The Day of Holy Teachings

Since we had the opportunity to at least see the Dali Lama the day we arrived I wasn't sure if my thrill had been used up already. But today, March 11th, Priscilla and I got up early, 6am, to take the walk down the mountain to the Main Temple, as it's called here in Dharmsala. We arrive around 7am and we are one of the first people here. The temple is set up for many more so we make our way into the second row where we are among Tibetan people, young and old. The man in front of Priscilla leaves and she moves into front row. I'm enjoying making friends with a little girl about 7 years old sitting next to me with her mother, I think, and Grandmother. The older woman each have a Tobetan text in thier hands and are reciting prayers. It's very fast and beautiful. The girl is fidgeting and eventually walks to an area along the edge of the temple where you can look down onto the villages below or up to the Himalayans. I join her. I point out to the mountains and say "beautiful!" She looks out and gets shy. I do some stretches on the rail and make my back. By this time we are good friends. I get out my chapstick and notice her watching me with intrigue. I remember that I have an extra in my bag from one of the little bags they give you when flying first class. Not us, Natalie! So I fetch it out of my bag and put it out to her. Her Mom is watching. She looks at her Mom and then takes it. I know she is dying to try it on but isn't sure what to do and whether or not she's supposed to give it back. Later on while the Dali Lama is speaking she takes a long nap on her Grandmothers lap and her feet are pressing gently against my leg. I like it. There are no cameras aloud in the main temple when the Dali Lama is present so I don't have any photos of her. But take my word for it, Tibetan kids are adorable! Whe His Holiness comes in their is a procession of men carrying flags and some playing some kind of horn. They are all wearing uniforms with tall bright yellow pluming helmets. When he reaches the thrown like chair he teaches from another group of men collect before him and begin a long chanting session. Tobetan chanting is very low and throaty. It feels like a strong vibration in my heart chakra. Sometimes it sounds like he is going to break out into a laugh like the Dali Lama does sometimes. He is standing directly in front of him with others around in a half circle chiming in occassionaly. It's very beautiful. All of the Tibetan people in the audience join in for the next several chants. I remember some of them from my times at Red Lotus for the taechings on Tuesday nights.

When the Dali Lama begins to speak we plug in our transistor radios we bought last night. I find what I think is the proper channel but there is a second voice translating in another language at the same time. I assume, for about 30 minutes, that this is just how it is. It takes great concentration to get the English but I am determined. After a while it occurs to me to turn the channel a bit and search for an alternative. I find it, loud and clear. Hallelueja!! The teaching is on the compassionate Buddha. He tells tells the story of his life and how he wanted to find the root of suffering. On how our mental afflictions are the root to our suffering. And how compassion is the way out. That's a big word and one that needs to be studied. Look it up on the internet or in your dictionary. See what it says.

I saw my friend John Marks from Minnesota here as he walks into the crowd to find a seat after it is a bit more crowded. Amazing how that happens. After the talk we join him and his beautiful wife Debrah and several of their Brazilian friends for breakfast at a sweet place close to the temple. There are hundreds of people exiting all at once but the energy of the crowd is mellow and gentle. It's kind of fun being swept down the street but fear of losing eachother keeps us awake and aware. It starts out just four of us at the table but eventually there are seven or eight. We have friends from Canada, Crystal eventually finds us, Brazil and us from the U.S. The food is delicious and the company even better. We stay for over two hours talking about the teachings and how John and I met Debrah in India last trip.( see next posting) We part after making plans to meet the next day to visit the Tibetan Childrens Village where child refugees are educated and housed up in the mountains.

Yesterday when I checked my email I found a response from John from an email I had sent him several days earlier saying that he was still here in Dharmsala. I called the number he left and Debrah answered. I told her we were here and she said John was away but for us to come to where they were staying to visit. Deborah has been coming here for teaching for quite a long time and one of her teachers is actually friends with the Dali Lama's brother. When we arrived it did seem like a little piece of heaven like John had called it in his email. The house of the Dli Lama's mother was a small stone place sourrounded with gardens and a larger house sat up on a hill beside it. This is where his brother lives. We are blown away by how normal of a house it is with bookshelves and a marble floor and a big eating table in a dining room. We join him, deborah and two other Brazilian women for lunch. The food is outstanding, fresh greens, lentils and rice and fried bananas for dessert. We go to their room after to find a large living area, this is where his mother lived and slept and we believe that he and his mother sat and talked. There is a fireplace which they use every night and an amzing bed and bath with hot shower. I real jem here in India. We walk with them up the mountain a bit past locals who John has already befriended to the monestary wherethey are taking a class in mandalas and dreams from a Brazilian teacher. We meet pass some other students on our way out and the 30 something Brazilain man says he remembers me from the airport. Seems like months ago! Which airport? What day? Where were we going or coming from? We finally figure out that we spoke in the Delhi airport. The teacher was standing next to me when we were waiting for our luggage when we first arrived in India. I started talking to him after I called a man a Boddhisatva who was helping everyone with their luggage. He heard me and smiled so I stuch up a conversation with him. Coincidence> I don't think so! Whe I see the teacher again I remind him of our meeting and we laugh. He is a very sweet older man with a heavy accent but perfect English. We go into the room where the etachings take place and they tell us that this is where the Dali Lama comes to meditate. Wow! Wha great Karma we have. What a day.

Namaste~ Lynne