Tog Chöd, the practice of the Wisdom Sword, is a powerful meditation in motion using a wooden sword. “Tog” means “thought” and “Chöd” means “cut”. Visualizations and mantras support the movements with the sword and help to work intensively with one’s own expectations and fears and to cut them. Body, speech and mind are unified.
This dynamic practice aims at reducing fear and expectations, dissolving mental imprints and overcoming negative emotions. Tog Chöd helps us to go beyond the state of thinking and to be able to abide in a state of a calm mind.
Its flowing movements are decisive and empowering as we stomp on our enemies, which are our own negative emotions. There are no enemies outside ourselves, and when we realize this, we can stop struggling with the external world and learn to create our own reality.
Tulku Lobsang developed Tog Chöd–based on the traditional Yaman monk dances and Kalachakra movements–but created in direct response to the needs of those of us in the modern world.
We need a practice to release from our conceptual mind, a practice that connects us with our power. Tog Chöd uses our anger to empower our motivation, but the deep motivation is always compassion.
The sword symbolizes our own innate wisdom. Wielding this sword, we cut through our conceptual mind. We cut our thoughts of fear and expectations that keep us from being in this beautiful present moment.
With wisdom, we can transform our negative emotions and truly change ourselves. We only need to decide to do it.
