A Lesson in Floating in Space: Vidyadhara, Feminine Principle and Evam

Bill Brauer and Ella Reznikova lead book group on groundbreaking teachings by Trungpa Rinpoche Nov. 15 – Dec. 13

In his 1975 seminar on the feminine principle, Chögyam Trungpa Ripoche said,  “By trying to have little goodies and words of wisdom here and there … we become completely ignorant and stupid. We (lose) track of our sky in trying to fight for a grain of sesame seed each day.” 

The actual teaching, Rinpoche said, is the space between words. 

Consequently, when students at Karmê Chöling tried to nail down the feminine principle with intellect, Rinpoche wasn’t having it. He seemed more content to have them struggle with the material.

“The way to introduce the feminine principle can be only through experience,” said Ella Reznikova, who will lead a five-part, online book discussion beginning Nov. 15 with her partner, Shastri Bill Brauer, titled  Vidyadhara, Feminine Principle and Evam. “We can learn to make the leap from ‘wanting-to-understand’ to intuitive wisdom,” she said.

The book group meets at 7 p.m. Mondays between Nov. 15 and Dec. 13.

Facilitators and participants alike will  be invited to become what Trungpa Rinpoche called “astronauts” that learn to float in this vast play of the feminine principle. 

||| “We can learn to make the leap from ‘wanting-to-understand’ to intuitive wisdom.
— Ella Reznikova

Bill and Ella, who live across the street from the Barnet, Vt., Town Hall, where the Vidyadhara delivered these groundbreaking teachings, promise this group won’t be wall-to-wall lectures. Ella said that laughter — as an expression of space — will be an important teacher in this program. 

“And exchange is also very important,” said Ella. “Since we all belong to space, everybody has their own glimpse of space, and we will share with each other,” she said.

There will be two textbooks for the class — transcripts of the seminars that Trungpa Rinpoche gave in Boulder on EVAM, and the first Feminine Principle seminar he presented a short walk from Karmê Chöling. There will also be archival video and digitally remastered audio from the original teachings.

EVAM is a compilation of two Tibetan seed syllables representing the unity of the masculine and feminine principle in Vajrayana, said Bill. In his seminars, Trungpa Rinpoche would tease apart the “E,” which is vast space and feminine energy, and the “Vam,” or masculine, which is that which arises out of that space.

Trungpa Rinpoche talked about how we lived in little bubbles and boxes and houses of a much smaller world, and he was trying to point to the much larger world, Bill said.

This course is an invitation to abandon habitual interpretations of our reality and touch, smell and taste the freedom that comes from going beyond our intellectual barriers and taking a leap into the unknown — the space of basic feminine reality that is always available, said Ella.

Participants will meditate on the qualities of space, which will honor each other’s personal insights and perceptions. 

This class has no prerequisites but it is recommended that participants have a regular meditation practice.

Click here to learn more or register.

The Vidyadhara, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, at the 1975 seminar where he delivered groundbreaking teachings on the feminine principle.