Visting Switzerland to see His Holiness teach

This Blog will be reopened in July for the trip to see His Holiness teach in Switzerland.

Tibet still calls

I hear the song in my heart.

The Red Sea of activities

We would be arriving in Tibet about this time. However due to the close of borders of Tibet we are all individually keeping busy with other projects. Like the Red Sea falling in - it not take long to fill this time.

Pema did a very nice website for Joyful Path, Changchub is working hard on the reservation hospital P Dorje is getting married soon so that sure to keep him busy and I am painting hermitage, seeing to barn dismantle, and preparing dharma hall with insulation and drywall to make better retreat than even last year. Gyaltsen arriving here today from LA with camera and prayer beads.

Teaching schedule filled up - New Mexico hospice project going well - I was there for a week.

Baraboo teachings that were cancelled for snow will be next weekend - unless they become cancelled for sunshine!

Joyful Path will be a teaching on how to meditate for benefit of new people in area and hopefully the money that is donated will help a bit to stabilize their financials.

A California retreat and teaching has been added. I happy to see them all again. We going to pray together for benefit of all sentient beings.

We are concerned about Tibet and Tibetans

We are all noticeably quiet about our concern if the trip will be cancel mixed with concern for Tibetans who are demonstrating in many places inside Tibet. We must be careful with this blog as it is a public viewing portal open for anyone in the world to see. Including Chinese. So within the parameters of that I wish to voice my non political concern that the trip will go forward as plan. I am gathering small small pile of items - I find a pretty flower printed all in one tool in a drawer that might just get us a quick repair. I have copies of my passport and now have visa intact. If I had got it in SF in Jan it was $60 but went up to $120 in mid Jan. So-
I want to thank my sponsors for kindness in helping me to set off on this important journey of healing.
Like Dorothy - and the yellow brick road( not to define any person with characters, just the feeling of the Emerald City- Lhasa- before us) Let us keep momentum and peace in our hearts and inner process.

ke ke so so lag gya lo- victory to the gods!

Heading to Tibet

The blog is now open for posting by those travelling to Tibet in May.

Conclusion and beginning

This concludes the commentary on 2007 Pilgrimage to India. The next postings will be either 2008 long retreat US or 2009 (location to be announced -- perhaps Peru). If you are new to the blog, consider reading in reverse order -- that would be chronologically. It has a certain flow from the beginning of the pilgrimage to the end.

Perceptions

I thought that I had posted for the last time on this particular blog already...but hit some unknown key on the keyboard and suddenly there the blog was...actually the picture was the first thing that I saw and then it dawned on me where I was...and after reading Tinley's post and having shivers run down my spine and comprehension come into focus I was inspired to add yet another thought in relation to the pilgrimage and perception.

One of my perceptions regarding India was that everything was new and different...I had never been on a bicycle rickshaw before, or tasted Indian food, or sat in the shadow of the stupa at Sarnath...or a million other little (and big) things. I had never been to India before...and after reading Tinley's email and having the phrase "Why aren't you bored yet?" pop into my mind...I realized that this perception I held about India could not possibly be true.

Through uncontrolled rebirth and the emanation process, we have returned again and again and again, been everywhere, played every role, done every misdeed known to man...done everything...nothing is new...well maybe one thing...

Nothing is new, except perhaps the process of transformation...it is the very thing that we have not yet experienced...so hence the question...why can we not see it? Why do we continue to yearn for newness within samsara when it can not be found...we are limited by our perceptions...and thus we continue to play in samsara.

My response to that...I am not interested in playing in samsara anymore...I am not interested in doing the same old repetitive activities and for what end? A moment of happiness...temporary...that falls away just as it comes into existence...and that really does not even come close to the joy that can be found within the transformative process and path.... So the question becomes...where do my priorities lie...and will I be able to hold that perception...

I hope to be able to hold these lessons carefully that I have learned from this pilgrimage...because really...I have no desire to learn them again:)

Blessings,
Menma