The Gyalwang Drukpa

For some reasons, I have not received any photos yet. So maybe I will put up the photos after returning from Ladakh. As you know, I have a two-week programs in Ladakh from tomorrow onwards, and it is almost impossible to write anything because of busy schedules and to update my web due to connection problems. So you have to wait for me to come back from Ladakh 2 weeks later. (No pain, no gain)

Helga Jigme Sangye Choedron and Jigme Zango, one from the West and one from the East, were two of the few lucky friends and students from foreign countries who managed to join us in the walking pilgrimage to Maratika. So I am happy to share with you what they have sent me. Instead of reading what I have to say all the time, at least you can have a choice of reading what others have to say.

I have received many Valentine Day greetings from many people. I think it's a celebration of LOVE, maybe for mundane level, it's just a love between a couple, but we can also see it as the LOVE for everyone, LOVE for every being, LOVE for nature, etc. So since the whole world is saying Happy Valentine and the collective energy is positive as it is about LOVE, so I wish you all, my beloved friends and students, a very HAPPY VALENTINE!

So these are the accounts of Sangye Choedron and Jigme Zangmo. I have not much time to read through them myself, but I am sure they have written from their hearts.

“Maratika” Pilgrimage (From Helga Jigme Sangye Choedron)

When entering His Holiness’ small retreat cave, tears came into my eyes; I could still feel the impact of his intensive practice – thus allowing me to experience yet another power place in the Himalayas. The small yellow tent that I had pitched just a few meters away appeared in my mind – the sound of his voice reciting Mantras and prayers day and night came back to my ears – all mixed with a strong feeling of impermanence; nineteen whole years had passed since then; but weren’t they anything more than a deep in breath, a onetime inhaling and exhaling, a mere snatch of my fingers? How fruitful have these hundreds of days, these thousands of hours and minutes really been, continued my wondering and shaken mind.

A fruitful life, benefiting others, developing a compassionate mind were the main points, His Holiness stressed again and again during this pilgrimage to Maratika. Apart from that, what other purpose could longevity have?

Guru Rinpoche had blessed this place by attaining longevity and immortality. All of us were so eager to touch his self-arisen vase of immortality, his hat, trumpet and stove that had turned into a rock, or to catch a drop of “dutsi”, the blessed water, the rock still produces. All this with the strong wish in mind that our Heart master and his respected parents may live long, may never enter the realm of impermanence.

The presence of His Holiness, H.E. Bairo Rimpoche and Venerable MayumLa turned Maratika yet again into a pure realm. Assisted by his devoted nuns, the days were filled with hoisting hundreds of prayer flags, while purifying fires lit in the four directions, eliminated all obstacles; long life deities were constantly invoked, followed by hundreds of lamp offerings: our spiritual father had taken some 200 of his children to yet another amazing pilgrimage.