tibetan Archives

Chod- A Journey Into the Underworld by Jeanette

03 January 2018

It’s a cool winters afternoon set amidst the backdrop of the ancient ruins of Nalanda (acclaimed Buddhist University in modern-day Bihar). As with everything else I have experienced in India, this is a place of polarity where the serenity is in direct contrast to the bustling streets and chaos just outside the walls. The energy of the great masters who studied here is almost tangible as you step through the remains of the small dorms where numerous hours have been spent in mediation. As we sit on the grass in a semi-circle surrounding the yogi- it’s easy to believe that greatness has been achieved here. As yogi Dawa pulls out his drum and bell, a wave of amusement washes over me. Here is a man dressed in the requisite maroon robes with a luscious head of dreadlocks piled high atop his head. Sporting bright orange laces on his sneakers and a pair of Ray Bans to top off the look, the thought that flutters through my mind is “this spiritual master is going to navigate the terrains of the underworld and lead me to my salvation?”. But as the drum starts beating and his voice starts chanting I soon forget everything around me, so that all that remains is the beat of that drum and the rhythm of my heart. The Chod practice is the art of cutting through the ego and ‘slaying the non-existent I’ so that all that remains is the ultimate truth. It’s a spiritual practice of removing self-delusions and embodying the divine Feminine to purify the body, mind and spirit. As the Chod practitioner steps into the underworld and becomes a bridge between the worlds, we are asked to visualise a series of images that comprise delving into sacred geometry and going deeper into the labyrinth. I can’t remember if I visualised any of these things in all honesty. The Chod; which I was told lasted about a half hour, passed in the blink of an eye for me and all that I can remember is the beat of that drum. Did I travel through the underworld? Did I ‘cut through my ego?’ Did I conquer my fears? I will probably never know. What I do know is that this experience resonated to the very core of me. There is something primal about the use of the drum and the sound of his voice that has […]

19 December 2017

On the 16th December, 1989- His Holiness the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel peace prize. It was a momentous occasion and one which brought hope to so many people including the Tibetan community in exile. It’s been 28 years since His Holiness stood up on the podium in Stockholm to receive this award and to express his hopes to the world for a better future. Let’s take this opportunity to remind ourselves of the message that not just he, but also many of the great leaders of the world wished to convey to us all in these times of turmoil and uncertainty.

22 May 2017

It’s inconceivable how the universe conspires to see you thrive. My mind has been stuffed. I haven’t been able to feel happy; mostly numb and in a dream-like state. The heaviness of losing loved ones, and not doing too well at living in the present moment. It’s normal. I am in a place where I am leaving an experience and diving deep into the waters of another. Loving myself and those around me. I’ve become closer and more aware of my weaknesses than I have ever experienced. It’s not a bad thing, but it can be heavy. I’m trying not to push away these feelings, but really experiencing the depths of confusion. Every feeling demands to be felt; and what a shame it would be to push away what is not My inner voice tells me it will pass, to be patient. So I wait, and here I’ve been sent. Following my best friend to Dharamsala, India. Only a few miles away from where His Holiness the Dalai Lama resides. I’m staying in a small village on top of a mountain where rivers gush fresh water, forests and tenderness of the Tibetan people surround me. The little shops all have photos of the Dalai Lama. In fact, the pool hall I go to on Friday nights filled with tattooed men, blaring hard rap, reeking of cigarette smoke has a happy little photo of His Holiness on the wall. Even the young scar faced Tibetan man who approached me mid-game who I thought would laugh at my ability to miss every ball I shot, gently gave me instructions on how to improve my game. Speaking with me and smiling so brightly I could have melted into a little puddle. I asked Tenzin, my new friend, if he could describe the personality of Tibetan people to me. He responded, “kind, patient, and peaceful.” Yup. The people here are just that beautiful. How I ended up in a place like this at a time when my heart is in such need for rest is beyond my comprehension. And how I ended up being in a purification ritual? You can’t just make these things up. – The welcoming to my first sang puja, or ritual, went a little bit like this: There was a monk in the corner, sitting; chanting his chant. Drumming his drum. He wore deep red robes, an yellow vest underneath, prayer beads hanging around his neck. A presence of peace. […]

08 January 2016

A highly anticipated event in the Buddhist world right now is the 33rd Kagyu Monlam. It will be held in February 2016, in Bodhgaya, India. H.H the XVII Karmapa, the head of the Kagyu sect will teach the chapter on mandala offerings from The Torch of True Meaning as well as on the Kadampa master Potowa’s Long Soliloquy . The main Kagyu Monlam(prayer) will be held for a week from February 16 to 22. You may check the schedule here. For a first timer, this may well be your week of Buddhist Sabbath , a break from your routine, your debut into the framework of Tibetan Buddhism, where you may levitate in the lull of Buddhist prayer hum while being harnessed by the vibrations of pure energy. Monlam is a great prayer festival, traditionally held in Tibet. Kagyu is one of the major sects of Tibetan Buddhism, completed by Nyingma, Sakya, Geluk, Jonang and Bonpo. Gampopa is the main founder of Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism. He was the student of Milarepa, who was the student of Marpa “The Translator”(1012-1099). Kagyu is best known for its system of meditation and practice called Mahamudra. The celebrated Prayer Festival was revived in India in 1983 by the profound effort of Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche and Kyabje Bokar Rinpoche. Kagyu Monlam, at this time in history of Tibetan Buddhism is being held in Bodh Gaya, India and it has come a full circle and home as Lord Buddha attained Enlightenment in Bodh Gaya. The prayer festival was initiated three hundred years back, by the 7th Karmapa Chodrak Gyatso, the 8th Karmapa Mikyo Dorje, the 9th Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje, and the 10th Karmapa Choying Dorje. . The XVIIth Gyalwa Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, was born in 1985 in the Lhathok region, and escaped to exile and reached India on Jan 5, 2000, at the turn of the new millennium. He has grown to shoulder more responsibility of the spiritual event. As the Monlam became more elaborate over the years, H.H the Karmapa has asserted the need to maintain the substance of it and introduced new codes of discipline for Kagyu Monlam in 2004 and promoted more secular approaches keeping in mind devotees of all sects and nationalities. He said “Generally speaking all the lineages of Tibetan Buddhism are interconnected with each other and have their roots in Vajradhara. To provoke differences among each other will weaken the samaya bonds between them” The chief purpose of Monlam is to come together in prayers for […]