Reflection: Kagyu Thubten Choling Tibetan Monestary

Sunday, Jan 25:
Celebration of Chinese New Year 2009
5 Hrs.

After lengthily journeying on foot from Vassar through Poughkeepsie, to its train station that transported me to Newburgh, I began yet another embarkment, to revisit Kagyu Thubten Choling Tibetan Buddhist Monastery. The walk was beautiful, littered with trees, and the frigid air was fresh feeling in lungs. The birds sang near today. I discovered a fallen, elongated, brown peas in a pod, which primitively became my shaker instrument. Walked and walked and walked and walked. I was relating in my mind to Carlo Carretto trekking, suffering, revalate-ing, and being empowered by spirit across Earth Mother’s Golden sands. And as Food Not Bombs Keith McHenry would say, “What a trip!”
This is a season of my life which has been highly spiritual in nature. Recently, I had a dream about reuniting with a long-lost friend who I used to negatively, and regularly conflict with. The dream was flowery. My friends name is Armin, and we were brotherly in love with each other in the dream I had. I was shown the fruits of my refuge in Buddha and the feeling that I felt was warmth. Buddha in my heart more opened, right mind and intentions have seemingly been expanding, pollinating, and blossoming. By Chogyam Trungpa , I have just read, Shambalah: The Sacred Path of The Warrior. I am yet not one, but I feel as if I am becoming. My intentions of visiting Kagyu are to be among warriors embodying gentleness, authenticity, fearless love, and selflessness. Trungpa’s “crazy wisdom” taught me that “drala,” or invoke-able magic, fearless love, begins from cleansing and purifying one’s self inner-ly. I intend to cultivate internal drala at Kagyu for the benefit of other beings. Drala, in its nature, once unfolding internally will manifest externally. First in the home, then in the family, and the final realm, that is community, for a more enlightened society.
At last when I arrived at Kagyu, I was greeted by nuns, and monks, and long lost friends. I was told that today was a very special day for me to be there, for it was Chinese New Year, o-nine, celebration. They told me of how they were just talking about me yesterday in remembrance of our cave chambers meditation retreat one year ago. Their greetings and expressions revealed to me that I am welcomed and loved here. Before I could ask my question, “How can I help?,” They were already asking me, for out of grace, it was in need. How spiritually this had occurred. Not before long we found ourselves out in the snows gathering, loading, transporting, unloading, and axe splitting firewood. There was a fire ceremony underway. In interconnectedness, collectively we made two fire pit sites. We made mountains of stacked, axed wood and placed crumbled, old papers within cracks. Out of necessity, the others had to leave and I was asked to complete jamming in papers. I found peace in solitude. Also, I found a special book in the garbage called Dharma Practice. I opened, and message from inside it read “Go now for the welfare and happiness of the man, out of compassion for the world, for the good, happiness, and welfare of gods and humans.” I am blessed to be here.
Came three o’clock and it was time to begin the Six-Armed Chadrupa Practice. Many gathered in the colorfully, radiant shrine. I prostrated to Buddah, then sat on a meditation mat facing the leading monks, and Lama Norla Rinpoche
A nun kindly gave me a booklet to follow along chanting, as we began the Mahakala (protector) prayers. Mahakalas are performed to clear away obstacles from the last year, to liberate us form them in the New Year to come. This was my second time following along chanting in Tibetan. Chanting is quick in speed, and challenging. I discovered that by following this symbol “/,” as a guide, I can follow along a little better, getting lost less often.
The chanting practice completed with a blessing and an offering of New Year’s medicine from Lama Norla. While I was waiting to receive, my friend David (who reminds me of Snow Lion when he meditates) and I were asked to help with the oiling of the fire pits outside as soon as we were finished. Neither of us were prepared with the proper white clothes, but a kind elder man had an abundance of them, and generously shared with us, making well sure that all were welcomed and included. I watched and learned how to approach, greet, receive, and depart until our turn eventually neared at the end of the line. Over the years I have heard so many special things about Lama Norla, and I have seen him wave smiling from afar, but this was the first time truly meeting him, a warrior, and I was livened in gratitude. Approaching mindfully in my steps, I felt his comfort illuminating the shrine, and I was not anxious or nervous, as I had expected to be. A true revealer of how the fruits of practice effect others. I kneeled down before him and his smile widened as his face wrinkled. “How are you?” He said it so genuinely. “Well,” I said, “How are you?” And he mothering-ly took the white cloth draping it to rest atop my shoulders, held my head in his hands, bent us both down in a bow, touching his balded forhead gently to mine, placed medicine crumbles in my palm, and gestures my depart with motion and golden smile. Felt nirvana. Love, happiness, and peace radiating in all ten directions.
Feeling high as the sky, David and I slipped outside from the shrine, to oil bless fires. David is experienced as a blesser, so I observed silently and appreciated. The pits were ignited and The Sür, Evening Fire Offering Ceremony was now happening. “Sür” is an offering to the 4 guests: the Buddhas & Bodhisattvas; Protectors; sentient beings; and those with whom we have karmic debts. It averts obstacles and sickness and is dedicated to those who are dying, beings in the Bardo realm suffering, and to beings with whom to which we have karmic debts. Thubten, which means “teacher” in Tibetan, described this to me to be in the essence of a celebration party for the deities. And that indeed it was.
Everyone reunited outside the monastery kitchen to continue chanting and be handed to carry giant food arrangements, beers, wines, and sodas into to the burning fires. Wasteful? I had these thoughts. Hey, they are always eating mindful small portions here I replied. Food and drink are of great need and desire to many suffering, and here we were offering them up like crazy. This is entirely new to me. Accept or un-accept? I thought of the holistic nature of the day, and the way of life at Kagyu, and my mind-heart opened to see it as an act of love through non-attachment, and self-less sharing. Beverages poured onto snow, circling rocks, and smoldering coals. Immaculate uncooked linguine designs, mountain berries from Tibet, and oranges with tooth-pic umbrellas in them, all in to the fires. Deities, we are in love with you, thank you for your presensce.
The day concluded in socialization while snaking on goldfish crackers. Since the monks live in the way of ahimsa, or harmlessness, they joked about liking the eating of these artificial animals. There is a great sense of humor there that I love to be around. Especially Lekshi, who will ask me questions such as, “How is your life?” Then when I respond “Good” he will say “You’re not supposed to have a wife! I asked about you wife not your life!” Lekshi is an amazing throat singer as well as a wealth of wisdom. He taught me to metaphorically not go through life focusing only one of my hands, but to witness the larger picture. We talked about the mysticism of Thomas Merton this time. I learned of his enlightened qualities along with his spiritual transformation and eastern journey. I relate to Merton in my similar roots in the church, and current journey into mystical and eastern worlds. Interestingly, I learned that Merton was to give a monumental speech on socialism and religion, just shortly after the time of his death.

Prophets get stoned
In history see
Jesus taught we
To hate not, but love them enemies
Oppressors,
Murderers
Torturers
And Infectors
You true nature is goodness
But has been misguided
A world divided
Is only illusion
One-ness through union
Manifests liberation
Erase
The hate
With a giant’s eraser
Now before later
Awake up
To join hands
Together one people
Together one land

-anthony