunity to look into the cause of my depression and reconcile it rather than to rest on my laurels.

If you do suffer from depression, do give this prayer a try.

JE TSONGKHAPA’S YOGA – GANDEN LHA GYAMA

(Invocation)

GA-DEN HLA-JI NGON-JYI THUG-KA NEYRAP-KAR SHO-SAR PUNG-DEE CHU-ZIN TSERCHO-KYI GYEL-PO KUN-CHEN LOZANG DRAGSEY-DANG CHE PA NE-DIR SHEG SU SOL

From the heart of the Lord of the Gaden Devas (Maitreya Buddha) emerges a brilliant white cloud, like a great mass of fresh yoghurt. Atop sits Tsongkhapa all-knowing, King of Dharma; we request your coming to this place along with your great disciples.

(Prostration)

DUN-JYI NAM-KHAR SING-TI PEE-DEE TENGJE-TSUN LA-MA JYEH-PI DZUM-KAR CHYENDAG-LO DE-PE SO-NAM SHING-CHOG TUTAN-PA JYEH-SHIR KAL-DJAR JUG-SU SOL

My Lord Guru is seated before me upon a lion throne, lotus and moon cushion. His body is white and he smiles blissfully. Please remain many eons and serve as the great merit field for the growth of my mind’s faith, and for the increase of Lord Buddha’s teachings.

(Praises)

SHE-JYEH CHON-KUN JAL-WEY LO-DO THUGKAL-ZANG NA-WEY JYIN-JUR LIK-SHEY SUNGDRAG-PI PEL-JYI HLAM-MER DZEY-PI KUTHONG-THO DRAN PI DON DHAN LA-CHAG TSAL

His omniscient wisdom-mind encompasses all that is existent. His voice is a profound teaching, which ornaments the ear of the fortunate pupil. His body’s beautiful radiance evokes wondrous admiration. To Lama Tsongkhapa, whom merely viewing, hearing or contemplating earns one great merit, I make prostration.

(Offering)

YIH-WONG TCHO-YON NA-TSOG ME-TOG DANGDRI-JEM DUG-PO NANG-SAL DRID-CHAB SOGNGO-SHAM YIH TUL TCHO-TIN GYA-TSO DISO-NAM SHING-CHOG CHE-LA CHO-PA BUL

I present to you, great merit field, Tsongkhapa, beautiful offerings, water, a display of flowers, fragrant incense, butter-lamps, perfumes and more both physical and mental offerings, vast as the clouds and wide as the ocean.

(Confession)

DAG-GI TO-MEY DU-NEH SAG-PA YILU-NGAG YIH-KYI DIG-PA CHI-JYI DANGCHEY-PA DOM-PA SUM-JI MI-TUN SHONYING-NEH JO-PA TRAH-PO SO-SOR SHAG

The unwholesome actions of body, speech and mind, which I have accumulated over a measureless period, especially actions contrary to the three vows (Vinaya, Bodhisattva, Vajrayana), I regret extremely and from the depths of my heart, and reveal each and every such action.

(Rejoice)

NIK-MI DU-DIR MANG-THO DRUP-LA TSONCHO-JYED PANG-PI DAL-JOR DON-YO SHYENGON-PO CHEY-KYI LAP-CHEN DZE-PA LADAG-CHAG SAM-PA TAG-PEH YI RANG NGO

We totally rejoice in your magnificent achievements, my Lord, who received numerous teachings and performed the practices with utmost diligence, who abandoned the eight worldly objectives and made the most meaningful use of the eighteen opportune conditions during these degenerate times.

(Request to turn the Wheel of Dharma)

JE-TSUN LA-MA DAM-PA CHEY-NAM KYICHO-KU KA-LA CHEN-TI TIN-TIK NEYJI-TAR TSAM-PI DUL-SHIH DZIN-MA LAZAB-JI CHO-KYI CHAR-PA WHAP-TU SOL

All you Holy Gurus, unerring in conduct, may you precipitate a rain of realization of Bodhicitta and Sunyata from the clouds of all-knowing compassion, which fills the Dharmakaya sky, providing for the field of disciples precisely what is needed.

(Requesting to remain)

NAM-DAG WO-SAL YING-LEY JING-PA YIZUNG-JUG KU-LA CHAR-NUB MI-NGA YANGTHA-MAL HNANG-NGOR ZUG-KU RAG-PA NYISEE-THEE BAR-DU MI-NUB TAN-PAR SHUG

May the Vajra body created from the purity of clear light, free of the rising and setting of cyclic existence but visible to the ordinary viewer only in its unsubtle, physical form, stay on unchanging, without waning, until Samsara ends.

(Dedication)

DAG-SOG JIN-NYEH SAG-PA GE-WA DEETAN-DANG DRO-WA KUN-LA GANG-PHAN DANGCHE-PAR JE-TSUN LO-ZANG DRAG-PA YITAN-PI NYING-PO RING-DU SAL-SHEH SHOG

May this merit accumulated by myself and others, beneficially serve all sentient beings and the Buddhadharma and especially may the essential teachings of the unerring Master Tsongkhapa, become clear and enduring.

MIG-TSE-MA MANTRA

MIG-MEY TZE-WEY TER-CHEN CHEN-RE-ZIGDRI-MEY KHYEN-PI WANG-PO JAMPAL YANGDU-PUNG MA-LU JOM-DZEY SANG-WEY DAGGANG-CHEN KE-PEY TSUG-GYEN TSONG-KHAPALO-SANG TRAG-PEY SHAB-LA SOL-WA DEB (21x)

(*Actual retreat mantra – recite thus, as many as possible)

Je Tsongkhapa, crown Jewel of the holy masters of the Land of Snows
You are Avalokiteshvara, great goldmine of compassion untainted by ego’s delusion.
You are Manjushri, great master of stainless wisdom.
You are Vajrapani, great subduer of all the gatherings of demons.
At your feet, famed Lobsang Dragpa, I humbly bow and earnestly request that all sentient beings achieve Enlightenment.

DISSOLUTION

(Dissolving Je Rinpoche into Ourselves)
PAL-DAN TSA-WEY LA-MA RINPOCHEDAG-SOG CHI-WOR PE-ME DAN-JUG LAKA-DRIN CHEN-PO GO-NEY JE-ZUNG TEKU-SUNG THUG-KYI NGO-DRUP TSAL-DU SOL
Dear worthy root Guru, please ascend the lotus seat atop the head of myself and the other beings, and in your great kindness please remain with us. Bestow upon us the blessings of your body, speech and mind.


PAL-DAN TSA-WEY LA-MA RINPOCHEDAG-SOG NYING-KHAR PE-ME DAN-JUG LAKA-DRIN CHEN-PO GO-NEY JE-ZUNG TECHO-DANG THUN-MONG NGO-DRUP TSAL-DU SOL
Precious, noble, root Guru, please occupy the lotus seat within our hearts and in your great kindness remain with us. Please grant us your blessings for our temporal success and for the supreme attainment.


PAL-DAN TSA-WEY LA-MA RINPOCHEDAG-SOG NYING-KHAR PE-ME DAN-JUG LAKA-DRIN CHEN-PO GO-NEY JE-ZUNG TEJANG-CHUB NYING-PO BAR-DU TAN-PAR SHUG
Beloved, noble, root Guru, please occupy the lotus seat within our hearts and in your great kindness remain with us. Please stay on until we achieve the great goal of ENLIGHTENMENT.