“I Can’t Do All This—This Is Nuts!”: An Ethnographic Account of the Challenges Posed by Vajrayāna Deity Yoga in a Western Context
Religions July 20, 2023 Sophie-Anne Perkins
Sixteen Western Vajrayāna Buddhist practitioners described contextual, epistemic, ethical, personal, practical, religious, and socio-cultural factors that challenged their ability to learn and engage in deity yoga, along with strategies they used to overcome those challenges. These factors have been largely overlooked by empirical meditation research, yet their relevance to practice efficacy, outcomes, and adverse experiences is now recognized. The testimonies also reveal that the cross-cultural transmission of Vajrayāna Buddhism involves adaptation and negotiation of practice approaches and environments to fit lay practitioners' needs, while meaning is synthesized from experiences with teachers, teachings, and tantric practice.