Happy Tibetan New Year!
Another wonderful rainy, cloudy and perfect day to celebrate the new year. Today is Losar, the Tibetan New Year. As it turns out just as we may mark this day as another day in our lives, living as some of the most blessed people on the planet, many people around the world are struggling for their basic human needs and rights.
Today H.H. Dalai Lama has called for Losar Celebrations to be omitted except for the basic religious rites as they still struggle to be heard by the Chinese. The situation of the Tibetan people is that of the most well known and publicised refugees in the world. China unwittingly exposed the world to the wonderful teachings of the Tibetan people. High up in their lofty vista they have been keeping and enriching a philosophy brought to the world by Buddha. Now with the help of many monks who have spread their message of compassion through careful contemplation and meditation to the world. Thanks to one of these Lama's, the Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche, there has been a monastery set up just over the hill from Ashland. Today I was invited by my friend Bill to join him for the celebration. What a wonderful chance to experience the goodness in the world. Over three hours of chants and percussion, supplication to the gods for their favor once again in this new year. As I understand it we began by invoking the gods, thanking them and asking for their continuing blessings in this year.
I lost myself in the chants, juniper incense and colorful imagery all around. Caught up in the fervor of life one lesson stands out: I am blessed. I was born and brought up in such a wonderful place. Loved on all side I'm back to my roots, here in Southern Oregon I can be transported back to India, back to the world I left. India hasn't left me, slowly my journey is being assimilated within. The glow of returning hasn't worn off, it's just sunk into my deepening perception and awareness for the glorious life I life. On the physical side, India has yet to be finished with me. I'm still confronted with MRSA staph, an antibiotic resistant version of the normal bacteria that lives on our skin. This has left me in a state of low energy and with two wounds, but it seems like life moves onward. I'm already healed, I'm so happy, surrounded by love on all sides. Thank you.
Back to the point, the Tibetans have a most interesting position in our global vision. They have brought the west back in touch with the Dharma, their leader H.H. Dalai Lama is not only charismatic but from my own brief experience in his presence is absolutely inspiring. At 100 feet away it was as if everyone in the audience took a deep breathe, and on the exhale let go of all their worry and tension. He was light, present with everyone, passing his eyes through the crowd, really looking at as many people as he could before he took his seat sighed himself and began to tell us how goofy we all were for wanting to see him. The Tibetans have found a global audience to their plight, the 6 million Tibetans living in China have been disenfranchised, discriminated against and much worse. Even with the "Free Tibet" bumper stickers China refuses to budge in their position that it is their rightful land. Money wins, and China has the influence that keeps the world at bay. Through this example a veil is removed upon the world. Resources, Commodities and Weapons are what is driving our world, not to mention money. China has that, so do we. In our climb to the worlds largest economy we too have had to push people out of the way. Rather than harp on the evil I'd like to move towards the good, all it takes is for us to say stop.
We can, we have more resources, are more connected and more aware than ever before. Let's turn this "normal" day into a day to wake up. To live brightly and to shine. Buddha taught compassion, a compassion that pervades and dissolves all other emotions, that transcends the self and moves us towards the light. we can all believe what we wish, but the tenants of all the great teachers on this planet has been the same. We have to wake up and learn to live like brothers and sisters, we've got one Earth for all of us. If you've read this it has touched you, please take a moment to stop. We can change the world, let's do it. Let's stop these atrocities and awaken our own Buddha nature. May all beings be happy, may all beings be at peace.
Another wonderful rainy, cloudy and perfect day to celebrate the new year. Today is Losar, the Tibetan New Year. As it turns out just as we may mark this day as another day in our lives, living as some of the most blessed people on the planet, many people around the world are struggling for their basic human needs and rights.
Today H.H. Dalai Lama has called for Losar Celebrations to be omitted except for the basic religious rites as they still struggle to be heard by the Chinese. The situation of the Tibetan people is that of the most well known and publicised refugees in the world. China unwittingly exposed the world to the wonderful teachings of the Tibetan people. High up in their lofty vista they have been keeping and enriching a philosophy brought to the world by Buddha. Now with the help of many monks who have spread their message of compassion through careful contemplation and meditation to the world. Thanks to one of these Lama's, the Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche, there has been a monastery set up just over the hill from Ashland. Today I was invited by my friend Bill to join him for the celebration. What a wonderful chance to experience the goodness in the world. Over three hours of chants and percussion, supplication to the gods for their favor once again in this new year. As I understand it we began by invoking the gods, thanking them and asking for their continuing blessings in this year.
I lost myself in the chants, juniper incense and colorful imagery all around. Caught up in the fervor of life one lesson stands out: I am blessed. I was born and brought up in such a wonderful place. Loved on all side I'm back to my roots, here in Southern Oregon I can be transported back to India, back to the world I left. India hasn't left me, slowly my journey is being assimilated within. The glow of returning hasn't worn off, it's just sunk into my deepening perception and awareness for the glorious life I life. On the physical side, India has yet to be finished with me. I'm still confronted with MRSA staph, an antibiotic resistant version of the normal bacteria that lives on our skin. This has left me in a state of low energy and with two wounds, but it seems like life moves onward. I'm already healed, I'm so happy, surrounded by love on all sides. Thank you.
Back to the point, the Tibetans have a most interesting position in our global vision. They have brought the west back in touch with the Dharma, their leader H.H. Dalai Lama is not only charismatic but from my own brief experience in his presence is absolutely inspiring. At 100 feet away it was as if everyone in the audience took a deep breathe, and on the exhale let go of all their worry and tension. He was light, present with everyone, passing his eyes through the crowd, really looking at as many people as he could before he took his seat sighed himself and began to tell us how goofy we all were for wanting to see him. The Tibetans have found a global audience to their plight, the 6 million Tibetans living in China have been disenfranchised, discriminated against and much worse. Even with the "Free Tibet" bumper stickers China refuses to budge in their position that it is their rightful land. Money wins, and China has the influence that keeps the world at bay. Through this example a veil is removed upon the world. Resources, Commodities and Weapons are what is driving our world, not to mention money. China has that, so do we. In our climb to the worlds largest economy we too have had to push people out of the way. Rather than harp on the evil I'd like to move towards the good, all it takes is for us to say stop.
We can, we have more resources, are more connected and more aware than ever before. Let's turn this "normal" day into a day to wake up. To live brightly and to shine. Buddha taught compassion, a compassion that pervades and dissolves all other emotions, that transcends the self and moves us towards the light. we can all believe what we wish, but the tenants of all the great teachers on this planet has been the same. We have to wake up and learn to live like brothers and sisters, we've got one Earth for all of us. If you've read this it has touched you, please take a moment to stop. We can change the world, let's do it. Let's stop these atrocities and awaken our own Buddha nature. May all beings be happy, may all beings be at peace.
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