Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 32-minute session, John Landaw guides students through a detailed meditation on the dissolution of the elements at death, a core tantric practice aimed at recognizing the nature of mind. He walks the meditator through the sequential dissolution of earth, water, fire, and air elements—each accompanied by characteristic internal visions (mirage, smoke, sparks, flickering flame)—and emphasizes that these visions are empty appearances with no true existence. As the gross senses fade and breathing ceases, the mind becomes progressively subtler. He then describes the descent and ascent of the white and red energetic drops toward the heart chakra, leading to a state of mental darkness and eventual faint-like cessation. Upon awakening, the meditator encounters clear light—described as spacious, brilliant, empty, and blissful—and is guided to rest awareness in this luminous state. Suited for students already familiar with tantric terminology and energy-body practices.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 12 Intro to Tantra Day 2 no date.mp3
UUID: 5eb22205-d4fa-46da-a827-3860303a9609
Teacher: John Landaw
Collection: Introduction to Tantra (John Landaw)
Date: 1984 (exact day not recorded)
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Words: ~691
The body shrinks. Our cheeks become hollow. Our eyesight begins to blur, and things begin to grow a bit hazy. Internally, a vision arises. A mirage like shimmery as the solid portion of our being loses its function.
And the vision of shimmering grows stronger. Now is the time to remember that this mirage like vision is nothing but an appearance to the mind, having no true existence. Next, it is time for the liquid element of the body to cease functioning. Our throat begins to dry. Also, the tongue, nasal passages, and so forth.
And within, there is a vision like a slowly, swirling haze of smoke. Remember that this vision of smoke is but an appearance to the mind, having no true existence, nothing to be afraid of nor attached to. The mind is turning more and more into itself, growing more and more subtle. The senses are shutting down. And now the heat element of the body begins to absorb.
From our feet upwards, the heat begins to contract. Rising up to the level of the heart, leaving their feet and legs cold. And then the heat begins to contract from the upper extremities downwards towards the heart. Until only our chest remains warm. This dissolution of the heat element is accompanied by an internal vision like sparks over a fire or fireflies in the night.
Many points of darting light appear to the mind’s eye. This vision of sparks too is but an appearance to the mind lacking true existence. Mind grows super still. And as the air element of the body begins to absorb, our breathing becomes irregular. The in breath becomes more and more difficult, while the out breath becomes more and more extended.
Eventually, we breathe out and fail to breathe in again. The breath has come to an end. But subtle visions continue to appear to the mind like a dying candle flame, which before it goes out momentarily glows stronger than before. But this vision of the candle flame too is nothing but an appearance to the mind, nothing to be attracted to or frightened of, having no true existence. The mind is becoming less and less able to support gross conceptual thought.
The last conceptual mind arises. Let it be one of love and compassion. Accepting change without fighting against it. Relaxed and without regrets. Until even this thought fades, and we are faced with a clear empty space.
The white drop at our crown now begins to descend the central channel. Until it comes to rest just above the heart chakra. The internal vision that now appears is of a clear empty space pervaded by whiteness like moonlight. A pure appearance to the mind. Next, the red drop in the navel begins to ascend the central channel, eventually coming to rest just below the heart chakra.
The vision of the empty sky becomes even more empty. But now it is pervaded by redness, like sunlight. As the white and the red drops meet the heart, they encompass it like a shell, and the mind grows dark. The darkness becomes more and more profound until the only vision appearing before the mind is of a deep blackness. A clear empty space pervaded by a deeper and a deeper blackness.
As the darkness increases, the mind is more and more unconscious. Until eventually it falls into a faint, like a deep dreamless sleep. As the mind wakes up from its faint, the hemispheres surrounding the heart break open, and light pours into the mind. Clear and colorless. This is the dawning of the mind, clear mind.
Completely empty and all pervasive. Fast. Spacious. Brilliant and radiant. And in the nature of bliss.
Without form or limitation. Boundless. Alert, and vibrant. Allow the mind to dwell in this spaciousness of clear light. If anything arises, it dissolves immediately into this spaciousness without disturbing the mind.
Now slowly relax the strength of the concentration. Watch as the mind becomes drawn more and more to the objects of thought and perception. Then bring the meditation session to a close with the silent dedication of merit.