Chöd

“The point of Chöd is to let go of what you cling to …”

Cutting through clinging

Chöd brings together the wisdom of emptiness and generosity. In Lama Tsultrim Allione’s explanation, its central concern is the attachment to an enduring self that lies beneath our fears and struggles.

The traditional practice includes an imagined offering of one’s body. This is a contemplative expression of generosity, taught through lineage-specific visualization, chanting and ritual.

A living tradition

Machig Labdrön’s teachings continue in several Tibetan lineages. Their melodies, texts and forms of training differ. Teachers introduce the practice within the preparation and transmission of their own lineage.

Sunisa Manning’s introductory teaching explores the aphorisms associated with Chöd: short sayings that practitioners return to through reflection. Lama Tsultrim Allione’s Feeding Your Demons is a contemporary method inspired by Chöd, with its own form and setting.