Prayers and practices

Hello all,

It has been awhile since I have managed to bring myself to pursue finding a computer to post here, but I want everyone to know that our precious Guru and the group are ok...many are still nursing respiratory and GI problems (among other things) but the limitations of the body are not preventing strong practice from occuring, and we are recovering. We have been here in Bodhgaya for several days now...I am not sure how many, and are spending much time at the Bodhi tree, the place Lord Buddha Shakyamuni, is said to have attained complete and total enlightenment. It is a place of great wonder and prayer, and the one thing that it is not is quiet. As one does circumambulation or sitting meditation, one hears chanting coming from all directions, it ebbs and flows, but is always there...until suddenly I cease to hear it coming through during my meditation.

Rinyi, Tsering, Utpala, Chonyi and I were there earlier today sitting in front of the Bodhi tree, and after doing walking meditation...all ages, cultures joining us, we sat and watched a small Tibetan child walking with two women, one older and one younger...and this child was at that stage where children are learning to walk alone. She kept reaching for the womens' hands and other times would try to do it by herself and would fall. It struck me that that is how we are in our practice. We reach for support and it is always there if we really need it, but the practice part is necessary for us to learn and ultimately up to us. If we don't practice we will not learn. So we try and we stumble and get back up again and again and again and keep practicing and one day we will walk and not stumble and perhaps some day we will help others to learn to walk. And now I am off to the temple with Dewa and wish you all well...and I entreat you all to join us in the pilgrimage, in doing prayers, especially the Golden Rosary, and practice as you are able...energy and the practice transends time and space.

Much love,
Menma