Meeting with Rinpoche

Several of the people on the pilgrimage met with Lama Norlha Rinpoche last night to get his blessing and advice for the trip. I was not able to make it, but Lama Karma thoughtfully recorded the meeting for those of us who couldn't be there. Some things that stuck out from the meeting were:

This is an extraordinary opportunity to receive daily teachings from H.H. the Karmapa.

Being on pilgrimage and visiting these extraordinary holy places will change you. He also said to look for the difference when we return. It is best to take advantage of the opportunity of these powerful places and use it to generate merit. When negative things happen, illness, tiredness etc, think "I am doing this for the benefit of all beings," and use it as a purification. Indeed when we rise in the morning, say "Today everything I do will be for the benefit of all beings," and when we go to bed,  review the day and rejoice in all of the positive things we did, and also see where we went wrong and vow to do better.

Be careful what you drink and what you eat. Don't trust the water! I've heard this several times, but it's good to hear it reiterated since I wasn't sure how much of this was western prejudice.

Off to India and Nepal Tomorrow

I'll be heading to India and Nepal on a month-long pilgrimage tomorrow. I am excited about it. I've never done anything quite like it before. A group of 10 of us led by Lama Karma will going around to various holy sites and hopefully visiting with high lamas and getting an in-depth Buddhist experience. I am not taking my computer with me, but I do plan on keeping a journal, and I hope to post pictures and descriptions once I return. We're starting out at the Kagyu Monlam in Bodh Gaya, which is a giant festival in which multiple offerings are made and many prayers are chanted. There will also be teachings. I've got my portable radio with headphones so that I can listen to the English translation that will be locally broadcast to the audience.

Buddhist celebrations are hard work. Getting up early. Fasting. Chanting and making offerings without rest. The idea is to use every second of the day in generating merit. We'll have just completed a 36 hour journey, so we'll be exhausted, but I'm still looking forward to it! I just shaved my head, so now I don't have to pack a comb. All is set.