Machig Labdrön

I have been mentioning, in some of my recent posts, the practice of "feeding your demons" as a transformative practice out of the Tibetan buddhist tradition, as taught by Lama Tsultrim Allione. This practice is derived from the Chöd practice developed by Machig Labdron, and exemplifed by a key story from her life: 

"While receiving an empowerment from Sonam Lama. In a state of profound samadhi, meditative absorption, Machig floats through the temple walls, out into the air, and finally up into a tree which stands at the edge of a lake belonging to a fierce naga king, or water spirit. Infuriated by her disrespect of his territory, the naga gathers an army of fierce and wild nagas who mount an attack on the naked girl sitting in total equanimity in the tree. Rather than fleeing or attacking, Machig instead turns and offers her body as food to the nagas. Stunned, the nagas vow their allegiance and eternal protection to Machig. This is a seminal story of feeding rather than fighting, the underlying paradigm of Feeding your Demons."

For more about Machig Labdrön's life https://www.taramandala.org/introduction/our-lineage/who-is-machig-labdron/

Machig Labdrön by Karma Yeshe