On my path I’ve found this playlist with practical demonstrations of the PHET! syllable and similar dynamic shouting practices from different teachers very helpful. Watching people actually do this practice and feel the immediate effect on them was very encouraging for me to break through my initial hesitation towards that practice years ago.
Click on the video and a playlist opens up you can scroll through.
It’s ironic how resistant new (and not so new) practitioners will avoid dynamic shouting practices for a long time, favoring more peaceful or calming practices instead, while shouting PHETs may be the most effective tool for post-awakening insight practice. I had hesitation with it myself early on, and of course I could find very convincing reasons to justify that hesitance!
Ironic is the right word, yes. There is a big hesitation towards the practice.
I’ve seen the same thing in my coaching practice with clients who have a lot of anxiety. One of the most effective things people can do to bring themselves out of anxiety is to simply stand on the floor in upright and strong superman pose for at least 5 minutes. Just keeping that wide open body posture long enough to break through the mental prison. It works both ways. But still people don’t do it. They don’t feel like doing it or think, that it feels inauthentic and fake. That’s self-based delusion in action, making us believe and feel that smallness and tightness is our natural state so it feels “unnatural” or “fake” to break through into our real size.
Or with Atiyoga and Dzogchen practice. I know that in the beginning, I used to think that shouting PHET! is artificial and goes against non-meditation. Until I started doing it and quickly realised how completely lost I had been sticking to my fancy ideas of non-meditation before.
Dynamic concentration is an effective practice, but still some people don’t benefit from it, despite doing it for dozens and hundreds of times for several months. When that happens I think the main reason is incapability to relax and surrender. Or just not having readiness for the practice. The technique of DC might seem way too simple for a skeptic mind. Not to mention of natural state itself.
Yes, good point. The shouting in itself can only work if you allow yourself to listen to it and it’s effect. If one is mindlessly shouting syllables and unwilling to be present with it, the practice cannot reveal it’s effect.
I think, readiness for the practice can be experientally translated into willingness to do what it takes to make it work. If someone is unwilling to surrender and relax - out of which reason whatever - the person is not ready for the practice. That might sound harsh but in my experience behind most «I can’t» stands an «I refuse to». Of course that doesn’t include physical or health-related incapabalities.
Well, we have this thing called suffering that will eventually take care of decreasing options and matter of choosing between my way (of “I”) or high way (emptiness-bodhicitta).
This video is on the same playlist of DC, but it’s so wonderful example of intention and cutting through combined with devotion and surrender. Shouting bottom of the heart. I can watch it all over again.