Ancient Bon meditation flows from Tibet’s earliest shamanic roots, blending breath rituals, elemental focus, and visionary practices. Foundational Ngöndro in Bon often begins with prostrations, mandala offerings and Vajrakilaya chants, designed to clear karmic knots before turning inward. Breath-energy work—called sgyu-lug—mobilizes inner winds, not unlike Buddhist tummo, but usually accompanied by visualizations of primal deities unique to Bon’s cosmology. Culminating in sky-gazing (thogal), the practitioner learns to rest effortlessly in naked awareness, perceiving mind’s luminosity against the backdrop of vast sky.

By contrast, mainstream Tibetan Buddhism typically unfolds through a two-step process of shamatha (calm-abiding) to stabilize attention—often practiced via counting the breath—and vipashyana (insight) to investigate the nature of thoughts and phenomena. In Mahayana schools, Lojong slogans and Tonglen breathing cultivate compassion alongside analytical meditation on emptiness. Dzogchen and Mahamudra teachings—whether in Nyingma or Kagyu lineages—bear a striking resemblance to Bon’s pinnacle methods, yet each framework uses different deity iconography and ritual sequences.

This spring’s Global Wellbeing Summit in Zurich featured side-by-side demonstrations by Bon masters and Nyingma lamas. Both pointed to the same “ground luminosity,” but Bon’s approach wove in ancestral mountain spirits, adding a ritual heartbeat that Buddhist sessions seldom include. Meanwhile, secular mindfulness continues borrowing heavily from Buddhist satipaṭṭhāna, often overlooking Bon’s more elaborate psychophysical toolbox. A few biohackers who dipped a toe into tummo through viral TikTok snippets quickly discovered that Dark Retreats under Bon guidance are no walk in the park.

Still, curiosity isn’t fading. Silk Road retreats now advertise “Bon Meditation Intensive,” promising travelers a chance to go beyond concept and tap into earth, water, fire, wind, and space as living teachers. For those seeking fresh perspectives on mind training, Bon offers an age-old compass—down to earth in its rituals, yet pointing unerringly at the hidden radiance within.