Effort

I had a friend named Nick at a meditation center we both attended.  One night during the Under 30 Meditation Night, which we both led, Nick emphasized the need for effort during tranquility meditation.  This is a preliminary, but advanced meditation given to all beginners to practice at the center. When I questioned him on this point, Nick responded, effort is unquestionably needed for this type of meditation.

If I continued the dialogue it would follow as such.  Especially in this advanced tranquility meditation effort should be relaxed.  

Effort you speak of is contrived.  

Contrived effort is an Intention of for and against.

This dualistic energy comes from the ego.

And is an impediment to practice.

True energy is non-contrived.  

It's source is basic goodness.

Uncontrived, unconditioned energy naturally propells one to meditate.

In retrospect, my basic disagreement with Vajrayana students is that I emphasize much more on the tantric understandings rather than the devotional notions of practice.  

In my next few posts I will outline additional disagreements with Tibetan Vajrayana traditions. That is I hope to extricate what is essential, from what is inessential boiler plate practices, which may be good for the organization, but impedes expedient practice.