Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and sleep

:)
Here are some more questions to demonstrate how little I know.

Is there something GM recommends we do before we eat?  Just the deliverance mantra if there is a dead animal involved?  Or to do anyway, meat or no, no matter what?  Or something else?

AND, what about before retiring at night.  I sort of gather that one can do some armor protection - same as in preliminary practices?  Or is there something else/something more?  Or are there other things that are good to do, but require some more training/empowerment?  I remember something about visualizing oneself as a vajra.  Are we especially vulnerable when we sleep?

thank you for your knowledge,
lian hua dance

Hey Dance,
   i also dont know much but i do know a little so this isnt an answer all answer so anyone else who knows please add to this...

   for meal time i think it all comes down to your personal intention... rather than a "have to" its more about the thought behind the action...

   for me i like to take the moment before i eat to think of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Dharma protectors as well as all the heavenly creatures that uphold the buddha dharma and then i invite them and any hungry spirits to join me... you can also chant the offering mantra and perform the offering mudra to go along with this, but at certain times this might not be possible so it can also be visualized...

    for sleep the armor protection that is found in the four preliminaries or the root guru yoga can be practiced... there is also something that Grand Master mentions called Dream yoga, ill provide the link here so you can do your research... while asleep we can be sort of "off guard" as i put it... it happens to me when i dream... when im awake the Dharma is fresh in my mind but while asleep i seem to be Dharma lacking... and GM says those who can practice the dharma while sleeping are sure to become buddhas soon... so i need to impliment this dream yoga...

part 1 of dream yoga:
    http://world.tbsn.org/uk/londontemple/ebooks/rainbow1/chap14.htm
         and part 2
       http://world.tbsn.org/uk/londontemple/ebooks/rainbow1/chap15.htm

    i hope this helps...

     om mani padme hum

Lyciss, Before we make the food offering to our dharma guardians and the Buddhas, we have to cleanse our food first.
This is very important.

Chanting the Deliverance mantra of Manjursi Bodhisattva
will do it. If possible, form the " Great Sea " mudra but many dharma sisters/brothers can only do visulisation in their minds when they are having meals with others.

Dance, what i did is to chant the mantra of our Root Guru
as i believe His mantra can also do the deliverance for the
animals. But the "Great Sea Mudra " and mantra of the
Manjursi Bodhisattva is what GM has taught us to form
and chant before eating.

After our food is cleansed, we can chant the offering mantra
to offer the food to Buddhas/Bodhisattvas, our dharma guardians. For me, i simply invite my dharma guardians
to eat before i start.  In fact, whatever i eat or drink first,
i will silently invite my dharma protectors to please enjoy
them first. Sometimes, drinks like Bubble drinks, coke , fruit juices, or tit-bits do not need any deliverance but i have cultivated the daily habit of inviting my protectors to eat first.  :D


I don't offer my meals to Buddhas since i offer fruits, vegetables, tea, snacks at my prayer altar at least once a day.

Lyciss, i don't offer the food to wandering spirits though i
think it is never wrong to have a compassionate heart and
think of all the six realms.  :)
It is just that I am not used to it and sometimes when i see delicious food , i want to start right away instead of doing
all the visualisation....gosh, it can take a while, you know. ;D

Above is what i do for food cultivation. I wonder how do others practise theirs ?

Everyone and Arica
   the reason i left out the rebirth mantra or cleansing part is because i dont eat meat... i should of mentioned it anyway thanks for adding it but you did however remind me of something else that is important...
   
   Clean food also means that it was not reheated left overs! and also you or someone else hasnt tainted it by eating some before the offering is made...

   about the hungry spirits;  i know if this part isnt done correctly the spirits can become vengeful and cause more problems than its worth but for me im willing to deal with what ever that might be... im firm on Grand Master and Dharma Protectors guidance while practicing it...

    all practices are time consuming... but then again what is time really? just a few moments of salavation is all... lol anticipation is the jewel of those who wait isnt it?

     om mani padme hum

     

Dance,
I used to only deliver my food if it was meat and only offer my food if it had never been eaten before. But at my temple, the lamas deliver the food even though it is not meat and they offer the food although it has already been offered. I asked them why and they said that although the food is not meat, there is lots of invisible bacteria that have died. Those too are living organisms so they need to be delivered although it is not meat. Regarding food that has already been offered, the lamas told me that the offering mudra/mantra also cleanses the food. When you perform that, the food is also blessed by the Buddha's. I also believe that it is important to perform both in all cases because it shows our remembrance and appreciation for the Buddha's and Bodhisattva's.

Arica,
What is the great sea mudra and mantra?

Lyciss...that will include the water that you drink....there are much unseen organisms living in a cup of plain water.  ;D

Making food offering will increase our fortune, at least we
will not die of starvation if we should be reborn again.
;D

And offering to the six realms will build up your affinity
with them. You will have many unseen , invisible helpers
around you.

Celestial Maiden, the "great sea " mudra belongs to the
Manjusri Bodhisattva for deliverance and is to be formed
together with the mantra. Just ask around the TBS temple,
most people will know about this mudra.

Hi Dance
            Another way taught by Grandmaster Lu is to chant the purification mantra before offering any food to the deities
the mantra "OM AH HUM" can be chanted three times before offering the food or anything to the deities. Then one can Invoke the Root Guru first and any other deity that one has the affinity with. One can then chant the offering manta and form the mudra to offer to the deities. This will be Ideal I think that way anything to be offered is purified, but if eating meat, fish or chicken deliverance mantra and mudra must be done prior to this. :) . One must be flexible with offerings depending on the circumstances that one faces


thanks
Vajralion

OM MANI PADME HUM! :)

Cool...
   a Vajra Lion who knows how to play with Dharma toys... 8)

      om mani padme hum

Dance.
What I do is:

I start by claping my hands twice, then crossing my hands and I snap my fingers.

I use the Manjusri Rebirth Mantra " "Om- ah-bei-la-hum, kan-cha-la, so ha," along with the mudra first.  If someone has a pic of the mudra please post it.
Then I touch the Mudra to my brow and release.

Then I use the Mandala Offering Mudra, visualizing the food and drink in front of me emitting white light, which I visualize multiplying in row's, then in a large amount of space until it is multiplied as far as I can visualize, as what I see throughout the universe.  

I say in my mind I offer these to Grand Master Lu, to all the Buddha's, Bodhisattva's, Vajra Protectors, and all beings from all realms.

I then visualize the above there accepting my offerings.

I chant Om, sa-er-wa, da-ta-ga-ta. ee-da-mooh, gu-ru, man-cha-la-na, kan, nee, mee-ye, da-ye-mee.

Then I touch the Mudra to my brow and release.

Then eat.

Perhaps, I have been missing a part or have being doing it wrong for all these years, someone please clarify.


Also I use the standard Armor Protection often, and before I sleep and when I wake up and on other occasions as well.
There are several methods to use before sleeping.  Visualizing oneself as a vajra is a good one as well.  
I am unable to find any of these practices online.  Yes we are more vulnerable when we are asleep.

I would suggest buying the books, True Buddha Tantric Dharma and Dharma Talks by a Living Buddha.  They are about 10.00 each and I think they are available at the Redmond Temple.  I would call ahead and ask.
The True Buddha Tantric Dharma book goes into the different Armor Protections in detail.

Also dream yoga needs empowerment. This can be done my asking for it at Redmond, I would suggest an appointment first, or write to them for remote empowerment.

I always tell people not to ask for too many empowerments, as it is important to keep with one's practice and not get sidetracked.  I have the dream yoga empowerment, and used it a few times then realized that it was of little use if I could not be very mindful in the day.  Therefore I do not use it.

Please clarify me anyone if they see any errors in this post.

Thank you.

Brenda

Found it.  This is the first Mudra I use.