Lak Tam involves more than practicing meditation twenty minutes a day to unwind after work. A commitment of months, perhaps years, of solitary, intense practice is involved. Lak Tam (luk tum) is a Thai phrase used by meditation teachers (Ajahns) to describe a stable semi-Samadhi.
Lak Tam involves more than practicing meditation twenty minutes a day to unwind after work. A commitment of months, perhaps years, of solitary, intense practice is involved. Lak Tam (luk tum) is a Thai phrase used by meditation teachers (Ajahns) to describe a stable semi-Samadhi. Lak Tam is what meditators squirrel themselves away for long periods of time to attain. Lak Tam creates permanent shifts in consciousness that enlightened beings and seekers have experienced throughout the ages, and not only affects the practitioner’s destiny in this lifetime, but in the next world as well. Lak Tam will cut through much of your confusion quickly, but few have the courage, or are willing to take the time, to discover its significance.
Appearances can be deceiving; a meditator looks to be asleep, with nothing happening, but in truth, everything is happening. It is just occurring at deep levels and not apparent to an unrefined mind. A meditator will tell you that the more familiar he or she becomes with Lak Tam, the more interesting it becomes, but the more familiar she become with the world, the more contemptible it becomes.
Let me assure you that if you ever feel inclined to pursue Lak Tam, sincere effort will bring results in many ways. You will find yourself being less confused and angry. Your attitude toward others will be more cooperative and less competitive, and your inclination to attach and cling to harmful things will decrease while there will be less aversion and a natural openness toward things that inspire.
Desires will be less lustful and you will be less conceited. You will become less cynical and skeptical, as your concerns of being lied to vanish, simply because you will see through each lie, leaving you with a feeling of compassion for those who are so confused, insecure, and fearful that they are forced into deception. Your restlessness and sadness will subside as energy levels increase, and as you become more sensitive to unkind acts, you will begin to understand the far-reaching results of those actions, and how they affect you, as well as everybody you touch.
The worries over your failures in the world and concerns over such things as your demise, or separation from family and friends will become less of a burden, and your sorrow will diminish appreciably. Physical and mental pain will largely cease, as your understanding of the common characteristics of existence – impermanence, discontent and no self deepens.
Most Westerners practice meditation to augment their busy lifestyles. Lak Tam is not like that. Lak Tam requires complete devotion for an extended period of time in order to sustain a semi-state of Samadhi. Samadhi is initially attained in sitting meditation, then in walking meditation, and finally 24/7 as a semi-state of Samadhi, as the meditator goes about his or her daily routine. This requires a controlled environment initially, supportive of sustaining a semi-Samadhi constantly.
After sustaining this state for some time, permanent shifts in consciousness occur where the meditator can sustain semi-Samadhi more easily, until eventually they can sustain it at all times, and under any circumstances. Whatever interests their mind is understood directly by deeper understanding and the resulting actions are in harmony with the situation. Then they can re-enter the world, if they prefer, in order to help others or to perform selfless services without the bother of worldly influences affecting them. Attaining Lak Tam sets them free, and they find themselves living in harmony with others and with the earth with no particular intention to do so; it just happens naturally.
They see and understand things as they really are, and they investigate the things that warrant investigation very seriously, which is to realize the most fundamentalt truths, to grasp the impermanent and imperfect nature of the world, and to understand the law of cause and effect. When they act, they act properly, with love and understanding, yet with wisdom. They act harmlessly, and for the good of all. When they speak, it is not harsh, nor false, it is always friendly and warm, and not malicious or slanderous. They speak gently and do not diparage.
They harm no one, nor do they take what is not offerred or earned. No dishonesty, no dependencies or addictions, no sexual misconduct that could hurt others, and not even any one-upmanship or backbiting. They earn their living in a harmless and helpful manner, not causing any discomfort because of their interactions with others.
They have tremendous energy, but not energy to chase after desires, which fuels ambition and aggressiveness, which can turn into violence. Their actions reflect discipline, staightforwardness, and compassion. Their consciousness is clear and unobstructed, with images not forming to replace the realities they cognize. They are, therefore, not confused by the images of the world, and they act accordingly.
Lak Tam is for those who want to go all the way; it is the pinnacle of perfection. The world and its million pleasures are no more than children’s fairytales, compared to the penetrating insight of Lak Tam.
E. Raymond Rock of Fort Myers, Florida is cofounder and principal teacher at the Southwest Florida Insight Center. His twenty-eight years of Lak Tam experience has taken him across four continents, including two stopovers in Thailand where he practiced in the remote northeast forests as an ordained Theravada Buddhist monk. His book, A Year to Enlightenment (Career Press/New Page Books) is now available at major bookstores and online retailers.
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