Founder of Chöd Practice: The ShinsungHwa of Machik Labdron (2019)
A Brief Description of Machig Labdrön’s ShinsungHwa:
The radiant aura emanating from her spiritual core creates a dazzling display of intense energy. This ShinsungHwa features a remarkably unique energy structure. What makes it particularly fascinating is how energy flows that bridge both spiritual and material realms connect directly to her hands. The layered halos and energy fields surrounding her body create a strong, stabilizing presence that strengthens the overall impact of the ShinsungHwa. The formation of this energy structure, born from the practice of Chöd, holds a profound sense of mystique.
In ShinsungHwa, geometric patterns and symbols are not merely decorative, but serve as visual manifestations of spiritual principles. The placement of each element—whether representing the spiritual center, the axis of energy, or the symbols of light and universal order—carries its own significance, inviting viewers to contemplate the deeper currents that animate both the artwork and the subject herself.
Machik Labdron: The Tibetan Woman Who Transformed Buddhism
In 11th-century Tibet, Buddhist teachings flowed only from India to the “Land of Snows.” But one extraordinary woman, Machik Labdron, dared to reverse that flow. She became the first Tibetan to create a Buddhist practice so powerful that Indian masters traveled thousands of miles to learn from her.
“Approach what you find repulsive, help the ones you think you cannot help, and go places that scare you.”
_Machik Labdrön
A Child with Ancient Wisdom
Born in 1055 in the small village of Tsomer, Machik’s arrival was marked by rainbow lights and celestial music. Remarkably, she sat up right after birth and asked about her mother’s well-being.
Her early years felt like a spiritual fairy tale. By age three, she chanted sacred mantras. At five, she was reading flawlessly. By eight, she memorized and understood the entire Buddhist text “The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Verses.”
Locals called her “Ahdron,” meaning “the Light of Ah,” sensing her special nature. They had no idea she would light a new path in Buddhism.
“Supreme view is beyond all duality of subject and object. Supreme meditation is without distraction. Supreme activity is action without effort. Supreme fruition is without hope and fear. This old lady has no instructions more profound than this to give you.”
__Machik Labdrön
A Revolutionary Awakening
As a young woman, Machik read sacred texts aloud for villagers. One day, while studying spiritual obstacles and demons, a sudden insight struck her—not just intellectually, but deeply in her heart.
This insight blossomed into “Chöd” (pronounced “choh”), meaning “cutting through.” Imagine shedding all fears, worries, and selfishness that cause suffering. That’s the goal of Chöd. Machik created a unique practice where followers visited frightening places like graveyards and mentally offered their bodies to hungry spirits. Though it sounds scary, it taught ultimate generosity and fearlessness.
Chöd was revolutionary because it blended philosophical wisdom with vibrant tantric rituals—like mixing classical music with jazz to create something fresh and beautiful.
“A devil is anything that obstructs the realization of freedom, and there is no greater devil than fixation on a ‘self’… Exert yourself at a skillful method to sever the devil of ego-fixation.”
__Machik Labdrön
The Ultimate Challenge
News of Machik’s teachings reached India, Buddhism’s birthplace. Skeptical Indian scholars questioned how a Tibetan woman, who broke traditional nun vows to have children, could teach authentic Buddhism.
They took an unprecedented step: three Indian masters traveled to Tibet to challenge her. They found not only Machik but a massive crowd—some say over 500,000—gathered for the spiritual debate.
The public debate was fierce. Scholars questioned her qualifications, teachings, and past lives. Machik responded with such wisdom that she convinced them of her authenticity. She even proved she had been an Indian Buddhist master in a past life, with her prediction of finding her former body in an Indian cave coming true.
The outcome? For the first time, Tibetan teachings were officially recognized and welcomed back to India. Machik had achieved the impossible.
“With a loving mind, cherish more than a child the hostile gods and demons of apparent existence, and tenderly surround yourself with them.”
__Machik Labdrön
The Dancing Mother with the Drum
Artists have long depicted Machik as a white-skinned woman dancing on one leg, holding a damaru drum in her right hand and a bell in her left. Her three eyes symbolize her clear vision of past, present, and future.
Unlike many Buddhist figures who sit in meditation, Machik is shown dancing. This pose captures her dynamic, fearless spirit. She embraced movement, broke conventions, and danced with life’s challenges instead of merely enduring them.
“When the bonds of negative thoughts are released, you will be free, there is no doubt. As when gazing into space, all other visual objects disappear, so it is for mind itself. When mind is looking at mind, all discursive thoughts cease and enlightenment is attained.”
__Machik Labdrön
The impact she left behind
Over 900 years later, Machik Labdron’s influence still spreads across the Buddhist world. Her Chöd practice thrives in Tibet, India, and centers worldwide. Modern teachers, like American Lama Tsultrim Allione, are recognized as her spiritual successors.
What makes Machik’s story so powerful is not just her spiritual feats but her humanity. She balanced motherhood with teaching, faced criticism, yet never lost faith. She showed wisdom can come from unexpected places and people.
In a male-dominated, Indian-centered spiritual world, Machik proved enlightenment knows no gender, nationality, or tradition. Her life reminds us that profound truths often come from those brave enough to dance to their own beat, drum in hand, cutting through all that holds us back.
