There are two practices, rushen art and tögel art, that are based on the traditional Tibetan methods for clearing emotional blocks and connecting with the pure and open state of being. In rushen art, we express repressed emotions or other blockages from the inner refuge, the place of stillness, silence, and spaciousness. The inner refuge is the safe space that supports us in connecting with inner confusion or chaos and then releasing it through some form of expression. As we release the blockages, a fresh space opens up. Tögel art then allows us to express the positive qualities that spontaneously arise from the fresh space that opened up through rushen art.

 

Rushen comes from the Tibetan phrase kor de rushen. 'Kor' means samsara, the grasping mind or ego, the impure self; 'de' means nirvana, the enlightened state, the pure self; 'rushen' means separating, distinguishing, clarifying. Kor de rushen refers specifically to separating samsara, the impure self, from nirvana, the open state of being that is our natural mind. Rushen practice involves exercises to clear the impure self and connect with the pure self. The practice of tögel, which literally means leaping over or crossing, involves expressing the spontaneity and liveliness of the pure self. For most of us samsara and nirvana are not separate, not clearly distinguished from each other but intertwined. We are all fundamentally enlightened at the core, but at the same time the ego, the grasping mind, is ever present. Whenever the ego is involved, the mind becomes closed, agitated, or dull, preventing us from seeing our inner sacred qualities. When we are open, we have more access to our sacred being.

 

Rushen art clears the impure self and gives us a glimpse of the pure self. Tögel art then allows us to fully express our true nature. Rushen art and tögel art are considered sacred arts because they bring us closer to our essential nature. With these practices, we are working very deep within, uncovering what is untouched or denied. In rushen art, we allow ourselves to open to whatever is hidden and connect with feelings that have been suppressed, unexpressed, unconscious, limited, or blocked. Supported by the inner refuge, we permit ourselves to see these emotions clearly and express them skillfully. When the blockages are released, the positive qualities beneath them are revealed. Expressing those positive qualities is the practice of tögel art.

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Excerpt from the book - SPONTANEOUS CREATIVITY: MEDITATIONS FOR MANIFESTING YOUR POSITIVE QUALITIES by TENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE