I had an interesting, though long discussion with a guy friend of Kelly's from Argentina, Alex. We talked a lot about Bon and he gave me the name - kyabdor rinpoche - of a german nyingma practitioner. He supposedly practices a lot of the form parts of the bon religion - white and black magic. It's kept fairly secret within both practices and would be interesting to know about especially in light of he's a westerner.

Also we were talking about how he's researched this theory he has that there's a connection between Bon and Germany - and this is why hitler was also fascinated by Tibet and Bon - evidenced by using the Bon swastika and the skulls on the hats of his special police (death squads) much like the wrathful deities of Bon. He said going in that direction with this guy could lead to quite a profound topic but that he couldn't tell me everything, something about the rinpoche having to tell me.

Also he was saying that the form element of Bon was very similar to South American shamanism, in Bolivia, that has now meshed with the catholic church but is still very obviously practiced. The churches were supposedly built over top the old temples both to get rid of them and also because they were seismic proof. Many of the saints look different and the cross itself is equal in length and width, much like a mandala. Shamans are still used for rituals to drive away or invoke spirits for curses. The catholic church with its exorcisms even acknowledges this native element.

Perhaps this form part is what I need to focus on because it is the least well known it seems and the one part of Bon tha tis not in the Nyingma sect.