Tsa-lung, phowa, and chöd dance together in the tapestry of Tibetan Vajrayāna, each carving a unique path to insight and liberation.

• Tsa-lung (Channels and Winds)
By synchronizing breath with subtle-body channels, tsa-lung opens energetic gateways. A practitioner settles into a calm posture, visualizes channels (tsa) branching like rivers, then directs the winds (lung) with controlled inhalations and exhalations. Methods vary from vase breathing to vase-like reten­tion of air, all under the guidance of a qualified lama. The main aim? To dissolve physical blockages, sharpen concentration and invoke blissful states that underpin tantric realization. Modern retreat centers—from Dharamsala to Boulder—often weave tsa-lung into daily practice, recognizing its power to harmonize mind and body.

• Phowa (Transference of Consciousness)
Phowa offers a way to steer consciousness at the moment of death toward a pure realm. Sitting tall, the practitioner visualizes a blazing syllable at the heart, then “ejects” it through the crown, as if launching a golden arrow into the sky. Mantra recitation and guru-yoga bolster the technique, ensuring a clear channel for departure. With mortality front and center during recent global crises, phowa workshops—both online and in person—have seen a surge of interest, providing solace and a roadmap for those confronting impermanence.

• Chöd (Cutting Through the Ego)
Chöd flips the script by offering one’s own body as a feast to hungry spirits—literal and metaphorical. Clothed in ritual garments, hands grasping the damaru (drum) and bell, the practitioner chants evocative melodies. Visualized offerings coax the demons of attachment and pride into devouring the ego, leaving only pure awareness behind. Often performed near charnel grounds or graveyards, chöd confronts fear head-on, teaching that what scares us most is the very teacher needed for liberation. In urban settings today, virtual chöd circles have cropped up, proving that even the most ancient rites can adapt to modern life.

Each practice pulses with purpose: tsa-lung revitalizes, phowa liberates at death’s threshold, and chöd obliterates clinging. Together, they form a living curriculum—where body, mind and spirit converge on the path to awakening.